As we start the 2025 academic year, with a wave of violence and protest has erupted across the UK aimed primarily at migrants and racialised communities. We stand in solidarity with those affected, in particular racialised and international students and staff across our membership.

If you would like advice from NUS on this issue, please email [email protected].

Support the NUS UK statement

NUS UK has published a statement in solidarity with migrants, racialised and Muslim communities that have been targeted by far-right violence in the last week.

What can SU Officers and students do?

The community building work that we do through students’ unions is the work that prevents the spread of division and hatred on campuses: this is a moment to show care and to show leadership, for ourselves and our students.

As an SU Officer

• Check in with students on campus - and with the clubs and socs who normally work with them. Reach out to  relevant anti-racism/anti-fascism, Muslim, black, international students, and student action for refugees (STAR) societies. Listen to them and find out how you can provide further support
• Download and promote the SafeZone app if your SU is already signed up to it - students can notify security or leave an anonymous tip at the touch of a button or also chat with a provider so you are not alone
• Work with your SU Advice Service, if you have one, to make sure that you are able to support students coming with specific safety concerns
• Promote the UKCISA advice line to international students seeking specific advice: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/cms_content_panel.aspx?id=4090
• Reach out to any racialised officers you know and ask them what support they need

Working with your uni or college

• Work with your uni or college to have a joined up, visible response. Make sure that students’ voices are represented in their responses, encouraging them to speak out against the racist violence
• Ensure that your SU and uni or college has adequate definitions of bullying, harassment and hatespeech so that you are able to take action against hate crime on campus
• Liaise with your university/college (chaplaincy on campus if you have one too) to ensure that you have accurate information on all of the sources of support for students over the Summer, both on campus and remotely
• Talk to your universities about their current hate crime reporting and supporting processes, and how they empower students to use these services. Either SUs or institutions should take disciplinary or police action against individuals who use hate speech or discriminatory abuse, or who engage in unlawful speech or actions
• If you have a committee or working group which focused on welfare, student safety or campus cohesion, make contact with the Chair and Secretary and ensure that the rise of racism across the UK is on the agenda and risk register
• Reach out to the trade unions on campus to work together in combatting racism

Staying safe

• If you’re worried about your own safety as an officer: speak to someone in your SU and discuss what provisions can be made.
• If you can see accounts sharing when and where far right violence is likely to take place, plan your travel and activities accordingly

With NUS 

• Share our statement
• Get your students to tell us What Students Think
• Tell us if there’s been incidents on your campus