LSESU represents every LSE student. We are proud that our members come from more than 140 countries, hold every faith, identity and political view. We stand for diversity and inclusion, and we reject racism, sexism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, transphobia, misogyny and all forms of hatred and discrimination.

Our role is not to reflect any single perspective, but to support the full breadth of student voices and protect their freedom to explore ideas - including ones others find challenging. A union that decided which lawful views its members could hear could no longer represent all of them. 

Protecting lawful speech has a cost. It can still be hurtful, and it often lands hardest on students from minoritised backgrounds or whose communities are the subject of the views expressed. We are aware of the harm that some speakers and events can cause, particularly for students from minoritised backgrounds. Even knowing an event is happening can be concerning. We will keep working with LSE and others to protect student safety and wellbeing. 

Freedom of speech does not mean anyone can say whatever they want without consequence. Freedom of speech is a privilege - and we have a collective duty to create an environment in which ideas can be exchanged freely, respectfully, and with tolerance and accountability. The law still prohibits hate speech, discrimination, harassment, victimisation and threatening or abusive speech, and our commitment to freedom of speech does not mean that these behaviours should be tolerated. 

Support available

We will not always know when an event is likely to cause distress to some student groups, but we will endeavour to let the Presidents of affected societies know in advance and provide a support space for students.

We will hold LSE to its free speech duties when it handles protest, and we’ll speak up if we think students are being treated unfairly or disproportionately.

If an event, or the debate around it, is affecting you, support is available:

  • Reporting 
    If you experience or witness harassment, discrimination or hateful conduct, you can report it through LSE's Report and Support.  

  • Event-specific support
    We can make arrangements for individual events, such as a support space, please contact su.welfareliberation@lse.ac.uk or @lsesu.welfarelib on Instagram. 

Contact and review

If you have questions about this statement, or think we've got it wrong, tell us at su.info@lse.ac.uk. We review it when relevant law or policy changes.

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