The School of Outrageous Antisemitism Studies

Sam Davidson

Thank you for continuing to highlight these issues Melanie. I don't know where else I would hear about such atrocities if not from yourself. I was wondering if you have any advice for those who wish to do something active in support of Israel?

rippon

Can Melanie Phillips or anyone give a link to ‘Hate Israel Week’ or a web address or something?

I googled ‘Hate Israel Week’ but couldn’t seem to find it (maybe I didn’t scroll down the results enough, or maybe I should be googling different keywords).

Thanks.

c

thank you for this article. and yet, we in israel already see england as an antiaemitic state, who gave up on values like dignity.

and again- thank you for this article.

cityca

Every time I hear of another action like this, I think 'the authorities', surely must now 'do something', and every time, nothing happens.

A darkness is falling over the UK and Europe and successive governments are allowing it to happen.

The deputy Israeli ambassador was attacked in Manchester, an Israeli minister could not even finish his speech and now a peaceful protestor is subject to a physical attack.

Historically, Jews have been known as a people who have a packed suitcase on top of the wardrobe. I had hoped those times had changed, but it seems they have not.

Augustus

This vicious anti-Semitic speech
has always been a particular outstanding characteric of Hamas
influencing certain Palestinian
Arabs particularly the young. It's an important part of its
vile identity, and used as a tool for propaganda and recruitment. This hatred is designed to target certain audiences and provide legitimacy
based on both Islam and WW2 history. The aim is, of course,
to continue waging a campaign of
destroying Israel and expelling
all the Jews from it. It is conceived as an alternative to
the path of negotiations chosen by the PA, i.e. the path of
'trading away' their homeland.
Basically what these young nitwits are parroting is that Jews, in whatever society they
lived in, brought upon themselves persecution simply by virtue of their eternally despicable qualities. It is another example of the rabid relics of the past resurfacing.

C.Gee

rippon:

You can take your tongue out of your cheek. Try "Israel Apartheid Week".

Charlene Hale

To allow the hate fest is not furthering learning and frankly devalues degrees. It is one thing to be politically minded and active but to engage in violence and paranoid and pathological hatred is UNACCEPTABLE. These anti-Israel campaingers are bringing university education into disrepute. Britsh univeristies who instead of banning and expelling them, empower and enable them are degrading academia. Shocking and disgusting, but even worse it is akin to Nazi Germany. Troubling times, I support the pro-Israel groups, they have a legitimate right to state thier support and try and enlighten those who are blinded by irrational and vitriolic hatred. Thank you Melanie for informing so eloquently and Fraser Nelson who has taken a stand that the Spectator will hold forth to standards of journalism and not prostitute itself.

Joshua

Never once in my life have I thought about biting another person's cheek. Yet again, I appear to be out of the loop. Just a few stories via Google:

"A MAN has been jailed for biting another man's cheek in an attack following a row over an alleged £50 debt"

"A Sheffield man is standing trial for biting his partner's cheek after inviting a third man to join them for a threesome."

"A FATHER bit a pubgoer's cheek, then tried to bite a second man"

"Father flew into rage and bit girl [on cheek] after hearing his daughter had taken Ecstasy"

We can now add this:

"A man of Middle East appearance bit cheek of Jewish Zionist just because"

---------------

Stop the world - I want to get off

Frank Sutton

"A policeman strongly advised us to leave."

A sad but telling detail.

Gabez

The heart of the matter is surely that the university as a place for learning and the exchange of views is being used as a platform for political campaigns. As a London student myself, I think that if people want to academically DISCUSS the Arab-Israeli conflict on campus then that's fine. However, if people want to CAMPAIGN for one or other of the parties to the dispute then they should surely do so off campus. The university is a learning institution and should therefore be free of all political activism, especially that which is conducted in such a politically-charged, intimidating and menacing manner as Israel Apartheid Week.

Roy

Shouldn't the Chancellor of the said university be brought to book for such racist behavior being promulgated in the grounds of their jurisdiction?

Melanie, thank you for being strong, forthright and not afraid to voice your opinions, and publishing information that the MSM are to cowardly to publish.

@Sam Davidson
Am with you if something can be organised.

@C

Not all of the UK are anti-semitic. There are many who see the situation with clear eyes and mind, be they Jewish, Christian, Atheist etc.

