Durham Students' Union has been blasted for demanding a leading academic resign after he invited journalist Rod Liddle to talk at a dinner party.
The Free Speech Union slammed the five officers who penned a rambling statement in a bid to oust South College principal Professor Tim Luckhurst.
Seun Twins, Jack Ballingham, Jonah Graham, Declan Merrington and Charlie Procter claimed hosting one of the UK's best known writers was an 'abuse of power'.
It comes as footage emerged of the professor and his wife Dorothy talking to 'woke' students who stormed out of the speech on Friday night.
They appeared to be taking them to task over their treatment of Mr Liddle, who they flung vile insults at as he left.
The couple tried to explain the importance of free speech on campuses after the youngsters claimed they were 'frightened' of the national journalist's jokes.
Meanwhile Durham University took the drastic step of launching an investigation into the professor and barred him from duties.
He had branded the walk out 'pathetic' before emailing them to apologise after a mob of students sent a barrage of emails to vice-chancellor Antony Long.
It is understood Professor Luckhurst is not allowed to speak to anybody about the event - and he did not make a scheduled campus speech last night.
The five officers penned a rambling statement in a bid to oust South College principal Professor Tim Luckhurst (pictured)
Seun Twins, Jack Ballingham, Jonah Graham, Declan Merrington and Charlie Procter claimed hosting one of the UK's best known writers (pictured) was an 'abuse of power'
Last night Durham SU moved to try to oust Professor Luckhurst in a rambling statement about an 'abuse of power' and 'calculated behaviour'.
It claimed: 'The Principal of South College has insulted and humiliated the student members of the College.
'Tim Luckhurst, the former editor of a national newspaper, knew exactly what he was doing when he hijacked a Christmas party and allowed his personal friend to spout vile propaganda he knew would cause division.
'His shameful attempt to excuse this pantomime by pretending it was for the benefit of students' education is disgraceful.
'He has failed in his duty of care as Principal to South College students, and as a leader in our University community.'
The Free Speech Union said: 'The vilification and abuse of Professor Luckhurst for inviting Rod Liddle to give an after-dinner speech is an absolute disgrace.
'If students cannot cope with hearing opinions they find disagreeable they shouldn't be at university.
'Durham says it believes in upholding academic free speech, but if so why has it placed Dr Luckhurst under investigation for describing the decision of students to walk out of the speech as 'pathetic'?
'In expressing that perfectly lawful view, Dr Luckhurst was exercising his right to free speech and penalising him for doing so could well be a breach of the law that requires universities to uphold free speech on campus.
'Dr Luckhurst is a member of the Free Speech Union and we are supporting him in full.'
Durham Students' Union has been blasted for demanding a leading academic resign after he invited journalist Rod Liddle to talk at a dinner party
The Free Speech Union slammed the five officers (pictured, two of them) who penned a rambling statement in a bid to oust South College principal Professor Tim Luckhurst
Seun Twins, Jack Ballingham, Jonah Graham, Declan Merrington and Charlie Procter (pictured) claimed hosting one of the UK's best known writers was an 'abuse of power'
Fresh footage emerged today of the former national newspaper editor and his wife talking to students during the event on Friday night.
He was speaking to them calmly and appeared to be helping them understand universities are supposed to be bastions of free speech.
His audience stood with their mouths wide open before Mrs Luckhurst interrupted her husband.
She asked: 'What are you frightened of you silly... what are you frightened of?' One of the students squealed back: 'What do you mean?'
The rest of their exchange was inaudible but Mrs Luckhurst went on to repeat the word 'a***' before another asked: 'Don't we all have one?'
She tweeted later that night: 'Bunch of inadequates thought it was clever to walk out on a speech tonight because they were afraid of what the speaker said…'
She added: 'Incidentally they thought it was ok to ask my husband to apologise for my comments…
'I know it's an old notion but I can speak for myself. Maybe the woke generation haven't heard of women's equality.'
Fresh footage emerged today of the former national newspaper editor and his wife (pictured) talking to students during the event on Friday night
Mr Liddle, the associate editor of the Spectator, started his speech at a college formal by joking he was disappointed not to see any sex workers.
It was in reference to a recent controversy over safety training provided by the university to students working in the sex industry.
He also said the Left were ignoring science over transgender issues, colonialism was not the main cause of Africa's problems and the underachievement of pupils of Caribbean descent had nothing to do with institutional racism.
After the speech, students bayed 'disgusting' and 'racist' at Liddle as he walked out of the venue.
That evening, a Stonewall poster was stuck on the door of Professor Luckhurst's office reading, 'Some people are trans. Get over it!'
Students wrote to Durham vice-chancellor Mr Long, claiming Liddle made 'transphobic, sexist, racist and classist remarks'.
The open letter, signed by more than 1,000 students, complained they felt 'distressed' and 'emotional' after his speech.
The university's student union said Professor Luckhurst's position was 'untenable' while the University and College Union, which represents lecturers, said it was 'appalled'.
After the speech, students shouted 'disgusting' and 'racist' at Liddle as he walked out of the venue. That evening, a Stonewall poster was stuck on the door of Professor
