麻豆传媒

Skip to main content

Cancel culture uproar after Queen's portrait removed at Oxford college

Queen Elizabeth II during a ceremony to mark her official birthday at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, Saturday June 13, 2020. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP) Queen Elizabeth II during a ceremony to mark her official birthday at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, Saturday June 13, 2020. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)
Share
TORONTO -

The U.K.鈥檚 education secretary has criticized a decision by Oxford University graduate students to remove a portrait of the Queen from their common room.

On Tuesday, his reaction to the move by the members of Magdalen College Middle Common Room (MCR), an organization consisting of graduate students at the university.

鈥淥xford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd. She is the Head of State and a symbol of what is best about the UK,鈥 Williamson wrote.

The day before, MCR students voted to take down the portrait of the monarch in the common room because, for some students, 鈥渄epictions of the monarch and the British monarchy represent recent colonial history,鈥 according to minutes of the debate that were . 

Despite the criticism from the education secretary and some online commentators, the president of Magdalen College, Dinah Rose, defended the students鈥 rights.

, Rose said the MCR is not representative of the college and the decision to take down the portrait was theirs to make.

鈥淎 few years ago, in about 2013, they bought a print of a photo of the Queen to decorate their common room,鈥 she wrote. 鈥淭hey recently voted to take it down. Both of these decisions are their own to take, not the College鈥檚. Magdalen strongly supports free speech and political debate, and the MCR'S right to autonomy.鈥

Rose continued that it鈥檚 possible the students will vote to put it up again, or maybe they won鈥檛, but in the meantime, it will be 鈥渟afely stored.鈥

鈥淏eing a student is about more than studying. It's about exploring and debating ideas. It鈥檚 sometimes about provoking the older generation. Looks like that isn鈥檛 so hard to do these days,鈥 she said.

The college president also asked that those who are sending 鈥渙bscene and threatening messages鈥 to college staff to think carefully if that is the best way to show respect for the Queen.

鈥淥r whether she'd be more likely to support the traditions of free debate and democratic decision-making that we are keeping alive at Magdalen,鈥 she said.

When contacted by CTVNews.ca, a spokesperson for Magdalen College said they would not be commenting on the matter beyond what the president said in her tweets.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.