Robert McBride

This is a shocking revelation and isn't it just the sort of stuff that was going on in Nazi Germany in the 1930s? Next we'll be seeing bearded thugs standing at the entrance to Jewish owned shops and stores trying to prevent people from entering because the businesses are Jewish! I cannot believe this is all happening again - have we not learned anything from history?

Jon

He bit the face of another student? What kind of people are these?! I would think of using the "S" word, but to be honest, and based on the previous article, I'm now afraid to say anything about a certain group in this country.

What I'm not afraid to say, however, is that I have lived in this country for 4 years (I'm American and Jewish) and I don't like the pre-pogrom direction it has taken. As a result, I have decided to move back to the US within the next few months.

You see, I just Googled this face-biting incident and found that none of the London newspapers have reported on it. If this had happened in the US, it would have been a top news story in he city in which it had occurred. But not here! There would have been mulit-faith gatherings calling for an end to such violence. But not here. And in America, one could voice his opinion on the horrific murder of an Israeli family and not have to worry about it triggering an investigation due to something called "Freedom of Speech." But not here.

Bye-bye Britain!

Carol Gould

Several fellow Jews to whom I told this story today either laughed or said it was 'just another bizarre story.' I do wonder if some sectors of Anglo Jewry are as locked out of reality as were the Jews of 1930s Germany. My Christian friends were more shocked today than were the Jewish ones...

Elliott, USA

It's 1984 in 2011 - this time the doublespeak is a product of the radical islam form of fascism - and the radical leftists are eating it up, or rather, drinking the koolaid of anti-semitic hate. Well, when your life is otherwise meaningless, hate can be an invigorating, if ultimately self-destructive, intoxicant...

tiki

It doesn't matter what 'smutty language these 'Arab University Student Savages & their
'Liberal Left Idiot friends are producing. FACT is (that's what bothers them): ISRAEL is BOOMING, while their Arab homelands are BURNING and stupid Britain & EU friends are (again) stearing up another Arab hornets nest, which will (again) come to haunt them.(More 'New Europeans are on their way). Like Bibi Natanyahu said after the murder of 5 innocent Israeli's in their home in the middle of the night by 'Palestinian coward Savages......"THEY MURDER, WE BUILD" and THAT's what's behind all the blind Israel/Jew hate. Nothing has changed. The World loves 'dead Jews, not 'living and prosperous ones.

John Dubai

Melanie I don't always agree with your broader political analysis of Israel, but this piece rings very true: the "they provoked it by being there" opinion is sadly prevalent among the largely unthinking members of my (I'm 25) generation.

Derek BLADES

Melanie refers to something called "Hate Israel Week, the annual festival of bigotry and lies" and implies that this is supported by the faculty of the SOAS.

I have heard of something called the "Israel Apartheid Week" which is designed to highlight the brutal harassment of Palestinians by settlers and the IDF in the Occupied terroties. Is this what she is referring to? But of course "Hate Israel Week" sounds so much better!

Tintagel

IAW (Israel Apartheid Week) began in Toronto in 2005 and, by 2010, spread to 55 cities around the world including locations in Canada, England, the United States, South Africa, the West Bank, Mexico, Scotland and Norway.

In March 2011, various Canadian government and other political figures, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff all criticized IAW.

Kenney indicated that he was "deeply concerned about the events and activities" associated with IAW and said that the event was "all too often [...] accompanied by anti-Semitic harassment, intimidation and bullying." He further indicated that students participating IAW were "free [...] to speak their mind" but encouraged them to "reflect on whether these activities are beneficial." Ignatieff, in condemning the week, said it is a “dangerous cocktail of ignorance and intolerance” that threatens “the mutual respect” of Canadian society.

In 2009, Canadian MP Michael Ignatieff condemned IAW as a form of "demonization" of Israeli and Jewish students, causing them to "fear for their safety" on campus. He went on to say that IAW "should be condemned by all who value civil and respectful debate about the tragic conflict in the Middle East."

