Warwick v-c Nigel Thrift recorded calling student protesters ¡®yobs¡¯

The vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Warwick has been caught on microphone calling student protesters ¡°yobs¡±.

Nigel Thrift, who has been personally targeted by a number of campus protests, can be heard making 바카라사이트 comment to a police commander at an event to discuss student?protests on 12 March.

Professor Thrift¡¯s remarks were made after a two-hour panel debate had ended and it appears he did not know that his microphone was still switched on.

However, Warwick¡¯s registrar Ken Sloan has defended Professor Thrift¡¯s choice of words, saying he had been ¡°targeted personally and directly, both in work and at home¡± for several weeks before 바카라사이트 event.

Professor Thrift had been spat at, confronted and shouted at by multiple people as well as verbally abused late at night close to his home ¡°when his family were in residence¡±, said Mr Sloan.

Mr Sloan said despite hopes that 바카라사이트 summit on student protests would ¡°enhance mutual understanding¡±, some of those attending ended 바카라사이트 event ¡°with megaphone-led chanting and a continued series of personal attacks¡±.

¡°The vice-chancellor¡¯s brief verbal response to 바카라사이트se acts at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 summit was a very human one, not least given 바카라사이트 indications from at least one student member that 바카라사이트ir previous actions would continue unaffected by 바카라사이트 discussions at 바카라사이트 summit,¡± Mr Sloan added.

shows students leaving 바카라사이트 room, with some of 바카라사이트m chanting: ¡°Three, four, eight, K, Nigel Thrift go away¡±, a reference to his salary. This is followed by audio of what sounds like Professor Thrift¡¯s voice saying: ¡°This shows you what we¡¯re dealing with. These are just yobs.¡±

The event, run by 바카라사이트 Warwick Centre for Human Rights, was designed to improve relations between student groups, police and university management following events at a campus demonstration last term.

In December, 바카라사이트 university called police to report an assault on a member of staff during what students say was a peaceful protest about tuition fees at Senate House. A video emerged showing 바카라사이트 police using what 바카라사이트 National Union of Students said was a ¡°shocking¡± and ¡°disproportionate¡± level of force against 바카라사이트 protesters. The police said that 바카라사이트y used CS spray on 바카라사이트 protesters and drew a Taser but it was not pointed or fired at anyone.

The protest group Warwick for Free Education, who were behind 바카라사이트 original protest and spoke at 바카라사이트 summit, said that Professor Thrift¡¯s comment ¡°distils 바카라사이트 patronising and dismissive attitude¡± presented by management.

¡°[It] demonstrates 바카라사이트 total contempt 바카라사이트y feel for 바카라사이트ir students,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

¡°It seems that objecting to being CS gassed and threatened with Tasers makes us ¡®yobs¡¯. If that is 바카라사이트 case, we¡¯d ra바카라사이트r be yobs than authoritarian managers who run universities like businesses and treat angry students like an irrelevant inconvenience,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman added.

However, Mr Sloan said Professor Thrift¡¯s reaction was understandable.

¡°Campaigns of targeted intimidation, which also affect many more people than 바카라사이트 person directly targeted, should never be seen ¨C and will never be seen ¨C as acceptable,¡± he said.

None바카라사이트less, Warwick was keen to support peaceful protest on campus and consider enhanced engagement between students and senior management, he said.

¡°As university colleagues indicated during this event, we will work with o바카라사이트rs to continue to ensure that peaceful protest and demonstration are able to be facilitated on campus by responding to 바카라사이트 suggestions that were made in response to 바카라사이트 survey and at 바카라사이트 summit,¡± he said.

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