// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Cambridge chancellor criticises 'racist feeding frenzy' around Jason Arday
Cambridge University's chancellor has criticised the "racist feeding frenzy" around Jason Arday, the professor who died after stepping down during a plagiarism row.
Arday - who became the university's youngest black professor when appointed in 2023 - had faced weeks of media coverage over plagiarism allegations and questions about his achievements. He denied the claims.
Speaking publicly for the first time, Lord Chris Smith said academic integrity could be upheld while questioning Arday's treatment.
Over 30,000 people, including Diane Abbott and Jameela Jamil, have signed a Good Law Project petition seeking an inquiry into coverage of Arday, which says his death followed "two weeks of relentless harassment".
Addressing the row publicly for the first time, Lord Chris Smith has criticised the "racist feeding frenzy" that surrounded Jason Arday.
In a statement following the professor's death, Lord Smith said: "I do believe it is possible to hold to two principles at the same time: to believe in the importance of academic integrity, and where criticisms of plagiarism arise, about any academic, whoever they are, ensure that they are rigorously investigated.
"And also to refuse to join in a racist feeding frenzy over a particular academic. "
Cambridge University initially said claims of plagiarism regarding Arday's thesis and some journal publications had been investigated by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and the journals in question.
LJMU - which awarded Arday his PhD in 2015 - concluded that he had not plagiarised work.
But last week, Cambridge announced an independent investigation into his appointment.