EDDIE

In respect of SOAS it might be interesting to find out their about their benefactors.

john

SOAS : School Of Anti-Semitism. LSE : Libyan School of Executioners. What is Michael Gove waiting for? Does anybody believe a word of what this government has to say about social cohesion? When Marine Le Pen walks into the Elysee Palace, perhaps people will begin to take notice how uncontrolled immigration and multi-culti Political Correctness are wrecking the country.

Andy Gill

I applaud the bravery of StandWithUs.

But next time they ought to fight back. Mosely's fascists were defeated by violently disrupting their meetings.

A couple of good punch-ups, and you'll suddenly find the police and university authorities will begin to take notice.

Raymond

C, some of us in Britain have not succumbed to the propaganda blitz against israel. Check out prayer for Israel, christian friends of Israel and Revelation TV on Sky. That said, it is very worrying what is happening on our University campuses.

pete

policemen strongly advised them to leave..
typical
i wonder if they were members of the muslim police association?

patrick

The very moment support for Israel evaporated.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/952600.stm

It is the BBC mind you, however I did support Israel up until this moment. Your cause has never recovered from this day.

Lizzy

Hate Israel Week on a university campus - supposedly a place of higher learning - is retrograde in the extreme - reminiscent of Nineteen Eighty-Four's hate sessions (against Goldstein remember?).

And biting someone whose views are different to yours? We are dealing with unevolved people.

Roger K

Just about forty years ago when I was in my teens, the history of the rise of Nazi Germany was shown in personal histories, 'The Dairy of Ann Frank', books like 'I am a Camera', Shirer's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" even films like the 'The Sound of Music'
I remember there was admiration for those who stood against the Nazis and their race hatred and for the ones who sheltered Jews in hiding, knowing full well the consequences. We all said we would be one of the brave ones, we wouldn't let it happen. How could the average German let this go on, how could they turn a blind eye, not ask questions when the Jews were being rounded up and taken away? Just say 'There go the Jews' and look the other way.
Well now we know, it doesn't happen over night, it happens bit by bit, it happens by allowing these thugs to get away with it, it happens by not robustly challenging the rubbish opinions and propaganda at evey turn.
Thank you Melanie, you are a jewel beyond rubies for your courage, tenacity,astuteness and clear sight.
Derek Blades so typifies those who while they clearly have brains, do not have moral depth or discernment to see what is happening even in a straight forward street brawl like this but prefers to quibble over 'Israel Apartheid Week' and 'Hate Israel Week' which is one and same thing.
May those of us who see the truth have the courage to stand up for it as well.

Tintagel

Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) began in Toronto in 2005 and, by 2010, spread to 55 cities around the world including locations in Canada, England, the United States, South Africa, the West Bank, Mexico, Scotland and Norway.

In March 2011, various Canadian government and other political figures, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff all criticized IAW. Kenney indicated that he was "deeply concerned about the events and activities" associated with IAW and said that the event was "all too often [...] accompanied by anti-Semitic harassment, intimidation and bullying." He further indicated that students participating IAW were "free [...] to speak their mind" but encouraged them to "reflect on whether these activities are beneficial."[30] Ignatieff, in condemning the week, said it is a "dangerous cocktail of ignorance and intolerance" that threatens "the mutual respect" of Canadian society.

In 2009, Canadian MP Michael Ignatieff condemned IAW as a form of "demonization" of Israeli and Jewish students, causing them to "fear for their safety" on campus. He went on to say that IAW "should be condemned by all who value civil and respectful debate about the tragic conflict in the Middle East."

Mark Malone

you be covering this much Melanie?
http://maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=370839

Tintagel

@ patrick
March 22nd, 2011 9:32am

Even the Wikipedia account of the death of Muhammad al-Durrah highlights some of the discrepancies in the accepted version of events.

It concludes, "James Fallows writes that no version of the truth about the footage will ever emerge that all sides consider believable. Charles Enderlin has called it a cultural prism, its viewers seeing what they want to see."

I don't know how that boy died any more than you do but perhaps a little more research is needed before using it as a reason to abandon support for Israel.

Liz

Unfortunately this doesn't surprise me in the least. I was a student at SOAS in the late 90s and found that the Student Union and campus activist groups had created an atmosphere of intimidation that made Jewish students keep a low profile.

There was no student Jewish Society on campus and I was told that this was because it had been banned after the UN's notorious Zionism=Racism vote.

