Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Student diversity officer who allegedly tweeted 'kill all white men' quits over claim she bullied union president

  • Bahar Mustafa resigned from Welfare and Diversity Officer position today
  • Accused of bullying union president Adrihani Rashid, who quit yesterday
  • Mustafa stepping down for 'preservation of my mental and physical health'
  • She was arrested earlier this year accused of tweeting #KillAllWhiteMen 
Bahar Mustafa - student union welfare and diversity officer at Goldsmiths University, London - announced today she was leaving her post
Bahar Mustafa - student union welfare and diversity officer at Goldsmiths University, London - announced today she was leaving her post
A student diversity officer arrested when she allegedly tweeted #KillAllWhiteMen has quit her role after being accused of bullying a colleague.

Bahar Mustafa - student union welfare and diversity officer at Goldsmiths University, London - announced today she was leaving her post.

Her resignation comes just 24 hours after union president Adrihani Rashid left her £22,000-a-year role claiming she was bullied by fellow sabbatical officers.

Ms Rashid said she was stepping down after being harassed by Alex Etches, the student union's Campaigns and Activities Officer, and Ms Mustafa.

Ms Mustafa today confirmed she would be resigning following the allegations.

She told the Evening Standard: 'I am resigning for the preservation of my mental and physical health.

'I am still committed to the independent investigation which I am confident will shed light on the structural issues that have led to the mental and physical breakdown of all sabbatical officers.'

It is being alleged that Mustafa and Mr Etches created a 'hostile' working environment within the student union office.

They are said to have undermined Ms Rashid, 'badmouthed' her to other students and suggested she behaved 'undemocratically' in the face of campus protests.

Union bosses have vowed to launch a probe into the bullying accusations, backed by the university, saying they take 'these allegations very seriously'.

Ms Mustafa was due to appear at Bromley Magistrates' Court earlier this month charged with sending a communication conveying a threatening message.

Ms Mustafa was pictured posing in front if a 'no white men' sign while pretending to cry during her time at the university
Ms Mustafa was pictured posing in front if a 'no white men' sign while pretending to cry during her time at the university
The 28-year-old (pictured) resignation comes just 24 hours after union president Adrihani Rashid left her £22,000-a-year role claiming she was bullied by fellow sabbatical officers
The 28-year-old (pictured) resignation comes just 24 hours after union president Adrihani Rashid left her £22,000-a-year role claiming she was bullied by fellow sabbatical officers

She was accused of uploading a post to Twitter using the hashtag #killallwhitemen.

The 28-year-old, from Edmonton, north London, had also been charged with sending an offensive message via a public communication network between November 10, 2014, and May 31.

But a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) letter sent a week before her scheduled trial informed her that the charges had been dropped.

The decision was made due to lack of evidence.

It said: 'The decision to discontinue these charges has been taken because there is not enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.'

Ms Mustafa was due to appear at Bromley Magistrates' Court earlier this month charged with sending a communication conveying a threatening message. She was accused of uploading a post to Twitter using the hashtag #killallwhitemen
Ms Mustafa was due to appear at Bromley Magistrates' Court earlier this month charged with sending a communication conveying a threatening message. She was accused of uploading a post to Twitter using the hashtag #killallwhitemen

Speaking afterwards, Ms Mustafa - who apologised for calling someone 'white trash' online - denied sending the tweet.

However, she added that she would not condemn the use of the controversial hashtag.

She said: 'Despite the fact that police failed to present any evidence against me, I was dragged through the justice system.

'I never actually tweeted it – but I don't condemn it either. The #KillAllWhiteMen hashtag is something that a lot of people in the feminist community use to express frustration.'

She added: 'I am absolutely for free speech and I think that these people who accuse me have a very misguided understanding of free speech.'

Mike Schwarz, her solicitor, said: 'The decision first to prosecute and then to climb down so soon afterwards, made by the Crown Prosecution Service headquarters, calls into question their ability to make sensible judgements on delicate issues.' 

Ms Mustafa initially sparked a racism row when she asked white men not to attend a students' union meeting intended for minority ethnic women and 'non-binary attendees'.

Her critics then unearthed old tweets from her account and accused her of using #killallwhitemen.

She denied her initial request was racist or sexist and said in a video statement posted at the time of the first incident that she had received death threats after the row.

She said: 'I, as an ethnic minority woman, cannot be racist or sexist towards white men, because racism and sexism describe structures of privilege based on race and gender.' 

Ms Mustafa graduated from Goldsmiths earlier this year with an MA in gender and media studies.

There are now 12 members of union staff left at Goldsmiths, representing more than 8,000 students. 

Mr Etches declined to comment on the bullying claims.  

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