Warwick Tories ‘Nazi anthem’ was deemed ‘free speech’ by University

The University of Warwick considered the singing of a Nazi marching song to be protected under “freedom of expression” until footage was shared on social media, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

The video, which emerged last summer, showed members of the University of Warwick Conservative Association (UWCA) dancing and singing along to the German WWII marching song ‘Erika’, long-associated with the Nazi Party.

The incident prompted significant national backlash, and the society later apologised “unreservedly” for the incident. The group was suspended by Warwick Students’ Union (SU) while an investigation took place, and was eventually reinstated by the start of the 2024 academic year.

The University of Warwick, in its own statement on 1 July, labelled the behaviour depicted in the video as “reprehensible”, and stated that “antisemitism has no place on our campus”.

The discrete playing and singing of the song ‘Erika’ in a private setting and untargeted did not, in and of itself, breach Freedom of Expression

University documents

Nonetheless, documents seen by The Boar show that when University officials first received the footage via Report + Support on 20 June 2024, they concluded: “The Footage in itself was thought unlikely to be a breach of Regulation 23” – the rules governing student disciplinary offences – “because the discrete playing and singing of the song ‘Erika’ in a private setting and untargeted did not, in and of itself, breach Freedom of Expression.”

The University’s approach later shifted, however, when the video appeared in The Sunday Times and was reported across national media. Sharing the video was considered a potential breach of conduct regulations because “the Posting of the Behaviour [the singing of ‘Erika’] could amount to harassment” and had “potentially brought the University into disrepute”.

Internal emails show how University conduct officers scrambled to respond as the story gained national attention. On 1 July, one official wrote to colleagues: “As I’m sure you are aware there has been a huge amount of coverage over the weekend regarding a video which appears to show members of the Conservative Society participating in a known Nazi marching song.”

Calls to disband the Warwick Tories last autumn were dismissed by the University and SU, with an All Student Vote on the matter blocked. Image: Martin Day / The Boar

The same email noted that the society had “taken down their own website and disabled their Twitter account”. Listing major outlets that had covered the story, including the BBC, Sky News, The Guardian and the Daily Telegraph, it estimated the story had reached 55 million people.

In internal correspondence, staff openly described ‘Erika’ as “widely affiliated” with the Nazi regime. Even so, emails suggest the actual investigation passed over the offensive nature of the singing itself, choosing instead to focus on actions by individuals that brought the University “into disrepute”, as well as breaches of the University Dignity Principles.

Just three individuals were investigated by the University for their part in the playing of the song. A University spokesperson told The Boar: “In line with University policy, we conducted an investigation into the incident. The student who requested the song in the first instance was immediately banned from campus. That student has now graduated from the University but was not permitted back on campus for their graduation ceremony.

Emails show that University staff urged against a planned release of the investigation’s outcome

“No action was taken against a second student, as it was found they had taken the appropriate action at the time in trying to have the song stopped. A third student went to a Disciplinary Hearing and sanctions were issued. Following our investigation, we made recommendations to the Students’ Union about training for the Conservative Society.”

As the investigation went on, emails show that University staff urged against a planned release of the investigation’s outcome. One noted “some push” to issue a statement ahead of Welcome Week 2024 on 20 September, but cautioned “I am advising against this”. The University eventually issued a statement on the investigation’s outcome to The Boar.

The University’s report produced a single further recommendation to the SU: for all current UWCA exec members to undergo Active Bystander training.

It was not until the SU went beyond the University’s advice that stronger action was taken. These measures included mandatory antisemitism training for all UWCA members, run by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), as well as Islamophobia training for exec members.

We are clear that such behaviour must never be tolerated or go unchallenged

UWCA statement

The incident, and a perceived weak response from the University and SU for some, sparked serious backlash among the student body, including a campaign calling for the society to be disbanded.

The UWCA told The Boar: “Further to the decisions made by the University and SU, the UWCA took its own internal action after this abhorrent incident in 2024. This included barring all of those involved from future events and our alumni network.

“This will continue to be the case, and we are clear that such behaviour must never be tolerated or go unchallenged.”

They added that the UWCA “strongly condemns all forms of antisemitism and other types of racism”.