Board of Deputies statement on violent protest at pro-Israel meeting in London

Board President Jonathan Arkush and Vice President Marie van der Zyl issued a statement about the violence which disrupted  a public meeting at King’s College London on Tuesday night.

They said: “We utterly condemn the violent and criminal actions which led to the disruption of a talk by Ami Ayalon at King’s College London. We have come to expect disruption from anti-Israel factions which oppose free speech and free expression but in an open and tolerant society such as ours everyone should be able to hold public discussions without fearing for their safety and having to call for police assistance. We call for any individuals involved in criminal activities to be expelled and prosecuted. Information on the culprits should be passed to all university authorities. Any societies involved in the violence should be warned that similar future actions will lead to their proscription.”