Student societies at City University in London have welcomed the cancellation of Israeli Ambassador Mark Regev’s talk, a decision the students claim was made “in relation to wholly unreasonable demands made upon the university by the police”, including “bringing armed guards on campus”.
?? The Israeli Soc have invited Mark Regev to City- the Israeli Ambassador and spokesman for Israel from 2007-15, whilst 3 wars took place and over 3800 Palestinians were killed. In response, our event ‘Education not Propaganda for Occupation’ is on Wed 21st Nov, 5pm, in BG03 ?? pic.twitter.com/umjucFYpIU
— City University Palestinian Society (@Citypalsoc) November 20, 2018
In a joint statement published by the City University Palestinian Society, the students referred to the cancellation as “only a deferment”, adding:
“We know this is not the end…not the stance that students would like to see our institution take against Israeli Apartheid”.
#Israeli Ambassador Appearance at #London University Shelved ‘over Security Concerns’ https://t.co/KjLQ5VMnfp @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/niPRH68W2K
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 22, 2018
The statement said:
“No group should be entitled to demand the presence of armed guards or police on our campus.”
A presence the students described as standing “directly against the principle of our university being spaces to challenge and organize in”.
Let it be known that @MarkRegev did not talk on our campus without being met with the voices of the students. Leeds uni students stood up against injustice and a war crime apologist.#ApartheidOffCampus pic.twitter.com/9mw3q1s5VA
— Leeds PSG (@LeedsPSG) November 14, 2018
The signatories to the statement, including ten student societies and the City University BME Officer, urged “full transparency from both the University and the Student Union, as to what exactly the [so-called security] requirements demanded of them were”.
Meanwhile, the Board of Deputies of British Jews has echoed the complaints made by pro-Israel activists on campus, accusing the university of refusing “to guarantee the safety of the ambassador and students on campus by implementing basic security measures”.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
