Death of George Floyd

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week has shocked and saddened many in our community. Our sympathies are with his family and friends and those who have been impacted.

We state our commitment in our Vision 2029 to creating ‘an inclusive environment where all individuals are valued and able to succeed’. At King’s we have an obligation to condemn racism and have a zero tolerance to any form of racist or discriminatory behaviour. As a leading higher education institution we must continue to fight ignorance and intolerance to strengthen our approach to equality, diversity and inclusion to further embrace the true power that diversity represents and tackle any racism or discriminatory behaviour within our community.

We state our commitment in our Vision 2029 to creating ‘an inclusive environment where all individuals are valued and able to succeed’. At King’s we have an obligation to condemn racism and have a zero tolerance to any form of racist or discriminatory behaviour. As a leading higher education institution we must continue to fight ignorance and intolerance to strengthen our approach to equality, diversity and inclusion to further embrace the true power that diversity represents and tackle any racism or discriminatory behaviour within our community.

An event such as the one we witnessed last week is naturally going to generate great upset and anxiety for many in our community. This message today is both one of compassion for anyone who has been a target of hate, based on their skin colour, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity or religion, as well as one of speaking out against the apathy, indifference or silence that allows this hatred, prejudice and intolerance to grow.

At King’s we deplore racism and it has been heartening to see the strength of feeling that has gathered people together in the protest action that has followed over the weekend. We understand that the level of passion among members of our community is high however we would encourage you to demonstrate your feelings digitally and not put yourself at greater risk, given the social distancing measures in place. We are aware that many are adding their names to an online petition which you may wish to do also. Colleagues at the Science Gallery London are in discussions with the team at Science Gallery Detroit to organise further support activities and colleagues at KCLSU are also organising similar activities.

During times such as this, the King’s community is a comforting source of support and we urge you to look out for each other and speak to someone if you are feeling upset or concerned.

Our team of Chaplains are available to meet students of all faiths. The Chaplains are practised listeners and are experienced in supporting students through any challenges you may have. You can contact the Chaplaincy and Dean’s office at chaplaincy@kcl.ac.uk and dean@kcl.ac.uk.

You can also contact our counselling service at counselling@kcl.ac.uk and your personal tutor is also able to offer support.

If you would like to take a moment of private reflection or prayer, you may wish to join one of our moments of calm which all members of our community are always welcome to attend.

With best wishes, Ed Byrne President & Principal Shaswat Jain KCLSU President