THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Muslim students at a university which proposed to ban the sale of alcohol from parts of campus on their behalf are claiming the decision is “divisive”, “irresponsible” and based on a “gross generalisation”.
The students at London Metropolitan University said the prospective alcohol ban was “ill-advised and misleading”, demonising them and exacerbating “Islamophobia” at the university and in wider society.
They warned the proposals had created such ill-feeling amongst students that it is "only a matter of time" before a Muslim student is assaulted.
They accused Vice Chancellor Professor Malcolm Gillies of “immorally” using them as “scapegoats” in order to justify a decision not to renew a costly lease for the student bar.
Their comments, issued on behalf of the LMU Islamic Society and Shia Muslim Society, follow a suggestion from Prof Gillies that he was considering banning the sale of alcohol from parts of the university's two campuses.
This, he said, was an issue of “cultural sensitivity” resulting from a “high percentage” of students considering drinking “immoral”.
Earlier this month, he said: “There are students who do come from a tradition that stays alcohol is evil and they need to feel that they have a place at London Metropolitan University.
“They don’t have to feel that this is an alcoholic environment, we are an educational environment, we are not seeking to push particular cultural or gastronomic values, we meet the needs of our students as they actually are.”
In an open letter, students have now reprimanded Prof Gillies for failing to consult all students on any proposed alcohol ban and have demanded a retraction and an apology for his comments.
They said: “There has never been a demand for an alcohol ban on campus from Muslim or non-Muslim students. Read on and comment » | Hannah Furness | Monday, April 30, 2012
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