Queen's University Belfast cuts ties with George Mitchell over Epstein links

Queen's University Belfast cuts ties with George Mitchell over Epstein links

Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) has decided to end its association with former US Senator George Mitchell, who was instrumental in advancing the peace process in Northern Ireland, due to his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The university will remove Mitchell’s name from the Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice and take down a commemorative bust on campus. Despite no accusations of wrongdoing against Mitchell, QUB stated that, considering the material involved and respecting the experiences of victims, it is no longer appropriate for institutional entities to carry his name.

A spokesperson for Mitchell addressed the matter ahead of the university’s announcement, affirming that the senator had never met or had any contact with Virginia Giuffre or any underage women. The spokesperson expressed Mitchell’s deep regret for having known Epstein and condemned unequivocally the harm Epstein caused to numerous women. Furthermore, they emphasized that Mitchell neither witnessed nor had any knowledge of Epstein’s illegal or inappropriate actions involving minors.

Mitchell’s association with Epstein appears in various documents, including emails and memos scheduling appointments. One such email dated 4 November 2013 shows a planned meeting at 10:30 am between Mitchell and Epstein. Additionally, Epstein’s so-called “birthday book,” released by a US congressional panel, contains a letter from Mitchell describing their friendship as “a blessing.” However, being named or appearing in these files does not imply any misconduct. Mitchell’s spokesperson also rejected allegations by Virginia Giuffre that he was involved in Epstein’s crimes, calling them cases of mistaken identity and citing the retraction of a miscaptioned photograph used to support these claims.

George Mitchell, once the majority leader in the US Senate, earned widespread respect in Northern Ireland by chairing the critical peace talks that contributed to ending the Troubles. Despite difficulties establishing devolved power immediately, he played a key role in fostering an inclusive power-sharing executive and overseeing the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons. The negotiations he led culminated in the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which successfully brought an end to decades of violent conflict in the region. He also served as Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast from 1999 to 2009

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