Letter: Police threaten freedom
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.I AM writing on behalf of the Steering Committee of the Standing Conference of Arts and Social Sciences, whose members are Deans of Faculties and representatives of Subject Associations in those disciplines.
We wish to express our grave concern over recent events at the University of Central England. A volume of Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs has been the subject of police action and the university may be prosecuted. The implications would be extremely serious for academic freedom. While Mapplethorpe's images are controversial, we believe that his status as an artist and the academic context within which the book was being used ought to have acted as a clear guarantee of the integrity and legality of the university's position. We hope common sense will prevail and that no further action will result.
Professor JENNIFER BIRKETT
Convener, steering committee,
Standing conference of Arts and Sciences
University of Birmingham
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments