FSOI presented evidence to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights enquiry on Freedom of Speech in Universities about the threat posed by far right and Zionist disruption of events supportive of Palestinian rights. This evidence was presented in January 2018 but not published here through an administrative oversight.
Submission by Free Speech on Israel to the Inquiry by the Joint Committee on Human Rights
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Antisemitism in the UK is not epidemic, and is low by comparative standards.
Externally generated pressures based on an enlarged definition of antisemitism are encroaching on the freedom to hold campus events supportive of Palestine and therefore critical of Israel.
The UK government has adopted a contentious definition of antisemitism (now found not to have been agreed by its supposed promoting body), and has promoted it to all UK universities, as well as to local authorities.
The dissemination of this definition was followed by an upsurge, still ongoing, in university managements’ obstructions of campus meetings thought likely to adopt a critical stance on Israel.
Such action has frequently been triggered by complaints from external groups supportive of Israel.
There is a growing campaign of aggressive disruption of such meetings by far-right and Zionist activists.
We make recommendations for Government, universities and Universities UK to defend legally entrenched free speech. Continue reading “Freedom of Speech in Universities”
