‘Unauthorised access’ leads to Warwick Uni liking tweet that said ‘Jewish students are agents of a Foreign Power’

The tweet suggested the university agreed with David Miller, whose recent comments have targeted Jewish students


University of Warwick’s verified Twitter account liked a tweet that had alleged the university and Dr Simon Behrman of Warwick’s Law faculty supported comments from David Miller.

The official Twitter account for the university was seen to have liked a tweet suggesting that the university supported David Miller’s view that “Jewish students are agents of a Foreign Power”.

University of Warwick later confirmed that the tweet was liked by “unauthorised access” to their official Twitter account.

The account behind the original tweet had shared a screenshot confirming that the University’s verified account had liked the tweet, and thanked the university for “agreeing with your academics that support David Miller”.

 

Warwick University told The Warwick Tab that they believe the account that sent the tweet, @scghighgate, is a fake or parody of the Socialist Campaign Group’s account @socialistcam.

A spokesperson for the University said: “The tweet in question was ‘liked’ following unauthorised access to the account.

“The unauthorised access and ‘like’ was quickly spotted by the social media team and the tweet was soon ‘unliked’, and the matter has been referred to Twitter.”

University of Bristol has recently launched an investigation into David Miller after his comments targeted Jewish students at the university, and over 100 MPs and Peers wrote to the Vice Chancellor of the university to take action.

Miller’s comments garnered such attention that UK government responded to a written question about the professor, saying: “The government considers Professor Miller’s views to be ill-founded and wholly reprehensible, and wholeheartedly rejects them.”

In a spokesperson for Warwick University said: “On 12 October 2020, the University Executive Board (UEB) adopted the following University policy position on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism.

“Antisemitism is unacceptable and abhorrent and it will be met with very firm sanctions within our student and staff community.

“In support of this, and upholding the right of freedom of speech and academic freedom in our statutes, we have recognised the IHRA definition and agreed, by way of policy, that it will be taken into account by any disciplinary tribunal in considering a complaint or allegation of antisemitism.

“Should any student wish to make a  complaint or allegation of antisemitism that they have experienced there is clear and easy to use complaints process here.”

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