London protest for University professor accused of plagarism

Thousands attended a vigil in central London on Monday for Jason Arday, a former University of Cambridge sociology professor who was found dead on Friday after weeks of intense scrutiny over accusations of plagiarism and other claims. Arday, once hailed as Cambridge's youngest Black professor, resigned on August 5 after a former researcher accused him of plagiarism in his PhD thesis.



British Prime Minister Andy Burnham described his death as "a tragedy on so many levels."



Arday denied the allegation but acknowledged making mistakes.



The plagiarism allegations drew huge media interest, leading to questions about other elements of his life, including claims he made about his career, personal life and medical conditions.



His family said on Friday that he had been the victim of misinformation and harassment.



Campaign group Stand up to Racism organised Monday's vigil to honour Arday.



People carried flowers and placards — some reading "Rest In Power Professor Jason Arday" — as they gathered in Trafalgar Square, a historic centre for protest in the British capital.