Thousands mourn Jason Arday in London vigil

A somber crowd assembled in central London to mourn the loss of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday, who died last week at the age of 41. The vigil in Trafalgar Square was held in memory of Arday, who was accused of plagiarism and exaggerating his achievements. Cambridge University's chancellor Chris Smith condemned the "racist feeding frenzy" that followed, but emphasized the need for a thorough investigation.

Arday, the university's youngest ever black professor, had disputed the allegations but resigned on August 5th, stating he had reached his limits. The cause of his death remains undisclosed, with police describing it as non-suspicious and preparing a file for a coroner. MP Diane Abbott, speaking at the rally, recounted seeing Arday a week ago.

The rally saw an estimated 30,000 attendees, many wearing black and carrying flowers. Claire Lynch, a retired teacher, expressed horror at Arday's treatment, while Alex Pascall called for an end to such incidents. A separate vigil was held in Cambridge, and an online fundraising page raised over £174,000 for Arday's family. A petition demanding a public inquiry into the media coverage garnered over 90,000 signatures, including from Abbott and Green Party leader Zack Polanski.

The petition linked Arday's death to media harassment, calling it "the direct, foreseeable and foreseen result of press harassment". Cambridge University is under scrutiny over its handling of the allegations and Arday's treatment.