Sussex SU attempts to censor their own newspaper

Badger writers are tweeting #YoureCullingUs in response.

| UPDATED

The SU have tried to censor their own student newspaper and have pulled copied from the shelves.

The Badger, the weekly paper broadsheet of the University of Sussex Students’ Union, usually goes out in print once a week on Monday.

But this week newspaper stands either empty, or full of old editions.

According to The Badger’s statement on this shocking turn of events, the SU stopped the distribution of the edition as it contained an article reporting on “legal proceedings against the University by a former student”.

The statement also revealed that the new Editor, Paul Millar, sent the new edition to print without permission from the SU.

The full statement issued by The Badger

At 12pm, The Badger tweeted: “The Students Union won’t let us distribute our latest edition which contains revelations about the University…We’ll keep you posted”.

By 6pm, the SU had “removed all online permissions for (The Badger) website”, meaning that all featured images for existing pieces had disappeared, and writers could no longer publish stories online.

At 6pm, The Badger tweeted this shocking update: “Our editor in chief, Paul, has been suspended by USSU. More to follow. #YoureCullingUs”. They then revealed at 10:20pm that Daniel Green would be acting as editor due to the suspension of Paul Millar.

The SU have offered a statement on their decision to recall the paper and to suspend Editor Paul Millar.

In their statement, they say: “Each issue of The Badger has to be signed off by a Students’ Union representative before it is sent to print to ensure it complies with relevant legislation and to avoid the threat of litigation.

“This ensures The Badger is operating within the law and protects the Union and student journalists from potentially costly legal cases as the Union is the publisher of The Badger.

“The Badger were asked not to distribute the paper until it had been signed off in the correct way.”

The Badger team intended to distribute the issue, with or without Union permission, today in Library Square.

However, Daniel Green, temporary Editor of the publication, Tweeted that he would “have discussions with the SU and come to a peaceful solution to solve the issues that have arisen.”

More to follow.