Edinburgh University accused of ‘racism’ for conference where white people cannot ask questions

University of Edinburgh is accused of ‘blatant racism’ for hosting an equality conference where white people are BANNED from asking questions

  • Q&A event – Resisting Whiteness 2019 – will bar Caucasian guests from speaking
  • There will also be two ‘safe spaces’ – one of which white people cannot enter
  • The Saturday event has intention of ‘amplifying the voices of people of colour’
  • It is understood university bosses ‘raised concerns’ about aspects of the event

Edinburgh University has been slated for hosting an event where white people will be banned from asking questions – which has been described as ‘blatantly racist’.

A Q&A event – Resisting Whiteness 2019 – will bar Caucasian guests from speaking from the floor.

There will also be two ‘safe spaces’ – one of which white people are banned from entering.

A Q&A event (pictured) – Resisting Whiteness 2019 – will bar Caucasian guests from speaking from the floor

University bosses have ‘raised concerns’ about aspects of the event.

The event will take place on Saturday at the prestigious university, with the intention of ‘amplifying the voices of people of colour’ and giving ‘people of colour a platform to talk’.

The all-day event costs up to £20 to attend, and will be held at the Pleasance Theatre.

A blurb says: ‘We will therefore not be giving the microphone to white people during the Q&As, not because we don’t think white people have anything to offer to the discussion, but because we want to amplify the voices of people of colour.

The all-day event costs up to £20 to attend, and will be held at the Pleasance Theatre (pictured)

The all-day event costs up to £20 to attend, and will be held at the Pleasance Theatre (pictured)

‘If you are a white person with a question, please share it with a member of the committee or our speakers after the panel discussion.’

And it explains why white people have been barred from one of the ‘safe spaces’ – for people to retreat if they feel ‘overwhelmed/overstimulated or uncomfortable’.

It said: ‘The Braid room is a safe space for only people of colour, and the Cheviot room is available for anyone who needs it.’

Anti-racism campaigner Jane McColl, 42, of Glasgow said: ‘This event is blatantly racist.

‘It sets back the battle to achieve equality and fairness by decades, all because of the actions of a tiny group of extremists, whose perverse sense of logic has led them to belittle white people, not by who they are as individuals, by merely because of their skin colour.

‘Imagine if this event was called ‘Resisting Blackness’ and non-white people were told they could not ask questions, nor access a room because they were the ‘wrong’ colour.’

A spokesman for the University of Edinburgh said: ‘Tackling racism is an important topic for debate and the University is supportive of events addressing this issue.

‘However, we are an organisation that places great value on issues around equality and voice.

‘Consequently the University has met with the event organisers to ensure the event is compliant with our values.

‘We have expressed our concerns to them about certain aspects of the format of the event and they are revising their ‘safe space’ policy for the conference as a result.’

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