An anonymous source close to the original investigation speaking exclusively to SCAN, has shed new light on the racist graffiti incident at Cartmel College.
On the 20th January 2022, Former Lancaster Student Sa’ad Mustafa revealed in a Tiktok, which has since gone viral, that after a racist graffiti incident occurring in 2018, he was discriminated against by Lancaster University.
When Sa’ad reported the racist graffiti found on the door to his accommodation he claimed he was “kicked out of the room, moved to another room,” charged for the door and required to make an apology if he wished to continue studying at Lancaster University. Lancaster University have denied this and stated that they have no record of any charge being made for the door. Our source also casts some doubt on these claims.
Although an investigation was started into the racist graffiti incident, Sa’ad claims it was dropped after two weeks and he was allegedly told not to go to the police.
When Sa’ad eventually went to the police to file a report in September 2018, he claims to have been told that the University is known for advising students not to contact them.
SCAN have contacted Lancaster Police and received the following statement:
In September 2018 we received a report of racially aggravated criminal damage in Lancaster. It was reported racist graffiti had been written on the door of a room in Cartmel College at Lancaster University. An investigation was conducted and no arrests made.
LANCASTER POLICE
Since these allegations have come to light, Lancaster University have released statements detailing examinations of University records.
The initial statement released on the 24th January said that “examination of our records does not support a number of claims that Sa’ad makes in the videos he posted including that he was advised not to go to the police, made to apologise, made to pay for a door or accommodation he did not use, or that the university failed to undertake a full investigation into racist graffiti appearing on his door.”
Lancaster University claim these to be “new allegations being made which do not appear to be part of the original investigation.”
Following up on this initial statement, Lancaster University released a second statement the following day, revealing that they had “reviewed an extensive 2018 investigation into a number of complaints and counter-complaints within a student flat.”
Upon review, Lancaster University claimed that “we have not been able to find any evidence to suggest that the University required this student pay for damage to their door, pay for accommodation they did not use, discouraged them from going to the police, or was requested to provide an apology.”
Likewise, Lancaster University detailed the 2018 investigation which “examined photographic and other evidence and took statements from a number of staff and students” was “completed in full, a formal outcome letter was provided alongside an offer of wellbeing support and the opportunity to appeal.”
Since Sa’ad’s allegations were made public, an anonymous source has reached out to SCAN to shed new light on the racist graffiti incident, due to concerns for individuals identified in Sa’ad’s Tiktok whom they believe haven’t been properly supported publicly by the University.
The source revealed that some details disclosed by Sa’ad, namely that he had to pay for a repair to the door, he was required to move to another flat, and he was required to make an apology were in fact true.
However, the source says that Sa’ad’s claim that these ‘penalties’ were linked, to the racist graffiti incident is not correct.
The source also shed light on the investigation into the racist graffiti revealing that it began on the day that Sa’ad made his complaint.
Our source said that it was taken very seriously and that fellow students were questioned and required to give handwriting samples.
The source said it was likely true that the investigation finished after around two weeks however this would have been due to the investigation having expended all evidential sources.
After reaching out to Lancaster University, SCAN were issued the following statement:
“A number of new allegations about University staff actions have been made on social media and those staff members’ details have also been shared. We have no evidence that there is basis for these allegations and are very disturbed that details of these individuals have been posted to social media in this way.
“We have not been able to find any evidence to suggest that the University required this student to pay for damage to their door, pay for accommodation they did not use, discouraged them go to the police, or was requested to provide an apology. If further evidence is forthcoming we will investigate.
“We have also contacted the former student, inviting them to engage directly with us so we can understand the full picture, gather evidence from them and take action, wherever necessary.”
SCAN has contacted Sa’ad for further comment.
