Family and supporters mourn Cambridge professor Jason Arday at London vigil

A vigil held in Trafalgar Square on Monday drew more than 2,000 attendees who gathered to remember Jason Arday, a 41-year-old sociology professor at the University of Cambridge who was found dead in south London on 14 August. The event, organised by the Stand Up to Racism campaign, featured speeches from politicians, academics and activists who criticised the media scrutiny Arday faced in the weeks before his death.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy read a statement from Arday's family, saying they were "still coming to terms" with his loss and describing the "public cruelty" he endured as overwhelming. The family added that they wanted him remembered for his personal qualities and professional achievements rather than the allegations.

"He was subjected to a vicious and bitter media campaign," Labour MP Diane Abbott said, attributing the coverage to racial bias.

"This was a campaign against all of us," she added.

Lord Simon Woolley, principal of Homerton College, said Arday had told him he felt critics were "hounding me to death". Filmmaker and activist Misan Harriman accused the "legacy media" of crossing ethical lines in their reporting.

Arday had resigned from his post on 5 August after Cambridge announced an investigation into claims about his career. He maintained that his resignation did not constitute an admission of wrongdoing. The university’s chancellor earlier described the surrounding media attention as a "racist feeding frenzy".

More than 90,000 people have signed a petition calling for an inquiry into the media coverage, and political figures, including Shadow Housing Secretary Sir James Cleverly, have called for robust due-diligence in academic appointments. A coroner’s investigation into the cause of death is underway, with the possibility of an inquest pending the results.