Board of Executives’ response to prematurely ended meeting on 12 March
On 12 March, a meeting featuring a pro-Israel speaker in one of UM's buildings was ended prematurely. The event was organised by UM students and was permitted by UM, as fostering open debate is a core value of a university. At the same time, of course, we do not tolerate discrimination or calls for hatred and violence in any form.
It is regrettable and unacceptable to us that other attendees, both inside and outside the room, disrupted the speaker and thus made the event impossible. At the request of the police, the meeting was ended prematurely.
UM is currently gathering all relevant facts from the evening, assessing them against the university's codes of conduct, and investigating whether these facts provide grounds for filing a report. Additionally, we are examining how similar events can be facilitated by UM in the future, following a thorough risk assessment.
Although the events of that evening – where it proved impossible for people with differing views to engage in discussion – are disheartening, UM will not yield to groups seeking to silence others. As stated, open debate is a fundamental part of a university. However, in consultation with the relevant parties, we must continuously balance the facilitation of such open debates against the safety of those present.
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