When Hizb a Tahrir and their ilk attacked Hindu, Jewish and gay students it was the Hindus, Jews and gays who were escorted away by police, not the thugs who attacked them. Guest speakers at student events included people from the PLO and Hamas.

I remember arriving at the fresher's fair and being greeted by posters of Castro and Che everywhere, people handing out fliers in support of Trotsky, Lenin, Arafat and other beacons of freedom and democracy. It felt as though the campus was stuck in a timewarp.

This was the atmosphere in the late '90s I can only imagine that it has worsened since.

Truthtriumphs

patrick
March 22nd, 2011 9:32am
The very moment support for Israel evaporated.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/952600.stm

It is also the incident that started the Intifada, which cost more than 1,000 innocent Jewish lives, children included.

I am AMAZED that you are so behind with the news.

This was subsequently PROVEN to be an elaborate fake, designed to vilify Israel.

France2.... the film company which concocted it and set it up, and Charles Enderlin, the film-maker, were challenged by one Phillipe Karsenty, and he was subsequently sued by them.
France2 lost in a French court of law, after the judge ordered France2 to hand over the rushes (the unused film footage), which they had previously refused to do.
In it, one could clearly see the boy lifting up his arm AFTER he was supposedly shot, and told that the coast was clear.
It also showed camera-men in position waiting to film the event.
France2 and Enderlin are powerful players with deep pockets, unlike Sarkenty, and yet they lost on appeal.
(By the way, the camera-man whose film was used, is a Palestinian whom Enderlin often uses.)
It was a classic Pallywood production, and it had the desired effect.
It was published widely throughout the world, and became a symbol of the "resistance".
Google "Al Durah fake" and you will read all about it.

On a related matter, the BBC still refuses to publish the findings of the Balen Report, which it commissioned into discovering whether there is bias within its organisation in its reportage of the I/P conflict.
It has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds of licence fee money, going to the High Court to suppress its publication.
You should ask yourself why!

AAE

Further to Robert McB at 12.36 - There was an anti-Israel protest outside the AHAVA shop in Covent Garden last Saturday . . . .

wearenotblind

I'm not sure about the British laws but in the US when you attack someone by biting them on the cheek the biter is arrested by police on the scene. And the biter is not some person of middle eastern appearance, he has a name. And that name is published in the newspaper. Of course, if the biter is not arrested his name may not be known. So the question is, was he arrested, and if not why not. And is there any investigation on to find the biter and see to what group if any he belonged.

Mike

@Patrick

Your link to the Mohammed al-Dura incident of 2000 is highly disingenuous. You should know by now that it was a set-up by the Palestinians.

wonderer

@patrick
March 22nd, 2011 9:32am

I agree that the al-Durrah report has done enormous damage to Israel's image and indirectly contributed to the death of many of her citizens. However, the original, on which the BBC report was based, came from France 2 and has been discredited by court proceedings in France. See: http://www.theaugeanstables.com/al-durah-affair-the-dossier/karsenty-court-of-appeals-decision-english/

The following extract gives the flavour of the case:-

"Given that, indeed, the testimony by Luc ROSENZWEIG, former chief editor of MONDE, established that after having met, in May 2004, some colleagues who shared with him their doubts about Charles ENDERLIN’s commentary, and having thereafter himself shared these doubts with Denis JEAMBAR and Daniel LECONTE, on October 22, 2004, he viewed with them FRANCE 2’s rushes and was surprised that, of the 27 minutes of Talal ABU RAHMA’s rushes, more than 23 minutes of the scenes on film had nothing to do with the images broadcast by the station, including those of little Mohamed’s death, and consisted of young Palestinians faking war scenes. The witness concluded his testimony at the hearing in the lower court by stating his conviction that “the theory that the scene [of the child’s death] was faked was more probable than the version presented by FRANCE 2,” while admitting that, as a journalist, journalistic “criteria did not allow him to go further than that.”

David

If you think its bad in the UK take a look at the youtube videos concerning the level of violence towards the Jewish community in Malmo Sweden. The Swedish government are now telling the Jews in Malmo if they want protected from acts of brutality from the newly imported muslim population they need to pay for it themselves....the implication being that if they dont and they suffer further attacks then its their fault.

roxanne

can you write shorter sentences? it's hard to follow your argument.
thanks

Joshua

"It is the BBC mind you, however I did support Israel up until this moment. Your cause has never recovered from this day."

