“They refused to leave, they were masked. One of them made a threat about having my head chopped off,” Ben-Gad alleged.
In one video shared by City Action for Palestine and pro-Iran channel Press TV, a keffiyeh-clad demonstrator was filmed approaching Ben-Gad during his lecturing and saying: “You have blood on your hands.”
Another appeared to address the students in the room, saying, “This lecturer served in the IOF. They’re a part of the genocide in Gaza.
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Masked pro-Palestine activists interrupt an economics lecture at City, University of London (Image: Press TV([Missing Credit]
The activists then shouted: “All terrorists off our campus” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
In another clip, a masked protester outside the university said: “City University has employed a lecturer who served in the IOF, and he has very proudly said that he has done this.
“He has never actually tried to apologise for the crimes that he has been a part of.
“And actually, this professor in particular served in the IOF in the ‘80s. This is when Israel invaded Lebanon.
“How can City University employ a lecturer that has this background? It’s unacceptable and we had to let them know today and let him know that war criminals will never been welcome here, especially in light of the genocide.”
Ben-Gad has worked at City University since 2008 and served as head of department from 2010 to 2013.
Police were called to the Clerkenwell campus on Friday as masked activists displayed posters of the academic against a blood-stained background with the words: “Ex-IOF terrorist roaming in our lecture halls.” One demonstrator screamed: “he killed my people in Lebanon”.
Refusing to be cowed, Ben-Gad responded in a statement shared with the JC: “I am indeed as they claim an IDF veteran and I plan to act like one.”
“They picked the wrong professor at the wrong university,” the academic went on, vowing to continue his classes.
“I am a classical liberal. Students have a right to express their opinions, even if, personally, I find those views abhorrent. That even includes the production of inflammatory pamphlets about me. However, they do not have a right to disrupt, harass, threaten, or physically intimidate.”
Ben-Gad said the protesters had “crossed a very bright red line,” with their demonstration.
“I am an unapologetic Israeli patriot and no one is going to intimidate me. At the same time, I am deeply grateful to this wonderful country for all the opportunities it has afforded me.
“Remember these people hate Britain, for its unique tradition of civility, its freedom and its tolerance, as much as they hate Israel and Jews.”
The Professor was branded a "terrorist" by the unaffiliated group (Photo: Instagram)[Missing Credit]
Ben-Gad credited City administrators and leadership for supporting him.
Following last week’s demonstration, City President Sir Anthony Finkelstein told the JC: “We immediately, firmly, and unequivocally condemn these actions by a small, masked, group of individuals from a group unaffiliated with this University. We will do all that we can to support our staff and students who might, with justice, feel intimidated.”
Following the protest last week, Finkelstein said: “We have taken steps to ensure that all the relevant people are being protected,” he went on, adding that the demonstration has been reported to the Community Security Trust (CST).
“Michael has the full support of the University and its senior management team, as well as colleagues of all faiths and backgrounds."
Meanwhile, more than one thousand academics have come to Ben-Gad’s defence, signing a statement of support.
“We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned by a targeted harassment campaign against Michael Ben-Gad... Regardless of diverse views on the recent Gaza war and the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we deplore any campaign that seeks to intimidate and drive out lecturers because they are Israeli, Jewish, or members of any other group.”
“Attacks of this kind are intimidating, particularly to Jewish students, and set a precedent under which others could be targeted in the future.
“We wish to make clear to what appears to be a small, if very vocal, group that their mobbing tactics will not succeed.
“We stand together in support of Professor Ben-Gad and his personal and intellectual freedom as an academic,” the statement, signed by faculty from institutions including Imperial College London to the University of Oxford, went on.
