Bristol University’s David Miller strikes again with inflammatory conspiracy theories about Zionism, which he seeks “to end as a functioning ideology of the world”
An academic with a history of promoting conspiracy theories has asserted that “Zionism is racism” and declared his objective “to end Zionism as a functioning ideology of the world”.
In an online event, David Miller, a Professor of Political Sociology at the University of Bristol, complained of being criticised by the President of the Bristol University Jewish Society and accused the student group of being part of a worldwide Zionist conspiracy, adding that it is “fundamental to Zionism to encourage Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism”. Prof. Miller also observed that the Jewish Society and the Union of Jewish Students are Zionist, thereby implying that Jewish students (and the wider Jewish community) inherently “encourage Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism”.
He also portrayed the International Definition of Antisemitism as an attack on free speech and accused the Israeli Government of engaging in an “all-out attack” on the global Left as part of an “attempt by the Israelis to impose their will all over the world”.
In comments reminiscent of the darkest years of the United Nations, Prof. Miller insisted that “Zionism is racism” and asked how “we defeat the ideology of Zionism in practice”, “how is Zionism ended” and about the way “to end Zionism as a functioning ideology of the world”.
This is not Prof. Miller’s first controversy in relation to Jews, antisemitism and Zionism. Last June, Campaign Against Antisemitism revealed that Prof. Miller was behind disgraced MP Chris Williamson’s Resistance Movement. The group aimed to give a home to the “politically homeless” politicians who had been expelled from the Labour Party for antisemitism, such as Jackie Walker, Tony Greenstein and Mark Wadsworth.
Prof. Miller has a history of spouting conspiracy theories about various Jewish community organisations and figures that has reportedly discomfited his Jewish students. In a presentation titled “Harms of the Powerful”, for example, Prof. Miller suggested that the “Zionist movement” is one of the “five pillars” of hatred of Muslims (redolent of the five pillars of Islam) and is bankrolled by “ultra Zionist funders”. He has also suggested that Jewish interfaith dialogue with Muslim groups represents an Israeli-backed “Trojan horse” initiative to “normalise Zionism in the Muslim community”.
Prof. Miller has previously accused the current leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, of taking “Zionist money”, and he has talked about what he referred to as the “witch hunt” against Labour members accused of antisemitism.
Campaign Against Antisemitism shall be writing to the University of Bristol.
Binyomin Gilbert, Programme Manager at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “David Miller has claimed that Bristol’s Jewish Society and the entire nationwide Jewish student body ‘encourage Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism’. This is crystal clear incitement against Jewish students. The University of Bristol has a duty to protect them and must act without further delay. For years it has defended and protected Prof. Miller instead of its Jewish students. This crank conspiracy theorist has no place in academia, especially when he does such harm to the welfare of Jewish students.”
Campaign Against Antisemitism monitors the adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism by universities. Bristol University adopted the Definition in November 2019.
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].
