Exeter University law students expelled over racist WhatsApp messages

Screenshots of group’s ‘bigoted’ comments
were leaked on social media

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According to The Guardian, members of the Bracton Law
Society left a series of offensive comments “including racial
epithets” and messages such as “if you ain’t English, go home”,
“bomb the mosques” and “we need a race war”. London Mayor Sadiq
Khan was described as a “cancer”.

The comments were made public in March when law student Arsalan
Motavali – who set up the so-called Dodgy Blokes Soc group – shared
screenshots of some of the messages online, prompting an internal
investigation by the university.

One of the students involved immediately issued a “sincere
apology for his inexcusable comments”, the BBC reports. The student added: “I will not attempt to
excuse and deny any of the statements I have made. The comments,
which I shall not repeat, are inexcusable and undeniably wrong.

“I would like to make it publicly known that I do not honestly
believe any of the things I have said.”

A spokesperson for the university announced this morning that
the investigation, carried out in conjunction with the Students’
Guild, “has now concluded, and the outcomes have included
expulsions, suspensions and other significant sanctions. These
outcomes are subject to appeal.”

It is unclear how many students have been expelled.

The university’s vice chancellor, Professor Sir Steve Smith,
added that there was “no place” at the institution for
“unacceptable racist, sexist and bigoted behaviour”.

The expulsions “show our absolute commitment to take serious
action against those whose behaviour is fundamentally at odds with
the commitment to inclusivity, tolerance and respect that lies at
the heart of everything we stand for”, he said.