Hill Dickinson and RPC have cut ties with members of Exeter University's Law Society after they made wildly racist comments in a WhatsApp group.
In the exchanges on the 'Dodgy Blokes Soc' group chat, law students including future Hill Dickinson trainee and General Secretary of the Bracton Law Society, Matthew Bell, and an RPC Brand Ambassador and the BLS pro bono officer, Alex Crawford, used racial epithets to refer to their peers. They also proposed a race war and joked about gang raping other students. Screengrabs of the chat were exposed on Twitter and Facebook by Exeter Uni Law School student Arsalan Motavali, who said he decided to reveal the messages after seeing the coverage of racist chants at Nottingham Trent University.
In the chat, the students frequently used terms such as "n***er", "coon" and "monkey". Bell suggested organising a social "where we invite pure ragheads and turn them away". First year law student Bailey Grant replied that they should hold the event in South Africa instead as it "means we can add in gang rape". He said they could "buy blacks in bulk" and put "bars on the shed". Crawford replied "You only need to go as far as Mauritania to get slaves. Much cheaper". In January this year, the group again turned to the subject of rape, with Bell commenting, 'Hey rape is funny'. He asked Grant to tell a female student they knew that "we'd all like to gang rape her".
Motavali set up the WhatsApp group in 2017, but said that when Bell took over as the administrator and added more students the content "became increasingly racist and deplorable". Motavali said he decided to stay in the group to collect evidence. "I refuse to stand by and let such people who speak in these terms go on to recruit at future law firms", he said, while "cowering behind their phones and talking like this about people that are part of the society they represent".
In the chat, Bell said of a fellow student, "He's such a stupid little arse licking paki". Ash Chandraharan, who is currently running to become the next Bracton Law Society General Secretary, replied, "He's why I'm for racial discrimination", and referred to another person as "such a dirty arab". The group also discussed a photo of London Mayor Sadiq Khan at a football stadium. Grant, identified in the screenshots by the last three digits of his telephone number, 594, commented, "I'm disgusted", "get that cancer away from my ground", and "this is why we need a race war".
Within 15 hours of Motavali posting the messages on social media this week, Hill Dickinson and RPC both severed ties with Bell and Crawford. In a statement, Hill Dickinson CEO Peter Jackson confirmed the firm had terminated Bell's training contract. He said, "We are deeply disturbed by the messages that were brought to our attention last night and would like to stress that the views expressed by the individual and others involved in this matter do not in any way represent the views of the firm and we absolutely do not condone this behaviour."
RPC Training Principal Simon Hart said that the firm had ended its relationship with Crawford. The student, who did not have a training contract with RPC, was paid by an agency on behalf of the firm to promote RPC on campus. Just not like this. Hart said, "We are absolutely appalled by what we have read this morning, and condemn this sort of behaviour in the strongest possible terms. It is indefensible, vile, and has no place in any society. Despite the fact this individual was never an employee of RPC we, of course, treat the situation as seriously as if he was – it goes wholly against everything we stand for". It went so far as to terminate its 'Brand Ambassador agreement' with the agency who employed him.
Bracton Law Society said it had booted the students from its committee and banned Chandraharan from standing for election, while the University of Exeter has suspended the students while it investigates. On Thursday Bell apologised in a statement to the BBC, saying, "I will not attempt to excuse and deny any of the statements I have made. The comments, which I shall not repeat, are inexcusable and undeniably wrong. I would like to make it publicly known that I do not honestly believe any of the things I have said".
On Facebook, shaken Exeter Uni student Chris Omanyondo said, "These are people who I shared the pitch with week in and week out, have been out with, who have smiled in my face for several months, only to find that in their eyes, I’m 'a happy monkey more like'".
Screenshots from the group chat:
Tip Off ROF
In the exchanges on the 'Dodgy Blokes Soc' group chat, law students including future Hill Dickinson trainee and General Secretary of the Bracton Law Society, Matthew Bell, and an RPC Brand Ambassador and the BLS pro bono officer, Alex Crawford, used racial epithets to refer to their peers. They also proposed a race war and joked about gang raping other students. Screengrabs of the chat were exposed on Twitter and Facebook by Exeter Uni Law School student Arsalan Motavali, who said he decided to reveal the messages after seeing the coverage of racist chants at Nottingham Trent University.
In the chat, the students frequently used terms such as "n***er", "coon" and "monkey". Bell suggested organising a social "where we invite pure ragheads and turn them away". First year law student Bailey Grant replied that they should hold the event in South Africa instead as it "means we can add in gang rape". He said they could "buy blacks in bulk" and put "bars on the shed". Crawford replied "You only need to go as far as Mauritania to get slaves. Much cheaper". In January this year, the group again turned to the subject of rape, with Bell commenting, 'Hey rape is funny'. He asked Grant to tell a female student they knew that "we'd all like to gang rape her".
