No place for racism - a joint statement

Joint statement from Vice Chancellor Professor Karen Bryan and Students' Union Presidents Abinash Chaudhary, Kamil Lawal and Mario Owiriwa.

Over recent weeks, following the horrific attack which led to the death of three young girls in Southport, the UK has experienced far-right riots and counter-protests alongside an alarming rise in racist incidents and attacks.

We have provided support and accommodation to students who felt at risk, but we know that many more students and colleagues will still be feeling scared and unsafe, particularly those from Muslim and ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Racism in British society is not new, but its eruption at this scale is deeply concerning. In the aftermath of these events, we call on our University community to unite in our shared commitment to diversity and freedom from discrimination. On our campuses, we can be a positive example of an environment where everyone feels safe and valued.

For staff and students who are or may be affected by the threat of violence and racism, support is available.

Reporting abuse  

If you experience or witness any harassment or abuse, you can disclose incidents via our online Report and Support platform.   Students and postgraduate researchers will be supported by the University's Welfare and Wellbeing teams and HR teams will provide support to staff. 

If you do not feel comfortable sharing your contact information, you can make an anonymous disclosure. Telling us anonymously helps us understand what’s happening in our community so we can monitor trends and take action to prevent harmful behaviours.

Students can also self-refer for a meeting with one of our specialist practitioners or visit our weekly drop-in sessions via the wellbeing support pages on our website.  

Our on-campus Security team also operates 24/7 and is available to support any member of our community in an emergency by calling or texting 07885 201 182. For non-emergencies, email the team at security@yorksj.ac.uk.

If you would prefer to report an incident to an external community-led organisation, Tell MAMA is able to support those facing Islamophobia on 0800 456 1226.

Students and staff of all faiths and none, can also talk to our Chaplaincy team, and are welcome to light a candle for peace, to pray for peace, or to have some space for reflection, in our Chapel.

Any colleagues affected can speak to their line manager or access support though our Employee Assistance Programme (hosted on our intranet) which is available 24/7.

Strength in our community 

In times like these, it is more important than ever to come together as a community. The strength of our University is rooted in treating people with respect and valuing what unites us. We must cherish and protect our diverse and global community, and we urge everyone to stand together and support each other as we learn and recover from this difficult time.