University shuts down lecturer’s talk on free speech
King’s College London accused of ‘no platforming’ its own academics
KING’S College London has been accused of “no platforming” its own lecturer, after his talk on free speech was deemed “high risk”.
Dr Adam Perkins, an academic who specialises in the neurobiology of personality, was due to speak to students yesterday afternoon about the scientific importance of free speech.
But the event, hosted by KCL’S Libertarian Society, was forcibly postponed by the university after a risk assessment. The society said it saw this as “no platforming”, adding: “When your university censors its own lecturer, you know things have got out of hand.
“The talk was meant to be about the scientific importance of free speech. It seems for King’s, there is no such concept of free speech.”
There is growing concern about threats to free speech on university campuses, with students seeking to “no platform” individuals or groups whose views are deemed offensive.
Earlier this month, violence broke out when activists stormed a KCL event featuring an anti-feminist Youtube star. The university said it had since decided that “high risk” talks would be suspended until the end of term while it reviewed its security procedures.
In an email sent to the Libertarian Society the day before the talk was due to go ahead, a university representative said that Dr Perkins was deemed “high risk” because he has “attracted controversy in the past”.
Dr Perkins has previously faced criticism over his views on families dependent on benefits, as well as Donald Trump’s travel ban.
The email said the university did not have enough resources to ensure the event could be managed safely, adding that “the safety of staff and students will on this occasion outweigh the desire for free speech”.
Dr Perkins, who has taught at the university for the past decade, said: “In the past few years, for whatever reason, there has been a situation where a small number of authoritarian students have managed to gain extra leverage to dictate their views and shut down views they disagree with. Universities need to look at this.”
A KCL spokesman said the event was postponed because of the “current external environment and the recent violent protest”.