Let's leave aside for one moment the fact that the report was false, if that story is enough to damn Israel then what should be Britain's reputation after these events?

-- The cutting off of all routes to Jews attempting to flee the Holocaust.

-- The bombing of Dresden.

-- The collaboration at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

-- The brutal suppression of popular revolts in Malaya and Kenga.

-- The shoot to kill policy in Northern Ireland.

-- The sinking of the Belgrano.

-- The bombing of Serbia and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ken

Why, one is prompted to ask, is ‘Hate Israel Week’ not under investigation by the hate speech division of the local plod, or would that be expecting too much for our police percept?

gareth

Unbelievable - yet this is just not provoking any mainstream response here in the UK - makes me ashamed to be British.

Adam B.

Patrick are you unaware of the court case in Paris which demonstrated that this was a hoax? The "journalist" wasn't even there to witness it, and there appear to be several "takes" in the footage. A German TV documentary also showed how it was impossible that the Israelis could be responsible, due to trajectory of fire. This was, I'm afraid, a "Pallywood" production.

So your change of heart was misplaced.

Adam B.

British universities have looked the other way to organized antisemitism on their campuses for years. When I was at university, the Jewish society routinely had their noticeboard trashed, antisemitic graffiti was daubed, including Holocaust denial and jihadist slogans, Hizb ut-Tahrir set up stalls at the entrance, with antisemitic leaflets. It was grim for Jewish students.

Another Joshua

Apart from criminal issues, this is also a case of a failure to provide protection to students and members of staff. Below is SOAS's Health and Safety Office's Role:

Health & Safety
The Health & Safety Office
We can be contacted at healthandsafety@soas.ac.uk or, in the case of an emergency, via Diana Ciuta in the Estates Office on 0207 898 4900.

The role of the Health & Safety Office:

to provide a safe working environment for all staff, students and visitors
to comply with, and where possible exceed, the statutory requirements for Health & Safety.
To realise this role the Health and Safety Office:

provides expert advise of safety matters to The School, its departments, staff and students
develops policies on safety issues and prepares codes of practice and guidance where appropriate
co-ordinates, implements and supports The School’s Health and Safety Policy across all sites
monitors the safety performance of The School and its departments by investigating accidents and incidents
liaises with statutory authorities
liaises with Staff development to provide safety training and provide advice on specialist needs
works closely with colleagues in other departments, particularly Human Resources and Staff Development.

Oflife

Unbelievable but believable. I have been thinking about the intentional efforts in the UK to demonise and destroy The Church. At first I thought it was to create a dystopia - such that young people would grow up without ethics and therefore not contest corporate malfiance. (Humanists/Atheists may disagree, but it is likely religion helped provide humanity a conscience back when life was quite tough and people, whilst capable of it, didn't have time to consider concepts such as ethics and compassion.) Anyway, it has recently occured to me that the actual reason the Church is being destroyed may be because there are those within it who support Israel and/or the Jews. And by removing that last bastion of humanity from this nation, their last remaining support is being pulled away.

Lordelpus

JS

Joshua, good post. I have another one to add to your list:
Originators of apartheid system in Union of South Africa (albeit not under that by that name). The system was in place long before the Nationalist govt came to power.

patrick

mY reply to the replies.

My point is in a wider context, that was the moment Israel lost support. Reading Melanie's posts I have to assume the UN, the EU, Dave, President Obama, the Guardian, the BBC and the left are all somehow delusional, well I just wanted to point out where it all went wrong for Israel. The pictures show a man and a boy terrified (terror anyone?) and some of you can deflect and deny and belive what you want. Reporting of the conflict was never sympathetic to Israel after that PR disaster.

Steve

"Reporting of the conflict was never sympathetic to Israel after that PR disaster."

Are you a moron?

Don't you understand plain English?

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN!!

Liz

Interesting that DEREK BLADES fails so comprehensively to condemn the attack, prefering instead to concentrate on an linguistic irrelivance. Speaks volumes about him.

