A spokesman for the University of Edinburgh has denied that Law student, Robbie Travers, was investigated for ‘mocking Isis’.
A complaint made against Travers has been subject to widespread media attention after he claimed that he was under investigation by the University of Edinburgh for making fun of the terror group in a Facebook post.
Several UK newspapers, including The Daily Mail, The Independent and The Times have reported that Travers was being investigated for criticising Isis.
US publications Fox News and Breitbart have also reported on the investigation.
Buzzfeed News received confirmation from the University of Edinburgh that while Travers was under investigation following complaints against him by several other students, it was because he was alleged to have breached the University’s code of student conduct and was not for ‘mocking Isis’.
In a Facebook status posted on 8 September, Travers stated he had been notified by the University that the investigation against him had concluded and he had been cleared of any wrongdoing.
A spokesman at the University of Edinburgh told Buzzfeed News that “the university regrets that an internal student conduct matter is being played out in the public arena, as this risks being harmful to all the students involved as well as damaging the integrity of the investigation.”
Travers claimed the University was investigating him for committing a ‘hate crime’ after he posted on his Facebook page: “Excellent news that the US administration and Trump ordered an accurate strike on an IS network of tunnels in Afghanistan.
“I’m glad we could bring these barbarians a step closer to collecting their 72 virgins.”
However, having seen the complaint, Buzzfeed News claims it did not reference Isis and focused on Travers’ alleged “persistent denigration and disparagement of protected characteristics and blatant Islamophobia.”
The Times named Esme Allman, a History student and the former Black and Minority Ethnic Convener of the Edinburgh University Students’ Association, as the origin of the complainant against Travers.
Part of her complaint states that she believes, “his behaviour is in breach of the student code of conduct… his decision to target the BME Liberation Group at the University of Edinburgh, and how he has chosen to do so, puts minority students at risk and in a state of panic and fear while attending the University of Edinburgh.”
Allman told Buzzfeed News: “I reported him for attacking me personally – there is no mention of Isis in the complaint.”
However, Travers has stood by claims that he was investigated by the University for mocking the terrorist group.
Image: Robbie Travers