Cambridge don on strike over ‘racist aggression’ by porters

A CAMBRIDGE academic has gone on strike after claiming that a porter’s refusal to call her “doctor” was racist.

Dr Priyamvada Gopal, a fellow specialising in post-colonial literature, is refusing to teach students at King’s College after experiencing what she described as “consistently racist aggression and profiling” from porters.

The lecturer announced her decision after an altercation with a porter on Monday, describing on Twitter how she told him: “Please address me as Dr Gopal”, to which she said the porter responded: “I don’t care who you are”. She described asking the “all white, all male” porters to address her as “Dr Gopal”, but they insisted on calling her “Madam”.

Dr Gopal, who is from India, said: “With deep regret but with 17 years of consideration behind it, I have finally decided on my behalf and of other people of colour at Cambridge University to refuse to supervise any students at King’s College.” She added: “Enough is enough of the consistently racist profiling and aggression by porters”.

In a statement, King’s College, denied the incident was “in any way racist”, adding that the college was closed that day for an end-of-year party.

The statement continued: “We have investigated the incident and found no wrongdoing on the part of our staff. Every visitor was asked to show their card... as the college was closed to everyone except King’s members. Nonmembers such as Dr Gopal were asked to take alternatives routes, around the college. This was a matter of procedure, not discrimination.”

Dr Gopal told The Daily Telegraph: “I have always been addressed as Dr Gopal by new acquaintances or members of other departments... and as far as I am aware, that is the norm.”