Twenty-seven-year-old woman interviewed under caution by police over #killallwhitemen tweets

Bahar Mustafa in her campaign manifesto video. Pic: Goldsmiths' SU

Bahar Mustafa in her campaign manifesto video. She is believed to be the 27-year-old woman interviewed under caution over #killallwhitemen tweets. Pic: Goldsmiths’ SU

The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that a 27-year-old woman has been interviewed under caution about tweets using the hashtag #killallwhitemen following a complaint that they were racially motivated and malicious.

Eastlondonlines confirmed today that the interview was conducted by Lewisham Community Safety Unit officers on 22 May. No one has been arrested.

The identity of the woman has not been disclosed by police, but it is believed to be Bahar Mustafa, the controversial Diversity officer for Goldsmiths Student Union who has previously acknowledged sending tweets using the #killallwhitemen hashtag and similar phrases.

The Metropolitan Police statement reads:

Police received a complaint on 7 May about a racially motivated malicious communication that had been made on a social media account.
Officers from Lewisham Community Safety Unit investigated.
A 27-year-old woman was interviewed under caution, Friday, 22 May, as part of the investigation.
Enquiries continue.

Mustafa has previously said that hashtags she used in tweets from her personal account, such as #killallwhitemen, were “in-jokes”. She said in a statement: “It’s a way of reclaiming the power from the trauma many of us experience as queers, women, people of colour, who are on the receiving end of racism, misogyny and homophobia daily. These are not political stances.”

On using the #whitetrash tag in her official Student Union account, she says: “I can accept that it was not professional and I do apologise for this.” Both accounts have been deleted.

Mustafa is a former MA Gender and Media Studies student at the university and was re-elected Student Union Welfare and Diversity officer, a paid position, in March.

A petition by some Goldsmiths students calling for a vote of no confidence in her failed to reach the required number of signatures.

The spotlight has been on Mustafa since she issued an invitation to a diversity event but requested that  “men and/or white” people did not attend.

Mustafa has not responded to Eastlondonlines’ attempts to contact her.

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