Former Cambridge academic Nathan Cofnas says he fears for his safety in London after thousands gathered at Trafalgar Square on Monday for a vigil honouring former Cambridge professor Jason Arday. Arday, 41, died days after resigning from the university amid allegations of plagiarism and questions about his academic career. Cofnas brought the controversy into the public spotlight in July after revealing extensive similarities between passages in Arday’s 2015 PhD thesis and earlier academic work. The Guardian later independently identified more than 100 passages with similarities. Arday also faced scrutiny over claims concerning academic positions, fundraising, athletic achievements and other details in his professional biography. Cambridge announced an investigation into his qualifications, honorary appointments and academic-misconduct complaints on August 5, the same day he resigned.
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Cofnas says Trafalgar Square gathering made him fear for his life
Cofnas made the claim on X as the August 17 vigil was taking place. He described the gathering as an “anti-Cofnas hate rally” and said that, had he been in London, he believed there was a real possibility he could have been murdered. Speakers at the event criticised people who had questioned Arday's academic record, with Cofnas among those singled out. Organisers presented the gathering as a vigil to honour Arday, while attendance estimates put the crowd at about 30,000. There is no established evidence that the wider crowd posed a threat to Cofnas or that anyone at the event attempted to harm him.
