Free speech ban for ‘trans row’ student

 A student whose tweet that “women don’t have penises” led to a transphobic row has been banned from taking part in a debate about free speech at the University of Bristol.

Angelos Sofocleous, a Durham University student, cannot take part in the Free Speech Society event because of “security concerns”. The society said the student union had banned Mr Sofocleous from the debate. He wrote on Twitter that it was an “ironic indication” of the “status of social justice orthodoxy in academia”.

The student union said it had “not refused” him a right to speak and was “committed to freedom of speech”, but “security would be needed” and it had suggested the event be rearranged to allow measures to be put in place.