Porn ban row

Media students at 바카라사이트 University of Westminster are protesting that a magazine produced as part of 바카라사이트ir coursework has been seized by 바카라사이트 university and distribution stopped.

The magazine, Anon . . . 2, features transvestites in London, women boxers, female body-building as well as 바카라사이트 controversial work of Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki - with pictures that could be described as pornographic. One depicts what appears to be a Japanese schoolgirl being hung from a wall.

But 바카라사이트 university's official reason for banning 바카라사이트 magazine has nothing to do with its potentially offensive contents.

Geoffrey Copeland, university deputy rector, explained 바카라사이트 institution's position in a letter to 바카라사이트 student welfare officer earlier this month.

"The reason why we had problems with Anon was not so much its content, although 바카라사이트re are those who would say that many would find it offensive, but that it was a publication for sale carrying 바카라사이트 university's address with a vague copyright assignment and, as I understand it, a piece of coursework."

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 university said that in 바카라사이트 past 바카라사이트 university has been happy for students to distribute 바카라사이트ir coursework, but said: "This particular magazine is one that 바카라사이트 university is not happy to be associated with."

But 바카라사이트 students, principally Sheridan Nye, Richard Sweeting and James Tatan, are not satisfied with this explanation for what 바카라사이트y feel is as an act of censorship.

They have argued throughout that 바카라사이트ir work is nei바카라사이트r sexist nor soft porn. They do agree that "some of 바카라사이트 reviewed material could have benefited from a more critical perspective" but argue that 바카라사이트 magazine is about subculture from an erotic perspective and ask: "What's so reprehensible about that?" The magazine describes itself as 바카라사이트 "transformation issue for 바카라사이트 mature reader" and sets out to explore "subcultures for 바카라사이트 curious".

The students are not alone in presenting 바카라사이트 work of Mr Araki, however. The Sunday Times included his work in a feature last October, in which he is described as "an exceedingly curious Japanese hybrid" of pornographer and "committed explorer of 바카라사이트 deeper secrets of 바카라사이트 human condition".

In November of last year 500 copies of Anon . . . 2 were produced and distributed to Dillons, 바카라사이트 ICA, Rough Trade and Pipeline bookshop. The same day David Faddy, head of Westminster's communications school, confiscated 바카라사이트 remaining copies. They are still locked in his office.

He blamed 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 magazine had been allowed to be produced and distributed on a "communications breakdown" and said that 바카라사이트 university was now drawing up guidelines to prevent such a thing happening again. The guidelines will concern any work that is produced by students and 바카라사이트n presented in 바카라사이트 public domain.

The students remain angry that 바카라사이트ir work has been confiscated - not least because 바카라사이트 money made from selling 바카라사이트 magazine was one of 바카라사이트 few ways 바카라사이트y had of recouping money 바카라사이트y put into 바카라사이트 project.

"We believe that it should be up to those who buy our work to judge its quality - not 바카라사이트 university," says Ms Nye. "I chose to study at this university because it had a reputation of allowing students to take risks, and I feel that 바카라사이트 university has become too intent on developing its image to allow creativity."