Motavali set up the WhatsApp group in 2017, but said that when Bell took over as the administrator and added more students the content "became increasingly racist and deplorable". Motavali said he decided to stay in the group to collect evidence. "I refuse to stand by and let such people who speak in these terms go on to recruit at future law firms", he said, while "cowering behind their phones and talking like this about people that are part of the society they represent".
In the chat, Bell said of a fellow student, "He's such a stupid little arse licking paki". Ash Chandraharan, who is currently running to become the next Bracton Law Society General Secretary, replied, "He's why I'm for racial discrimination", and referred to another person as "such a dirty arab". The group also discussed a photo of London Mayor Sadiq Khan at a football stadium. Grant, identified in the screenshots by the last three digits of his telephone number, 594, commented, "I'm disgusted", "get that cancer away from my ground", and "this is why we need a race war".
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Cockwise from left: Bell, Crawford, Grant, Chandraharan. |
Within 15 hours of Motavali posting the messages on social media this week, Hill Dickinson and RPC both severed ties with Bell and Crawford. In a statement, Hill Dickinson CEO Peter Jackson confirmed the firm had terminated Bell's training contract. He said, "We are deeply disturbed by the messages that were brought to our attention last night and would like to stress that the views expressed by the individual and others involved in this matter do not in any way represent the views of the firm and we absolutely do not condone this behaviour."
RPC Training Principal Simon Hart said that the firm had ended its relationship with Crawford. The student, who did not have a training contract with RPC, was paid by an agency on behalf of the firm to promote RPC on campus. Just not like this. Hart said, "We are absolutely appalled by what we have read this morning, and condemn this sort of behaviour in the strongest possible terms. It is indefensible, vile, and has no place in any society. Despite the fact this individual was never an employee of RPC we, of course, treat the situation as seriously as if he was – it goes wholly against everything we stand for". It went so far as to terminate its 'Brand Ambassador agreement' with the agency who employed him.
Bracton Law Society said it had booted the students from its committee and banned Chandraharan from standing for election, while the University of Exeter has suspended the students while it investigates. On Thursday Bell apologised in a statement to the BBC, saying, "I will not attempt to excuse and deny any of the statements I have made. The comments, which I shall not repeat, are inexcusable and undeniably wrong. I would like to make it publicly known that I do not honestly believe any of the things I have said".
On Facebook, shaken Exeter Uni student Chris Omanyondo said, "These are people who I shared the pitch with week in and week out, have been out with, who have smiled in my face for several months, only to find that in their eyes, I’m 'a happy monkey more like'".
Screenshots from the group chat:
Comments
I've seen people get involved in some pretty loose chat on social media at times, but this is way beyond anything I have ever seen.
I hope that these people are never employed in the profession in any way, certainly not as colleagues as mine.
I mean..... I am so sick and tired of hearing this. If you put it out there, you meant it. Own your crap.
I want to know why they hold those views though, more than anything else. Is it their parents? Is it their schools?
What shocks me is their utter arrogance - they knew this was a forum with many members and they knew any online conversation can be recorded. Nonetheless, they had no hesitation in saying these things and egging each other on to even more monstrous words, feeling safe that they would never be challenged. They are educated, clever and still hold these views. Their privilege made them feel untouchable. How many more are out there or in our offices?
PS - paid by an agency on behalf of the firm to promote RPC on campus - how low can you get?
Arsalan Motavali also does not come across well by being a grass. Should have taken it discreetly to Exeter Uni rather than be a SJW.
Absolute abhorrent behaviour nonetheless.
good grief
https://thetab.com/uk/exeter/2018/03/22/exeter-students-told-not-to-discuss-racist-hate-speech-on-social-media-38586
These comments sound like people want to destroy these boys. Surely using this as a spur to improve is better?
That said, I am appalled by the raging mob in this comment section that basically wants to ruin these young people’s lives for essentially making awful jokes about taboo subjects... whatever happened to being an idiot, growing up and realising what a tool you were ... and moving on. We are burning these guys at the stake for god’s sake for simple stupidity. Have you all gone mad? If tomorrow I were to go through everything you have said or done since you reached the age of majority what would I find? Sure, some amongst us are without sin, but I bet it’s none of those throwing the stones!
God help us.
Why didn't he just leave the group? It's just banter!!
No doubt his career will be ruined as well. Well done there! Who is going to employ a snitch! You backstabbed your pals and ruined their careers. Well done pal!