Saba Dennis

@patrick 3.43
Patrick, you remind me of the Palestinian lady at the exhibition in Manchester Cathedral of Gaza children's drawings: she vehemently denied that the War of Independence in 1948 ever happened, that there was no evidence of it at all, plus the Jews had expelled all the Arabs forcibly - at that point we terminated our discussion as it was obvious that there was nothing to be gained from it.

Sergio I.N.

patrick
March 22nd, 2011 3:43pm

Instead of waiving your free-will to the UN, the EU, Dave, President Obama, the Guardian, the BBC and the left, please take some time to do some research on the subject. You will clearly see a pattern emerging where there is a side obsessed with rhetoric and hate, and another side trying to roll with the punches as best as it can to avoid a Knock-Out. If you take at least 30 mins to read about Israel's plight (I suggest start with Standwithus.com, see the booklets), you will be supporting Israel again in no-time.
About the Al-Dura affair I would suggest many youtube videos that expose it as a hoax.
Please let us know if you followed my advice and, if you did, what is your position afterwards. I very much look forward to it.

Edward in the USA

The very moment support for Israel evaporated.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/952600.stm

It is the BBC mind you, however I did support Israel up until this moment. Your cause has never recovered from this day.

patrick, My respect for the UK evaporated on the day the "dead within 3 months" bomber of Pan Am 103 was released. That was in 2009. As of today, 2011, the "dying" bomber is still alive.

With all the turmoil in Libya, will the oil contracts granted to BP on condition that the bomber was released be honored?

mcmrjp

I am disgusted that the police took no action here. If a complaint of assault occasioning actual bodily harm is made - and this would be religiously aggravated, they must take action. The penalty on conviction is 7 years. If the police did nothing then advise the victim to go to the local station and make a complaint.

Emet

The Jewish Chronicle says that the police arrested two men for affray.

cityca

"Further to Robert McB at 12.36 - There was an anti-Israel protest outside the AHAVA shop in Covent Garden last Saturday . . . ."

There is an anti-Israel protest outside Ahava EVERY 2nd Saturday. I am there in opposition whenever I have time.

It is a peaceable, regular occurance, well policed and attended by Jews and Christians and Muslim in support of Israel, as well as the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and International Solidarity Movement members.

The organiser of the pro Israel group, Jon Hoffman will be pleased to see you if you have the time - 12 till 2 pm every other Saturday. Details from the Zionist Federation website.

Patrick, the Al Dura case was proved to be yet another lie about 18 months ago. Not only was the boy not shot by the IDF - the chances are he was never shot by anyone his body has never been found, much less autopsied.

The enemies of Israel are expert at making up false charges - remeber Jenin and the thousands of dead? Turns out it was 56, most of whom were enemy combatants.

Brian Moshe

Melanie, thank you for reporting this incident on your blog.

It represents yet another nail in the coffin for the future of Jews in Brtain.

I'm writing this from the USA where I am privileged to live part of each year and to belong to Jewish congregations both here and in England.

Members of my synagogue here are almost wholly unaware of the situation in Britain (and in Europe generally). Some think I am over-reacting if I attempt to describe some of the anti-Jewish incidents, events and the mood that bodes so ill for the near future.

You mention Malmo in Sweden, Melanie. That is the place where the police refuse to allow anyone to display an Israeli flag in case it provokes the local Muslim settlers and their supporters into attack mode.

Yesterday afternoon I visited a small Texas town out in the 'boondocks'. In England we'd call it a large village; mostly little wooden houses, a few small stores and what seems to me a lot of churches (no doubt all well-attended). Black and white and Latino folk living next door to each other. I was thinking what a restrictive and isolated place to live when I drove up a back road and saw a house with an Israeli flag on the front door.

I was so pleased to think an Israeli flag can be flown openly in a little town that was segregated 45 years ago and yet am staggered to reflect that that same flag could not be flown openly today in a Swedish city.

MT

Anti ZIONISM is the norm at soas - anti Semetism is not an issue at soas. This crazy biting guy at the (non-soas) event wasn't even a soas student. SOAS is a fine institution.

Adam B.

Patrick, reporting about Israel was certainly not sympathetic well before the event you mention. To claim this was the event which triggered a reversal in the media is ignorant nonsense. And you say "believe what you want" - well you clearly do. The evidence about this hoax is freely available if you are bothered to look.

