Over 900 scholars protest UK ban on climate researcher Andreas Malm
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More than 900 academics have signed an open letter urging the UK government to reverse its decision to deny entry to climate scholar Andreas Malm, calling the move a threat to academic freedom.
More than 900 academics have signed an open letter urging the UK government to overturn its decision to deny entry to Swedish climate scholar Andreas Malm. The Home Office barred Malm from entering the country last week, citing concerns that his presence might not be "conducive to the public good."
Malm, an associate professor at Lund University and author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline, was scheduled to attend a conference, appear on the BBC, and take part in a public discussion organized by Tribune alongside Huda Ammori, a co-founder of the proscribed group Palestine Action.
"The ability of scholars to travel, exchange ideas and participate in public debate – including on politically contentious issues – is fundamental to a free and democratic society," the letter states. "Excluding academics because of their political views or the topics they discuss sets a dangerous precedent and risks creating a chilling effect on academic and public discourse."
Malm said he had been "kept in the dark" about the specific reasons for revoking his electronic travel authorisation and suggested the ban was linked to his planned appearance with Ammori. He told the BBC that the decision implied he was being treated as associated with terrorism, which he described as "pretty scandalous."
A Home Office spokesperson explained that refusals of travel authorisations can occur for a range of reasons, including concerns about public safety or the spread of extremism, and noted that the decision does not constitute a permanent ban, as affected individuals may still apply for a visa.
The open letter, initiated by Fabian Dablander of the London School of Economics, has gathered signatures from more than 1,400 individuals across over 250 academic institutions, reflecting broad concern within the scholarly community about the impact of the decision on the UK's reputation for open intellectual debate.