Hi All,
below is a background to what happened last week on campus to us. It has been extremely hectic and our future is still uncertain.
It would be great if you could encourage people to sign the petition, it is crucial for us to have a mass support and we can use that as evidence in the hearing next week.
Thanks..
The background:
60 complaints were made to the president of the student union after Mike Prsyner referred to gaza as a concentration camp and drew parallels between the actions of the Nazi Germany and that of Israel in Gaza.
It was also alleged that the event was intended to cause offence to jewish students because it was held on the same day as their holocaust memorial commemoration (2 hours before their event in fact).
Birmingham student union has adopted the EUMC definition of anti-semitism (in vote passed in May 2010), which states that comparing israel to the nazis is anti-semitic.
The student union has followed the offiicial complaints procedure which means that the palestine society will be put to trial by the ‘student groups committee’ on wednesday 10th february(comprised of 3 executive student union officers and 3 ordinary students elected from the student union council last year). They will discuss the matter among each other, invite the palestine society in to defend themselves, and take a decision as to how to sanction the society (the sanction can be nothing at all, suspension, or de-recognition).
Blog written against the event:
http://www.facebook.com/l/6454faj_KO_NXe5pjCNoLGfX3hw;guildarafo.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/the-trouncing-of-tolerance-on-holocaust-memorial-day/ Blog written by us:
