Israel’s ambassador to UK forced to flee violent students at London’s LSE
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom Tzipi Hotovely has been forced to flee London’s School of Economics and Political Science on Monday night after being violently assaulted by students.
Tzipi Hotovely
Dozens of anti-Israel protesters who were present at a debate initiated by the school’s student union did not allow Hotovely to speak, and after they turned extremely violent, the security guards and police at the event decided to evacuate her.
The students accused the Debate Society that invited Hotovely of “platforming an anti-Arab “racist and Islamophobe.”
Zipi Hotovely talking at the LSE
Photo: Twitter
Footage of the incident seen by TPS shows Hotovely, security, and police running while the protestors shout and throw objects at them. The police remained to confront the mob after Hotovely’s car sped away.
The seemingly antisemitic incident occurred as the world marked the 83rd anniversary of the Kristallnacht pogrom in Nazi Germany, a turning point in the Holocaust’s history.
The UK’s Secretary of Education Nadim Zahawi called the incident “deeply disturbing,” and apologized to Hotovely.
Visiting the Auschwitz Death Camp in Poland on Tuesday, Zahawi said that his “incredibly moving and humbling visit” has “redoubled my resolve to do everything we can to eradicate antisemitism in our society.”
“I’m pleased that more universities have adopted the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism – but I want all providers to sign up,’ he said.
🚨 | NEW: Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely fleeing the London School of Economics
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James Cleverly, the UK’s Minister for the Middle East and North Africa in the Foreign Office, stated that the UK “values open debate and peaceful protest. The aggressive and threatening behaviour directed at Israeli Ambassador Hotovely last night was unacceptable.”
Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke to Hotovely on Tuesday and stated that “Tzipi is strong and will not let any gang of violent and antisemitic thugs intimidate her, as will all the other Israeli ambassadors in the world.”
“The struggle against the delegitimization of Israel and antisemitism is part of our struggle for the Israeli story and our ambassadors are at the forefront of this struggle,” he said.
