Academic freedom of speech attacked again as university censors teaching on occupation, genocide and complicity

The University of Sheffield has cancelled a planned – and previously approved – ‘teach-in’ by the university’s lecturers and researchers on the subject of the Gaza genocide, sponsored by the UCU union, on the grounds that it was ‘linked to a controversial event/topic’ and therefore posed a security risk. One element of the teach-in was to cover the university’s complicity through its investments and partnerships.

One of the lecturers posted a thread on Twitter/X about the university’s assault on academic speech and its links with companies linked to Israel’s slaughter of tens of thousands of Palestinians – and she included a link to a fundraiser for Palestinian young people to study in the UK:

The university’s action forms part of a long Establishment war on free speech in support of Palestinians and others oppressed and attacked by Israel. The Tories in government threatened universities with funding cuts if they refused to sign up to a ‘definition’ of antisemitism that legal experts and even its author says is unfit for purpose because it discourages criticism of Israel; UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) also suspended its whole advisory committee on equality last year because a couple of members had posted tweets criticising Israel’s slaughter of Palestinian civilians.

And the information war in favour of Israel is not limited to universities. Even some unions and their leaderships have attempted to prevent their officials and reps showing solidarity with Gaza or educating other members about Israel’s oppression. Labour Health Secretary Wes Streeting has also promoted Israeli companies for government-funded projects.

Nor is Sheffield the only university with ties to genocide-linked companies and institutions. With the Gaza genocide well underway in January, twelve UK universities accepted government cash to sign new partnerships with Israel.