Students at the University of Birmingham reportedly faced chants of “Death to Zionists” during an anti-Israel rally on campus on Wednesday.
The rally was allegedly organised by Stop the War coalition and Palestine Solidarity Campaign as part of a ‘day of action’. Students were also seen unfurling a banner which read: “Zionists off our campus.”
Zionism is the belief in Jewish self-determination, a right afforded to all peoples of the world under Article 1 of the UN Charter.
80% of British Jews consider themselves to be Zionists; only 6% do not, according to our polling.
According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, which was adopted by the University in 2020, “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination” is an example of antisemitism.
A spokesperson for the University of Birmingham said: “The university is committed to freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest. However, this must be carried out safely, respectfully, and within the law, and we have established processes to enable this to happen. The university approved an application under its freedom of speech code of practice by the local branch of the UCU to undertake a silent vigil on Wednesday.
“The so-called student walkout began immediately after this and was not approved by the university. We had no contact from the organisers, and they did not seek permission for the event. It is also our understanding that the organisers are not a current recognised student society. The protest was attended by approximately 50 people and lasted for less than one hour.
“Our priority is to ensure the safety of all our community. While we acknowledge that our students and staff hold a range of opinions about the politics and geopolitics of Israel and Palestine, we expect that they engage with each other in a respectful manner. We unequivocally condemn anti-Semitism [sic], Islamophobia and hate speech, and do not tolerate discrimination on campus. We are in close contact with our Guild of Students, and student and staff groups and networks to ensure that they feel supported. Students and staff can access support and report any instances of harassment through our online portal.”
If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321 or e-mail [email protected].
