Academic's talk cancelled because he would not show his passport

[Booboostwo]

This is truly outrageous. A philosopher's talk at Herts Uni was cancelled after he refused to show a copy of his passport. This is a British academic, from a British institution, giving a talk at a British institution (not that it matters). Since when do administrators decide academic lecture programmers on entirely arbitrary criteria involving requests for documents that are not even legally required?

www.timeshighereducation.com/news/philosophers-talk-cancelled-due-passport-rules

It's a matter of academic freedom which is enshrined in the University's charter. Academics are free to express their ideas to other academics and the public and this right should not be arbitrarily and pointlessly restricted.