Lincoln’s student union has imposed a social media ban upon the University’s Conservative Society after the latter posted an image to Twitter highlighting the institution’s free speech ranking.

The Union claimed that the image, which showed that the University had been rated as “very intolerant” in a free speech survey, had brought the institution into disrepute and was in breach of the University’s Code of Conduct.

Lincoln MP Karl McCartney said that officials should be “ashamed” of their decision, comparing the Union to censorial authoritarian regimes.

“This intolerant, illiberal and totalitarian response is akin to something out of the Soviet Union or North Korea rather than a place for learning and debate,” he said.

Students have organised a sit-in protest against the move, which will be held today (Friday 10th). The Facebook event says: “discussion is key to resolving problems. Banning them and silencing their opinions matters as a ‘Student’s Unions’ should be open eyes and open ears to all its student. Make as much noise as you can, bring banners and make it clear to the SU we do not think that is OK practise.”

Speakers at the event will highlight a range of complaints, from “the ban on the Conservative society’s media accounts [to] the wrongful dismissal of the SU’s own staff members.”

Sarah Berry

(Image: The Lincolnite)