A university is a shared idea. We are not simply an institution with policies and processes, or an employer with employees. We are a community dedicated to the creation, preservation and sharing of knowledge. We build our collective understanding of the world and ourselves, while nurturing innovation and maintaining what is best in our society.

Given the nature of this place – and any university worthy of the name – no one person can truly speak on behalf of us all. However, the signatories of this letter declare that racism and white supremacy have no place at the University of Auckland.

Unfortunately, as has been covered in Craccum, The Spinoff and elsewhere, posters and stickers have recently appeared on campus drawing attention to the webpage of a group that aims to recruit “young white men” who will “re-tak[e] control of [their] own country”

We have no difficulty in identifying this group and such displays as white supremacist in nature. Likewise, it is easy to state that the sentiments and ambitions it expresses are at odds with our nation’s foundation via Te Tiriti o Waitangi, however imperfectly observed: we never were a country for white men. Making this identification – along with an understanding of where such sentiments can lead – is part of the professional expertise of many scholars and students here at the University of Auckland. Finally, as human beings we clearly see that these sentiments are at odds with the norms of decent behaviour.

We understand the “absolutist” position that some take that freedom of speech extends to the right to speak in ways that are hateful. We also understand that the language of rights is complex and nuanced, recognising that such displays create an environment that brings harm to segments of our community, fraying the cultural tapestry that provides our diverse campus community with vitality and energy. We also note that by virtue of their race, gender, class, country of origin, religious affiliation, sexual or gender identity, many people empowered to judge conduct on university campuses are less likely to be the focus of hate speech, and may be slower to recognise its impact on its intended targets. However, “speech” has many forms, including gesture and nonviolent protest. If these posters constitute “free speech”, the same can be said of the actions of individuals who remove those that they encounter.

Finally, let us make this clear: these posters and the people who created them do not represent this University. As staff, students and alumni of the University of Auckland, we work to ensure that such sentiments do not take hold on campus. Our goal is to ensure that everyone who comes here flourishes within an environment that celebrates free and open enquiry, teaches the lessons of the past, and builds a better future for all.