Trans-rights protests against a controversial feminist speaker at the Oxford Union diverted police officers away from tackling crime and had a “significant impact on resources”, the county’s police commissioner has said.
Professor Kathleen Stock’s invitation to the Oxford University debating society on Tuesday was overshadowed by hundreds of trans-rights and LGBTQ+ activists taking to St Michael’s Street to vent their anger towards the union.
County MPs praised the Oxford Union for going ahead with the talk by the lesbian philosophy professor in the face of calls to cancel the event, hailing it a victory for free speech.
READ MORE: Oxford Union trans rights talk interrupted by protester
Crowds of activists gathered to angrily denounce the professor, who has risen to fame for defending free speech and claiming ‘trans women are not real women’.
Now chanting “F*** the Union” and, now, “let me p*as in peace” pic.twitter.com/nXAMjq4mUO
— Tom Seaward (@t_seaward) May 30, 2023
Matthew Barber, the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, told The Oxford Times that the protesters were responsible for inflicting a “significant impact on police resources” and forced officers to mobilise outside the union when they would normally be patrolling the streets.
Early on, the talk was dramatically interrupted by trans-rights and anti-monarchy activist Riz Possnett, who glued their hands to the floor in front of Prof Stock and union president Matthew Dick, sending the chamber into confusion for around 10 minutes.
It’s all been very dramatic so far, @Docstockk was only just beginning to answer questions but now it has all come to a halt @TheOxfordMail
— Ed Halford (@EdHalford1) May 30, 2023
Police confirmed a 20-year-old from Bury St Edmunds was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage but was later ‘de-arrested’.
READ MORE: Oxford Kathleen Stock protester explains glue stunt
Despite the interruption and protest, Mr Dick said the union remained “unphased” and was “unwavering in its conviction” to uphold freedom of speech.
Possnett’s father Robert Possnett, 61, is an Extinction Rebellion activist who has previously sprayed the Guildhall in London with red paint.
He reacted to his child’s antics by tweeting “Proud dad”.
Proud Dad 😁 https://t.co/k9qkBfQ79d
— Robert Possnett 🌍 🍃💚🍃 (@robertpossnett1) May 30, 2023
Four police officers were needed to remove Possnett from the chamber.
Two other protesters loudly interrupted the proceedings by handing out leaflets reading ‘No More Dead Trans Kids’, but their chanting was drowned out by jeers from onlookers.
READ MORE: Police plan to step up presence before Oxford Union talk
Mr Barber said: “The officers on duty would otherwise have other duties. They would be responding to burglaries and patrolling the streets normally, so it is not without an impact.”
He said the small counter-protest to the trans-rights activists could have “easily escalated” and praised police officers for showing a “textbook example” of how such events should be policed.
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Mr Barber said protests in Oxford had become a common problem for the police, as by “some measures, the city has the highest protest activity outside of London”.
READ MORE: Signal jammer motorist caught near Oxford by police
Oxfordshire MPs also weighed in and called out protestors for launching an attack on the “cornerstone of liberty in a democratic society”.
Echoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s call before the debate for Oxford University not to “allow a small but vocal few to shut down discussion”, Witney MP Robert Courts called out protesters by emphasising that “tolerance means not shouting down a voice just because you do not agree with it”.
A free society requires free debate.@Docstockk's invitation to the @OxfordUnion should stand and students should be allowed to hear and debate her views.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) May 30, 2023
We mustn’t allow a small but vocal few to shut down discussion. https://t.co/dMlcsIoxpY
Union president Mr Dick said the protesters’ actions failed to prevent free speech being upheld as members “with a range of different views” were able to ask questions.
Mr Dick said: “We are absolutely unphased and, as an institution over 200 years-old, we have always been controversial and received opposition. I have no doubt that our convictions will continue to be unwavering”.
— Tom Seaward (@t_seaward) May 30, 2023
Mr Courts acknowledged the issues under debate were “emotionally impactful” but called for trans-rights activists to understand that “tolerance means not shouting down a voice just because you do not agree with it”.
He said: “The cornerstone of liberty in a democratic society is freedom of speech.
“The university environment should always support and encourage freedom of speech and academic expression of thought.
"It was therefore very disappointing to hear of the debate being interrupted by this incident.”
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Mr Courts said students and protesters should have “taken the opportunity to listen and if they disagree, by all means debate – but in a tolerant and respectful manner.”
Banbury MP Victoria Prentis shared Mr Courts and the prime minister’s sentiment and said it was important Prof Stock’s invitation stood as university should be a place “where free and open debate is celebrated”.
Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds said a Labour government “introduced the law guaranteeing freedom of expression, which universities have a duty to protect”.
She added: “The staffing and teaching of courses or who speaks at events is entirely a matter for the university or society, not for the Labour Party or any other political party.”
During the talk, Prof Stock argued that more needs to be done to “rationally take account of the interests of women” and reiterated that “up until now we have not been doing that”.
She said: “There is a risk of a man saying he is a woman and then going to a space and taking advantage of that.”
READ MORE: Man tests positive for cannabis in Bicester after driving
Speaking about spaces such as women’s changing rooms, Prof Stock said: “Those spaces are not policed.
“So most changing rooms are based on a shared understanding of social norm and that is all we have.”
Prof Stock utilised the discussion to also hit back at her “detractors” and said: “My detractors think I’m saying I’ve said all trans women are violent, but I have never said that.”
Mr Dick pressed Prof Stock very hard at times and asked her whether she was “cherry picking what reality means” for trans women.
When challenged for not coming up with new solutions for the trans community, Prof Stock said: “It would piss people off even more if I come up with lots of solutions for trans people.
“The social norm has collapsed.
“It is just not practical that we can have these male bodied people go into these spaces and why on earth should females take this burden on?”
Prof Stock, who was awarded an OBE in the 2021 New Years Honours for services to Higher Education, has always strenuously denied allegations of transphobia and at the Oxford Union she hit back at “detractors”.
She acknowledged her opinions were “very unpopular” and criticised the BBC and the Guardian for misreporting her beliefs.
The University of Oxford and Kathleen Stock have been approached for comment.
Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran was unavailable for comment.
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