University lecturers support students stopped by administration from wearing political masks

University lecturers have come out in support of students, who were stopped by the institution's administration from wearing masks of Transport Minister Ian Borg as part of Graffitti's Fresher's Week stand.

The University of Malta Academic Staff Association on Tuesday said that it supported and encouraged “healthy and creative political debate”. 

UMASA said that it believed the University of Malta formed the “bedrock” of democratic governance and supported the freedom of speech of staff and students alike.

On Monday, security guards at the university confiscated a mask worn by a Moviment Graffitti activist as part of the group's campaign to press home its 'political' work.

READ MORE: Security at University of Malta confiscate 'political' mask from Moviment Graffitti stand

Taking to social media Moviment Graffitti said that it would not be “intimidated by such tactics,” and demanded that their material is returned to them immediately.

The University of Malta said following the incident, that while it supported political debate "as evidenced by the setting up of the Malta University Debating Union", it had to intervene in this particular situation for fears that the matter would escalate. 

"The Moviment Graffiti representative was asked to remove the mask when he ventured outside the designated Moviment Graffitti stand and mingled with students visiting other stands. It was at this point that security officers, concerned that the matter might provoke a reaction and escalate, decided to act to defuse the situation," the statement read.

The university's statement was met with shock by several lecturers, who were critical of the stand taken by the administration.

UMASA highlighted that lectures had a moral responsibility to educate and train the leaders of tomorrow and that a fundamental part of that education involved, “fostering a sense of civic engagement on campus.”

“As such, we continue to support the development of an informed and constructive political consciousness among our students,” UMASA said.