Jewish students covered up kippot
TERRIFIED JEWISH students put on hats to conceal their kippot as protesters targeted Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely after the event at the London School of Economics (LSE) on Tuesday.
A number of students who had attended the talk concealed all outward signs of their faith as they were forced to walk past demonstrators on their way out of the venue.
“Everyone’s a bit more wary, everyone’s a bit more scared. It didn’t go unnoticed,” one of those present at the event told the JC on condition of anonymity.
“People may be more uncomfortable outwardly being Jewish because now people will link that to Israel,” he added.
Jews at the university “definitely have a right to feel more scared and more anxious following the protest,” said another.
“Obviously, when you’re a Jewish student and you’ve been to Israel, you do feel slightly threatened,” he said.
“But you have to just live life and get on with it.”
LSE Jewish Society co-chairs Nina Bassalian and Jack Saideman told the JC that they were available to support Jewish students.
They said that neither the university nor the student union had contacted the society before the event, despite the high likelihood of protests given that previous events had been disrupted.
But, they added, LSE had a vibrant Jewish student body and did not want prospective Jewish applicants to be put off from applying.
In a joint statement, the LSE Jsoc and the Union of Jewish Students said that they were “concerned for the welfare” of Jewish students.
“We support the right to protest peacefully, but violent threats on LSE campus are unacceptable,” they said.
“Jewish students have the right to feel safe when attending an event on camous free of fear, harrasment, and threats.
“This type of behaviour is absolutely inexcusable and only serves to create hostility on campus. We are here to support any Jewish students who felt unsafe.”