Hundreds of students are expected to march on the University of Warwick despite the institution’s confirmation that students who made rape threats will not be returning.
But organisers of a protest demonstration across the campus, where more than 900 students were expected to attend, have said the march will still go ahead.
Eleven male students were suspended after racist, antisemitic and misogynistic exchanges on Facebook, which included the remark “sometimes it’s fun to just go wild and rape 100 girls”, were brought to the attention of the university last year.
Last week, it was revealed that two male students, who were banned from campus for a decade, had their bans reduced to just one year after winning an appeal.
The university’s decision sparked outrage on social media among students, alumni and parents who reacted angrily on Twitter tweeting under the hashtag #ShameOnYouWarwick.
More than 70,000 people have now signed a petition calling for the culprits to be banned from campus.
In a statement released on Monday evening, Stuart Croft, vice-chancellor of the University of Warwick, said: “We are committed to ensuring the safety of our community. I have today spoken to the two young men concerned and confirm that neither of them will be returning to the university.
“I am continuing to listen to the views of students, staff and all members of our community here at Warwick and support them so that we can learn from this experience.”
Speaking to The Independent before the university’s statement was released, Megan Wain, a Warwick student who was targeted in the chat, said: “When I found out the students were returning I was completely appalled by the lack of transparency from the university elite.
“Complainants have been pushing for the result of the decision for months. My mental health deteriorated as a result of the situation, having men who were once my friends speaking about me so explicitly, impacted my life drastically.
“I became incredibly anxious and started having panic attacks. I still suffer today with that. My degree has also been negatively impacted by the group chat case. Campus makes me feel uneasy and anxious as a result of the climate created by the chat.”
A joint statement from the organisers of the march, taking place on Wednesday, accused the university of failing to carry out a “robust” complaints process.
They said: “We deserve to feel safe on our campus. When students act in a way that harms the wellbeing of other students, they forfeit their right to an education at this university.
“We stand in solidarity with the victims of this incident, all those affected, and those who continue to be impacted by rape culture, both at this university and within society more broadly.”
Alongside the statement on the male students, the university has published a question-and-answer document to try and address concerns raised by students.
It says the university’s wellbeing support services will offer additional appointments for both student and staff affected by issues relating to the group chat.
