SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project investigates and reports attacks on higher education with the aim of raising awareness, generating advocacy, and increasing protection for scholars, students, and academic communities. Learn more.

Date of Incident: December 11, 2020

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances

Institution(s):University of Edinburgh

Region & Country:Europe | United Kingdom

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On December 11, 2020, a group of unidentified individuals reportedly beat a student at the University of Edinburgh, in an apparently racially motivated attack.

The student was eating dinner outside of the university library, where he works, when a group of unidentified individuals reportedly approached him and began shouting racial slurs at him the student. When the student attempted to walk away from the group, they pushed him to the floor and began punching and kicking him. The student was hospitalized for his injuries. 

Scholars at Risk is concerned about racially motivated violence against and the harassment of a student on campus. State and university authorities have a responsibility to investigate and hold perpetrators of such violence responsible. In addition to the harm to the immediate victim, such violence undermines core higher education values, including especially equitable access, and democratic society generally.

Sources: 

https://thetab.com/uk/edinburgh/2020/12/13/how-can-i-feel-safe-on-campus-edi-student-is-assaulted-outside-library-in-racist-attack-68928 

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-police-move-reassure-locals-19451463 

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/crime/despicable-racist-attack-against-17-year-old-student-outside-university-edinburgh-library-3066434