Cambridge University college cancels annual Harry Potter-themed dinner

2022-10-24

EXCLUSIVE: Cambridge University cancels Homerton College’s annual Harry Potter-themed dinner as furious students claim event was scrapped in ‘woke’ protest at JK Rowling’s views on trans issues

EXCLUSIVE: Homerton College has cancelled its annual Harry Potter dinner
Students say the student union has scrapped it due to feelings about JK Rowling
Homerton Union of Students president Robin Webber has posted critical tweets
Wrote of Harry Potter author: ‘F*** transphobia f*** jk Rowling f*** that energy’

A Cambridge University college’s student union has banned a popular annual Harry Potter-themed dinner in a ‘woke’ protest at JK Rowling’s views on trans issues, it is claimed.

For several years, Homerton College has held the Hogwarts ‘formal’ dinners in its iconic wood-panelled Great Hall, with students and staff in costume, house banners for Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and even real owls from a local sanctuary swooping over the long tables.

But this year the event – usually a sell-out – has been scrapped to be replaced with a scaled-down Harry Potter film night.

The official reason cited is that that a new dining hall ‘doesn’t lend itself to the theme’.

But angry undergraduates are adamant that the new batch of student office holders in Homerton Union of Students (HUS) privately admit the real reason is their feelings about JK Rowling and her gender critical stance defending women’s rights vs trans rights, which has seen her ‘cancelled’ by many woke institutions.

And MailOnline discovered that the HUS President Robin Webber has frequently tweeted his condemnation of the Harry Potter author, writing in June 2020: ‘F*** transphobia f*** jk Rowling f*** that energy’.

Homerton College’s annual Hogwarts ‘formal’ dinner will not take place this year, with students claiming it is because of student union members’ views towards JK Rowling

HUS President Robin Webber (pictured) has frequently tweeted his condemnation of the Harry Potter author, writing in June 2020: ‘F*** transphobia f*** jk Rowling f*** that energy’

And in a 2021 discussion on Twitter, he wrote: ‘I understand wanting to stick with Harry Potter, but you ARE supporting the artist who does real damage to the rights of trans people in the UK. I grew up very attached to Harry Potter so I understand the reluctance to let go but JK Rowling is dangerous to me.’

One student told MailOnline: ‘It’s just fun, students and staff dress up, there are a few funny sketches and speeches, and a local sanctuary brings real owls that fly over the tables.

‘These events are hugely popular among students and always sell out.’

According to the student, some students chose to apply to Homerton mainly because of the Harry Potter dinners.

The source added: ‘The student reps just want to stop any event remotely associated with JK Rowling, because they disagree with her statements on women’s rights and trans rights.

‘It does not bother them that hundreds of students love these events. It doesn’t matter that JK Rowling is not so much as mentioned at the dinner – it’s a bit of fun about being at Hogwarts.

In a 2021 discussion on Twitter, Mr Webber wrote: ‘I understand wanting to stick with Harry Potter, but you ARE supporting the artist who does real damage to the rights of trans people in the UK. I grew up very attached to Harry Potter so I understand the reluctance to let go but JK Rowling is dangerous to me’

The dinner is usually a sell-out event, with students and staff dressing in costume, house banners displayed for Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and even real owls from a local sanctuary swooping over the long tables

‘There is mounting anger at the student reps for just deciding what students can and can’t do. We would vote them out but they won’t open the matter up for discussion, and next year will be too late. They should resign.’

The President of the HUS, Robin Webber, told MailOnline in a statement: ‘This year we’re showing the Harry Potter films on an outdoor cinema screen, instead of doing a formal hall.

‘The timetable of themed formal halls is agreed by each year’s HUS Committee and is different every year. Our new modern dining hall doesn’t really lend itself to a Harry Potter theme, and this year we wanted to try something new anyway.’

Mr Webber repeatedly failed to respond when asked whether the decision was linked to the committee’s views on JK Rowling.

He denied a claim that a collection of props including Hogwarts house flags, pennants and tablecloths had been thrown away, insisting: ‘It’s simply on loan currently and will be available to future HUS members should they wish to use it.’

Robin Webber said the event was not taking place this year because the new modern dining hall ‘doesn’t really lend itself to a Harry Potter theme’

JK Rowling (pictured) has been condemned by LGBT charities and several of the Harry Potter franchise actors for her gender critical stance defending women’s rights vs trans rights

In June 2020 JK Rowling was accused of transphobia when she mocked an article which had used the phrase ‘people who menstruate’, saying: ‘I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?’

LGBT charities and several of the Harry Potter franchise actors condemned her words and she received insults and death threats.

In January, Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson – all of whom voiced their disagreement with Rowling’s views on trans people – returned to the set of the franchise for a 20th anniversary HBO TV special, but the author herself was absent, only appearing in old footage.

While many assumed Rowling was asked not to return for the special due to her controversial tweets about the transgender community, Rowling says she chose not to participate as the event was more about the films rather than the books.

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