Cambridge University has made the decision to promote a lecturer to the position of professor after she faced backlash and death threats for posting a tweet that read “White Lives Don’t Matter”.
Dr. Priyamvada Gopal, an English Faculty member at Churchill College, University of Cambridge, received abusive messages and threats following her tweet. The tweet was later deleted by Twitter for violating its rules.
Despite the outrage and the launch of a petition calling for her dismissal over the controversial tweet, the university announced that Dr. Gopal had been promoted to a full professorship.
In response to the situation, Dr. Gopal stated that she stands by her now-deleted tweet, clarifying that it was directed at a structure and ideology, not individuals. The University of Cambridge defended her right to express lawful opinions and condemned the abuse and personal attacks she endured.
The University and College Union (UCU) at Cambridge also expressed solidarity with Dr. Gopal, denouncing the abusive behavior she faced. Meanwhile, some critics have accused the university of displaying inconsistent and politically biased defense of Dr. Gopal.
Despite the controversy and criticism, many colleagues and students have voiced their support for Dr. Gopal, with some high-profile individuals, including comedian Nish Kumar, praising her as “one of the best and brightest around”.