Author name: Leeds Beckett UCU

Dear Peter Slee,

We are writing to ask for your commitment on the points below. Whilst we recognise a wider historic context, we are currently concerned with the atrocities taking place in Gaza which are affecting our staff and students, and in particular, the university’s silence on this matter.

Leeds Beckett University has so far only managed to issue a short blog post, passively acknowledging the “ongoing events” and highlighting the generic support services on offer to staff and students. Whilst this may appear balanced, it is wholly inadequate.

As of the 7th December 2023 the death toll in Gaza is believed to be at least 16,000 including at least 8,500 children (to put this into perspective, during the 18 month conflict in Ukraine, roughly 500 children have been killed). Many thousands more are still buried under the rubble, presumed dead, while the UN fears tens of thousands more will die as a result of disease and a lack of food and water. Roughly one in 100 people who live in the Gaza Strip have so far been killed by Israel’s brutal attack. Over half of Gaza’s homes – 300,000 residential units – have been destroyed or damaged by Israel while 26 out of 35 hospitals in Gaza are not functioning as a result of Israel’s ongoing assault. The suffering and human loss in Gaza is unprecedented.

The university’s silence on this massacre is particularly concerning given LBU’s communications during other similar conflicts, most notably, the extensive statements published about the war on Ukraine. For example, in February and March 2022, the Vice Chancellor Peter Slee repeatedly expressed his solidarity with Ukrainian civilians. On 24th February 2022, Peter Slee stated:

Today is a day when we need to count our own blessings, and in particular to recognise the fundamental importance of maintaining our personal freedoms and security. We can see how precious and yet how fragile they are. Universities play a vital role in maintaining them. We should never undervalue the role education plays in underwriting democracy, and of the importance of freedom of thought, of association, and expression. We must always challenge, with all of our strength, anything that seeks to reduce their agency in our society.

Tonight our thoughts should be with the people of Ukraine. Not simply those who now face the terrible threat of invasion and war, but those who live here in the UK, who are separated from their homelands, families and friends.

Two weeks later, for International Women’s Day, Slee said:

This year our thoughts should also be with the women of Ukraine, and of the other 20 countries around the world where, as you read this, armed conflict is bringing pain, grief and suffering.

International Women’s Day is normally a day of celebration in Ukraine. Who among us is not moved by the celebratory message from Ukranian women in Kharkiv, even as they experience the horrors of war?

“Dear women, may your children and your beloved men be alive, may all love creatures on this planet be happy. May there be peace in the world. May there be light. Take care of yourselves and your loved ones.”

We respect and admire their humanity, courage and strength.

To date, roughly 5000 women have been killed in Gaza and more than 6000 injured (in Ukraine, roughly 2000 women have been killed).

In another email, the Vice Chancellor stated that:

…our thoughts should be with the people of Ukraine. Not simply those who now face the terrible threat of invasion and war, but those who live here in the UK, who are separated from their homelands, families and friends.

The Vice Chancellor clearly believes it appropriate to express his solidarity and compassion for the Ukrainian people, yet he has been silent on the atrocities befalling Palestine. Do the lives of Palestinians matter less to the Vice Chancellor than Ukrainians? We call on the Vice Chancellor to issue a similar statement expressing solidarity with Palestinians under siege in Gaza, and their loved ones here in the UK – including (and especially) those Palestinians who study at and are employed by the University.

In addition to this, the quality of those support services offered to staff and students affected by the attack on Palestine are questionable at best. The university directs university members to unaccountable, outsourced mental health support and a chaplaincy service comprising a chaplain accused of war crimes for volunteering with the Israel Defence Force. Not only does this seriously jeopardise the safety of Leeds Beckett Muslim or Arab students, it also brings the reputation of the university into disrepute.

Members of the Leeds Beckett Community are also reporting receiving disproportionate disciplinary action for publicly supporting Palestinian civilians. We are led to believe student organisations have been denigrated for reasons related to campaigning for Palestine, and that the Marxist Society has been deregistered for refusing to stop using the slogan “Intifada until victory”. A student of colour wearing a Palestinian flag has also reported that they were followed by a member of the security team in the Portland Building and told to remove it because it might cause offence to people. Policing free-speech in this manner, and directly targeting pro-Palestinian support is unequivocally racist and antithetical to the modus operandi of a university; a university which, as it happens, proports to value inclusivity. We call on the university to reinstate any student group that has been deregistered for supporting Palestinian liberation and to instruct security to immediately stop the racial profiling of students they are supposed to be protecting.

We also note that all university Vice Chancellor’s in the UK were emailed by the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (BRICUP) on 6th December 2023 informing them of the targeted destruction of Palestinian Higher Education Institutions. We have yet to see any acknowledgement or response to this from Peter Slee (or the university on his behalf), but instead received a 1000+ word email exploring the financial challenges facing HE the very same day; failing to acknowledge the humanitarian atrocities directly impacting our sector and staff members.

In light of the above, UCU demands the following:

• The University publishes a statement outlining their position on the Israel/Palestine conflict.
• The University clarifies Rabbi Zecharia Deutsch’s role within the Chaplaincy and terminates their relationship with him.
• The University proactively outlines the support services available to staff members who are affected by this conflict, and enhances this support to include appropriate paid leave for those in need. These support services should be communicated directly to staff members by email – not issued on a public-facing blog post.
• The University provides clarification on which Leeds Beckett policies are being breached for individuals submitted to disciplinary action as a response to pro-Palestinian dissent.
• The University to clarify what if any action they have taken against staff or students for their statements or conduct related to the conflict in Palestine, including any referrals they have made through the Prevent policy.
• The University reinstate any society that has been deregistered for supporting Palestinian liberation.
• The University instructs security to immediately stop the racial profiling of students on campus.
• Peter Slee responds to the BRICUP letter dated 06/12/2023 sent to all Vice Chancellors.

We look forward to receiving your full response to the above within five working days.

The silence is deafening.

Regards,

Leeds Beckett University UCU.

Dear Leeds Beckett Students’ Union,

We are concerned to hear that the Leeds Beckett Marxist Society has been deregistered for their campaigning in support of the Palestinian people, in particular their use of the slogan “Intifada until Victory”. Leeds Beckett UCU calls for the immediate reinstatement of the Marxist Society.

Leeds Beckett Students’ Union have determined that this slogan puts the society in breach of their code of conduct, in particular, that all societies must conduct themselves in a “reasonable and responsible manner of mutual respect and understanding for all members of the University and external community”.

We feel that categorising this slogan as such is concerning for two main reasons:

Firstly, we believe this decision contributes to the criminalisation of the Arabic language, further creating a hostile environment on campus. The term intifada is roughly translated to mean “uprising” or “shaking off”. It is unclear how using these words breach the Leeds Beckett Student Union code of conduct. It also sets a dangerous precedent for the policing of free speech on campus.

Secondly, given the term “Intifada until victory” is not hate speech, this is a clear breach of freedom of speech on campus. While some may find the term uncomfortable, this is not grounds to deregister a society. A university is precisely the space where staff and students are exposed to a diversity of beliefs and ideas, and a place where critical thought should be actively encouraged.

We would like to extend our solidarity to the Marxist Society and ask the Students’ Union to reinstate the society in their appeal.

Regards,

Leeds Beckett UCU