Cambridge head slams 'feeding frenzy' over dead academic

The head of Cambridge university Monday condemned a "racist feeding frenzy" prompted by plagiarism claims against black academic Jason Arday, as his supporters prepared for a London vigil after his death last week.

Arday, who became Cambridge's youngest ever black professor in 2023, was found dead Friday aged 41, following multiple plagiarism accusations.

Chris Smith, the University of Cambridge's chancellor, told the BBC he believed it was important for such claims to be "rigorously investigated".

But he added it was right to "refuse to join in a racist feeding frenzy over a particular academic", without naming Arday directly.

Arday, the professor of sociology of education at the prestigious university in eastern England, resigned August 5 after accusations he had plagiarised parts of his doctoral thesis and exaggerated personal achievements prompted a media storm.

The academic had said in a public resignation letter that he had "reached the limits of what any person should reasonably be expected to endure".

The cause of his death a week later has not been made public.

Campaign group Stand Up To Racism has called a vigil to mourn Arday on Trafalgar Square in central London on Monday from 6:00 pm (1700 GMT), titled "Stand against racist witch hunts".

A local branch of the group will hold another rally in eastern Cambridge from 6:30 pm.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham, a Cambridge alumnus, has called Arday's death "a tragedy on so many levels".

His family have denounced "a campaign of sustained abuse" since his 2023 appointment.

An online fundraising page created by racial equality campaigner Patrick Vernon to support Arday's family had raised over £163,000 ($218,000) by Monday afternoon.

Separately, a petition demanding an immediate public inquiry into the media coverage of Ardsay had gathered over 83,000 signatures Monday including MP Diane Abbott and Green Party leader Zack Polanski.

Addressed to Burnham and the arts minister Lisa Nandy, the petition posted by activist group Good Law Project claimed Arday's death was "the direct, foreseeable and foreseen result of press harassment".

Downing Street declined to say whether such an inquiry was planned.

The petition said Arday's death came after "two weeks of relentless harassment", stressing that "racism lay at the heart of this story".

"To be Black and a public figure is now enough to make you a target," it alleged.

The university was also facing mounting questions over its handling of the allegations and treatment of Arday.

James Cleverly, a right-wing opposition MP whose mother was born in Sierra Leone, told the BBC Monday that "quite possibly" some scrutiny of Arday was motivated by racism.

But the situation would "never have come this far if people within the university establishment -- not just Cambridge -- had done the robust due diligence and checking that should happen with any senior academic appointment", he said.

Former students of Arday have also created a website called "Everything Good About Jason Arday" asking people to share memories to show that they are "tired of the single reductionist narrative about the kindest person we knew".

Last week, prior to the announcement of Arday's death, Cambridge's vice-chancellor Deborah Prentice announced an investigation into the circumstances of his appointment and his time working at the university.