AntiCapitalist Resistance sends our thoughts and solidarity to the family and loved ones of Jason Arday, a Black autistic young man hounded to death. The far right aided and abetted by the media orchestrated a racist witch hunt which has produced the most tragic result.

The guns were out for Jason as soon as he became one of Britain’s youngest Black professors.

The real goal of the right wing press and far right is to suggest that Black people are only promoted to positions because of their skin colour, rather than abilities. This racist myth only helps boost far right narratives that have no place in reality. They can only be overcome by confronting them head on. 

 Many white academics survive and continue to be employed by universities and specifically the University of Cambridge after plagiarism accusations are upheld and even after allegations of things significantly more nefarious such as sexual misconduct have been made

The right use this tragedy and the debate around plagiarism to further their attack on Equality and Diversity policies. We, on the contrary, support measures of positive action – but demand that they go beyond tokenism. People need ongoing support to survive in environments where they are treated not as human beings but as exotic specimens.

Today we mourn for Jason and commit to the fight against the racist and far right politics responsible for his death.