Vigil planned for Jason Arday as GoFundMe raises thousands for his family
- Thousands of pounds have been raised for the family of former Cambridge academic Professor Jason Arday as the public prepares to honor him at a vigil.
- Arday’s death was confirmed on Friday after emergency services were called to a property in Battersea, south London, following reports of an unresponsive man.
- A fundraising page established by activist Sir Patrick Vernon has raised more than £5,000 to support Prof Arday’s family with funeral costs, while Stand Up To Racism announced a memorial vigil in Trafalgar Square at 6pm on Monday.
- Prior to his death, Prof Arday told a colleague he could not go on after facing severe scrutiny and allegations of plagiarism that led to his resignation. An investigation by Liverpool John Moores University cleared him of wrongdoing.
- Stand Up To Racism co-convenor Weyman Bennett condemned the pressure placed on the academic, characterising the intense media and public criticism as a racist witch hunt. Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the professor’s death as a tragedy and called for a moment of reflection on how circumstances escalated to this point.
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