Freedom of the Press? Student publication ‘Grapeshot’ censored by uni
What kind of freedom do student publications have to criticise the institutions who control their budgets? When an opinion piece in the Macquarie University-based student publication ‘Grapeshot’ regarding sexual assault and harassment on campus referred to a number of specific criticisms it was blocked from publication in their print edition. The response from the editors to instead run with a two-page spread of a protest image and blank red page reading “This was an article about sexual assault and harassment on campus. It was blocked by the university.” quickly blew up in the mainstream media, with the controversy over censorship reaching far more eyes than the original article likely would have.
The article’s author and Editor in Chief of Grapeshot Magazine, Angus Dalton, discussed the controversy and response.
The article which was originally blocked is available to be read on the web edition of Grapeshot.
