A lot more than a hundred academics have condemned an attempt by the police to spy on the political activities of students at Cambridge University. The academics stated this kind of “hugely invasive and unjustifiable” covert surveillance would deter college students from joining political groups.
The condemnation comes following the Guardian unveiled secret footage recording how a police officer tried to recruit an activist to become an informant and pass on info about demonstrations.
The activist wore a concealed camera to record the police officer asking him to feed him the names of college students concerned in demonstrations, their Facebook postings and the cars they utilized to travel to protests.
The officer explained the police needed information about “pupil-union sort things”, citing as examples demonstrations against training cuts and tuition charges.
By Monday 130 researchers and teachers at the university had signed a letter calling on Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, the vice-chancellor, to “condemn such covert practices”.
The university has not commented on the revelation, preserving that “it was absolutely nothing to do with the university” as it was a matter for the police.
Simon Parr, chief constable of Cambridgeshire police, has defended the tactics, telling the BBC: “We are gathering intelligence from a quantity of sources, as every single force does, on items we feel may be of curiosity in retaining the public protected … the only way we know if there are issues we need to have to be interested in is by making an attempt to locate out.”
In their letter, the academics referred to as on the vice-chancellor to make it clear that Cambridge University “is in no way involved in supporting such practices”.
They extra: “We know that as the head of an institution which is committed to protecting a diversity of respectable and peaceful student routines, which includes political and social campaigning, you will share our grave concern at the level of intrusion that appears to be meant in such covert monitoring of reputable pursuits.
“We can’t aid but really feel that the very risk of such unjustifiable surveillance will have a chilling result on college students involved in or hoping to join campaigning organisations.
“As teachers and researchers at this university committed to the highest specifications of academic and private freedom, we request that you situation an official statement condemning this kind of covert practices, which infringe the traditional boundaries of university self-governance, and call for an official explanation and apology from each the Property Workplace and from Cambridgeshire constabulary.”
Sir Graham Vivid, the Cambridgeshire police and crime commissioner, said that he had been reassured that the police “have been acting inside of the legal framework set out by the legislation”.
The secret footage also showed that the police needed the would-be informant to feed them info about United kingdom Uncut, the campaign towards tax avoidance and government cuts, Unite Against Fascism and environmentalists.
University dons condemn police attempt to spy on students
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