An anonymous petition has tried but so far failed to cancel the Manchester Pro-Life Society. SPUC, which has condemned the petition, continues to defend pro-life students’ legal right to free speech “currently under threat from intolerant students”.
The Manchester Pro-Life Society was founded on 11 January this year to “create a pro-life culture on campus, to engage students on life issues and promote respect for the dignity of human life from conception”.
But a petition, launched on 12 February to protest and cancel the “existence” of the Society because of its “potential to cause distress among students”, has so far gained over 18,000 signatures.
An Instagram page titled “Stop Manchester Pro-Life” has also been established.
Student members of the pro-life group have stated that they have been subjected to hate, and the anonymous author of the petition has since clarified that they are not calling for “harassment or intimidation of the members/committee of the Pro-Life society personally”.
The University of Manchester Students’ Union also released a statement, stating that: “From a legal standpoint, it’s not possible to stop a society from affiliating for their legal views that are contrary to the views of other students…
“The students’ union can’t block a society from forming because of their beliefs.”
“A direct attack on democratic values”
Daniel Frampton, SPUC’s Editorial Officer, said: “SPUC stands with the Manchester Pro-Life Society against this disingenuous and intolerant petition that has sought to cancel fellow students’ legal right to free speech.
“The increasing attacks on freedom of expression on campuses across the UK is deeply disturbing and more must be done to protect students who want to exchange ideas – which is, after all, the idea of the university.
“The intimidation and abuse directed at peaceful pro-life students is a direct attack on democratic values. Such attempts to cancel free speech are part of a broader intolerance at large in society, which is sadly manifest on many campuses as well, and this should concern us all.”
Pro-life students on the frontline in battle for free speech
SPUC has reported numerous incidents of attempted cancellation of pro-life students and societies on campuses around the UK.
In 2021, Exeter Students for Life, a pro-life student group, was subjected to abuse, including death threats, as well as a petition calling for it to be disbanded. In the same year, a pro-life stall at Oxford University’s Freshers’ Fair was trashed by students.
In Scotland, too, Stirling University’s Catholic Society was suspended by the Students’ Union after it shared a post promoting peaceful pro-life vigils. The Union was later forced to reinstate the Society after a public outcry, led in part by SPUC.
In 2022, pro-abortion students with megaphones disrupted a talk by a female SPUC staff member at the University of Edinburgh. “Stop this talk right now”, they shouted. “We are not allowing this to happen on our campus.” SPUC’s speaker had been invited by the students of the Edinburgh Life Society.