Thousands Mourn Prof Jason Arday: Vigil Hears 'Public Execution' & 'Racist Witch Hunt' Claims

Thousands gathered in central London on Monday evening to pay an emotional tribute to Professor Jason Arday, the former Cambridge professor who tragically died last week. Organizers estimated over 30,000 people attended the vigil outside the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, seeking to remember Prof Arday and condemn what they described as a “racist witch hunt” that preceded his death.

During the poignant event, Lord Simon Woolley, a close friend and peer, delivered a powerful speech, stating that Prof Arday was the victim of a “public execution” and a “lynching.” Lord Woolley shared a heartbreaking account from a dinner with Prof Arday just days before his death, where the professor confided, “they’re hounding me to death,” adding that he “couldn’t see a way out.” This emotional revelation resonated deeply with the crowd, who cheered in approval of Lord Woolley's candid words.

The vigil featured several prominent speakers, including MPs Diane Abbott and Dawn Butler, alongside Lord Woolley and Jo Maugham, director of the Good Law Project. Lord Woolley recounted holding Prof Arday in their arms during that last dinner, telling him he was loved. Prof Arday, holding Diane Abbott's hands, reportedly reiterated his despair: “I love you, but,” he said, “they’re hounding me to death, and I cannot see a way out.”

Professor Arday, who was 41, had recently resigned from his esteemed position as professor of sociology of education at Cambridge following accusations of plagiarism. He was found dead in Battersea, south London, on Friday. The vigil, organized by the campaign group Stand Up to Racism, underscored a collective outcry against the intense scrutiny and alleged racial bias faced by Prof Arday, transforming the remembrance into a powerful call for accountability and reflection on public discourse.

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