‘I was naïve and ignorant’ – would-be student leader apologises for vile Holocaust comments
ASTUDENT Union presidentelect sparked outrage by dressing as a Holocaust victim at a party then joking on social media about being “gassed”.
Sam Farrell, who had been due to take up the Edge Hill University role in July, was pictured in a Nazi concentration camp uniform at a party before posting the sick comments.
Photographs from the party show Mr Farrell, from Manchester, wearing striped pyjamas, a bald cap and number tag and were posted alongside the caption: “In dire need of a shower after last night’s social #gassed.”
Mr Farrell was condemned by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), which has accused him of having a “consistent history of antisemitic, Islamophobic, homophobic, transphobic, sexist and ableist social media posts”.
In another incident, Mr Farrell said that the Holocaust had “better headliners” than the Reading and Leeds music festivals.
He has since apologised for the “hurt and pain” he caused, saying: “I only hope I can convey how genuine I am when I say that I now realise how naïve and ignorant my past behaviour was.
“It was wrong, it will not happen again, and it should not have happened in the first place.”
Screenshots of the offensive posts were circulated by the UJS and have prompted fresh disciplinary action by the Edge Hill Students’ Union (EHSU) and the result of the election has now been suspended.
Mr Farrell had previously been disciplined by the union in November but a fresh investigation was launched last week when no evidence was presented.
A spokesman for EHSU said: “The Students’ Union will be fully transparent in cooperating with University counterparts in full should they wish to begin their own investigation, and the Students’ Union itself can confirm that it will be re-examining existing and new evidence as part of a new investigation.
“To be clear, the result of the SU presidency election will be suspended until the result of any disciplinary procedure has been finalised.”
“We do not underestimate the severity of this situation and the harm that the SU president-elect’s actions have caused. As such, regardless of the outcome of any disciplinary action we will ensure that all student officers are given appropriate training which, as mentioned above, we are already in the process of organising.
“Should the student in question remain in position, we will ensure that they are made to come to terms with their behaviour and realise what it means to act as a public servant.”
The spokesman added that, after conversations with the UJS, it will be giving anti-semitism training as part of its summer induction programme for new student officers and staff.
EHSU declined to reveal the disciplinary action originally taken against Mr Farrell and said the decision to allow him to stand in the election was taken in adherence with National Union of Students guideline.
The UJS said it was pleased with the decision to suspend the election result and open a new investigation.
A statement said: “Whilst we welcome the apology from the presidentelect, it is our view that his consistent history of anti-semitic, Islamophobic, homophobic, transphobic, sexist and ableist social media posts deem him unfit for a role such as SU president.
“We expect Edge Hill SU’s investigation to reach the same conclusion.
“Separate to the investigation, UJS will be delivering ‘anti-semitism awareness training’ for the new officers of Edge Hill Students’ Union and their wider staff team, which will be an important step to ensuring Jewish students at Edge Hill are supported.”
Apologising for the “hurt and pain” caused by his posts, Mr Farrell claimed it “was never my intention to deliberately offend or to make any student feel unsafe”.
He said: “Despite what my past posts may suggest, I do understand the severity of making light of events from history, especially when that history plays a fundamental role in reminding us of the needless persecution of others.
“I only hope I can convey how genuine I am when I say that I now realise how naïve and ignorant my past behaviour was.
“It was wrong, it will not happen again, and it should not have happened in the first place.
“I now understand that my actions affect far more than myself or even my immediate family and friends, and that, as a public figure within Edge Hill University, I am held to a standard that should set an example for other students and for the university as a whole.”
A university spokesman said: “Views that appear to have been expressed by the president-elect of the Students’ Union ... are deeply abhorrent and, as we understand, are subject to a further disciplinary inquiry by the Students’ Union.
“While the Students’ Union is a wholly independent organisation, responsible for the election and appointment of its officers, the university will not tolerate behaviour of this kind and will not hesitate to use its own procedures if necessary.”