Adam B.

MT - Jewish students have long felt intimidated at Soas. It is a toxic atmosphere.

Believe me, I know.

Edward in the USA

patrick, Additionally my sympathy for Palestinians evaporated after the assassination of US Presidential candidate Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

Eldar

University security had no other choise, they can't say NO to hundred of angry muslims, they know that result can be very "unpleasant". But what it proves is that even in europe "Middle Eastern language of Violence" is working very well, that's the only language any human kind understand.

Graeme Thompson

Melanie, with the existing political set-up we have, I dont see a flicker of hope that this funk and moral bankruptcy is going to get anything but worse.

Tony Coren

Exactly Melanie though it wasn't even a protest as I have pointed out earlier - just an information stand. We didn't parade around with our placards, make any noises, go up to anyone, or cause obstruction to persons or property. We stood along the external wall some metres from the Union building, and only spoke with people who came up to us and were willing to engage with us and handed out leaflets to them

Tony Coren

I don't usually blog but will make an exception here as am directly involved. We were four in total and it was not a protest or demonstration (as has been reported) but a simple information stand. We did not parade around, make any noise, or cause any obstructions to persons, property or walkways. We placed a few placards on the ground along the external wall of the union building a few metres from the entrance along with some leaflets. And we did not approach or intercept anyone, and only spoke with - and handed out leaflets, to those who came up to us of their own volition. After the attack which was entirely unprovoked, the attacker made no effort to leave the premises and during the 10-15 min interval before the police arrived no-one (incl univ security)made any attempt to confront or detain him. He could have walked away without any difficulty. And he even attempted a second assault on Roi our photographer. Not a single person - students, faculty, staff or visitors expressed any sympathy towards us. In fact quite the reverse. We were repeatedly "asked" to get out and subjected to hostility, with people following us around taking our pictures. Roi on our side was also recording film. A polite young man introduced himself to me as the President of the students Union and he too wanted us to leave. Having arrived, the police were very polite and patient, but they too insisted that we leave (the sub-text as I understood it was that they did not want to leave us there for our own safety or have to be called back a second time)and tho Gili had earlier obtained verbal permission from a woman constable and retained her name and no, I was told by the Sergeant that the univ was private property, that he outranked his colleague, and if the univ wanted us to leave then he would escort us off the premises (by which I assumed we would be arrested if we resisted). Both the attacker and victim were taken away, the victim via UCH (hospital) and both were charged as far as I understand. Having seen the whole incident from start to finish I offered to give a statement to the police and was told it was not necessary at that stage. I pointed out both to the Police Sergeant and Union President that there was a fundamental disconnect here with the victims and victimisers receiving reverse treatment, and that that freedom and diversity of expression was being suppressed through intimidation and violence. Finally it's worth bearing in mind that an assault by biting is potentially highly dangerous as the human mouth is a higher vector of infection than nearly all other animals except venomous creatures, and one could theoretically be infected with a number of serious diseases incl STDs incl HIV. I will not blog or comment further as have sent a comprehensive witness statement to the solicitors representing the victim. But I am confident my statement, and what the other three describe, will be corroborated by photographic and video recordings that we documented on two camera phones, one of which is currently held by the police. You can draw your own conclusions from all of this- is quite clear.

Hexhamgeezer

patrick,March 22nd, 2011 9:32

My sympathy for the Pals died in 1972 when at junior school I saw the events at the Munich Olympics. They had also the advantage of actually happening unlike the Al-Dura matter or the likes of the Jenin 'massacre'

Carl

Tony Coren - so your innocent, non political group went there to record the people who were attending this event?

Truthtriumphs

Carl
March 23rd, 2011 6:35pm

Tony Coren - "so your innocent, non political group went there to record the people who were attending this event"?

Do you have a problem with that?

Truthtriumphs

Carl
March 23rd, 2011 6:35pm
"Tony Coren - so your innocent, non political group went there to record the people who were attending this event"?

Do you have a problem with that?

Adam B.

Truthtriumphs

I think Carl has problems with lots of things.

He can't even bring himself to condemn an antisemite biting a Jew in the face.

charles soper

Outrageous, I shall be cutting my own ties to SOAS now.
Who wishes to abate thuggery?