By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies
Pro-Palestine students said they faced racial profiling and intimidation while protesting Oxford Union’s hosting of the “Israeli” eneity’s ambassador to Britain on Thursday.
Zionist Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely, who previously served as a settlement minister under “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, spoke at the Oxford Union during a members-only event discussing the so-called “Abraham Accords”.
The event also hosted the UAE's ambassador to the UK, Mansoor Abulhoul; and Bahrain's deputy ambassador to the UK, Hussain Mohammed Alam.
More than 150 Oxford students protested the union’s invitation of Hotovely, citing “Israel’s” human rights violation against Palestinians.
Students reported being racially profiled and heavily scrutinized by police and security guards, both upon entry to the event and when standing outside demonstrating.
One student, who wished to remain anonymous, said that “security [guards] were profiling people, there was a girl wearing a hijab, they checked her more than they checked others’ bags. They saw a flag in her bag and told her to leave it with them”.
The Oxford Student newspaper said three of its journalists covering the event were removed from the area by police after being questioned and threatened with arrest.
The protest outside the hall was organized by Oxford University's Arab, Palestinian and Syrian societies. Demonstrators condemned the Oxford Union for inviting Hotovely, who one protester accused of supporting violence against Palestinians.
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