Furious Jewish student groups have accused Bristol University of dragging its feet after it failed yet again to take action against 'end Zionism' Professor David Miller
July 29, 2021 16:36
Furious Jewish student groups have accused Bristol University of dragging its feet after it failed yet again to take action against Professor David Miller, the notorious lecturer who has been under investigation since March after labelling Jewish student societies “pawns” of Israel and calling for the “end” of Zionism.
Jewish students -— particularly those being taught by Prof Miller — said they did not feel safe at the university following his comments. But the lecturer appeared to be back at work just weeks after the probe was announced.
Four months after announcing the investigation, the university has yet to announce any results.
Expressing their frustration following an “unsuccessful” meeting this week with the vice-chancellor of Bristol University, Professor Hugh Brady, the Union of Jewish Students and Bristol JSoc said: “It has now been 165 days since Professor Miller publicly attacked Jewish students, and still nothing. When does the clock run out?”
The two groups said the meeting to discuss the university’s “failure to provide basic duty of care to its Jewish students with regards to Professor Miller” left them in the dark about the investigation into his conduct. They accused it of “remaining silent on when a decision would be made”.
Comments by Prof Miller have included claims that “all JSocs” operate “under the auspices of the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), an Israel lobby group”. He accused these students of being “political pawns” of a “violent, racist foreign regime”.
Speaking at an online campaign event in February, Professor Miller said: “It’s a question of how we defeat the ideology of Zionism in practice. How do we make sure Zionism is ended essentially. There’s no other way of saying that.”
In a statement released on Twitter following the meeting, UJS and Bristol JSoc said: “The University refused to discuss the case and remained silent on when a decision would be made, despite the consistent pressure for a timely result.”
A spokesperson for UJS added: “Since the delayed announcement of the investigation, more than a month after the comments, Jewish students have received no information about its progress and have been left entirely in the dark.
“According to the OIA (Office of the Independent Adjudicator), best practice for an investigation should ‘normally be completed within 90 calendar days of the start of the formal stage’. Yet we are still waiting. How can anyone trust the University of Bristol when they are consistently failing their Jewish students?”
Claudia Mendoza, Co-Chief Executive of the Jewish Leadership Council said: “It’s appalling how long this has taken Bristol University. Jewish students need confidence that their university or college take antisemitism seriously. UJS are absolutely right to continue raising this issue until the university understand their obligation in keeping Jewish students safe.”
A spokesperson for the University of Bristol said about the meeting that “From the outset, we explained that we would be unable to discuss the investigation into the comments made by Professor David Miller.
“While we appreciate there is a great deal of public interest in this matter, we cannot jeopardise the integrity and rigour of what is a confidential process by discussing it with third parties or the media.”
The spokesperson added: “Our freedom of speech policy underlines the vital importance of the right of staff and students, as members of a free and democratic society, to speak openly without fear of censorship or limitation, provided that this right is exercised responsibly, within the law, and with respect for others who may have differing views.
“Alongside this policy, the University’s clear and consistently held position is that bullying, harassment, and discrimination are never acceptable. We remain committed to providing a positive experience for all our students and staff, including by providing a welcoming environment for Jewish students, and to fostering good relations and an inclusive University community.”
Last month it was revealed Professor Miller received £400,000 in government money – some of which he has been accused of using to produce research on ‘Israel lobby groups’.
According to the New Statesman Professor Miller and then-colleagues at the University of Bath were given grants over a three-year period — from 2013 to 2016 — to conduct research on “understanding terrorism”.
That research is alleged to have included Prof Miller’s attacks on “Israel lobby groups” from his 2016 paper on “The Israel Lobby and the European Union”, which included a now notorious map of “the British Zionist scene” claiming links between Israel and British political parties.
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