Uni president quits over blind student dragged from event

THE president of the Oxford Union has resigned over the forced removal of a blind student from a society debate.

Ebenezer Azamati, 25, was filmed being dragged from his seat by security guards and looked distressed as he tried to resist.

The PhD scholar from Ghana had put a book on a seat to reserve it but the guards claimed there was no room and demanded he leave.

The video went viral and provoked an outcry. Instead of apologising, union president Brendan McGrath called a disciplinary hearing against the student.

He claimed Mr Azamati had ‘behaved violently’ as he was being removed from the building – leading to his suspension from the union for two terms.

After student petitions and protests supporting Mr Azamati, he was cleared on Saturday of any wrongdoing. Yesterday, Mr McGrath released a lengthy statement of apology and announced his resignation.

‘Fundamentally, it is the president’s job to ensure that every member feels welcome at the Oxford Union,’ he said. ‘This is a goal I have manifestly failed to reach. For all of my shortcomings, and all of my mistakes, I apologise profusely and unqualifiedly.’

Mr McGrath said he had launched the disciplinary procedure at the request of a staff member but now realised he should have pursued a ‘more constructive solution’.

The incident occurred last month at a debate on confidence in the Government. The Oxford Union’s secretary, chief of staff, director of press and director of operations have also resigned, according to student paper Cherwell.

Mr Azamati said he was made to feel ‘unwelcome in the union, Oxford and even the country’.