Masked demonstrators stormed the classroom of an Israeli-born economics professor at City University of London.
The professor, Michael Ben-Gad, said they threatened to behead him and shouting accusations that he was a “war criminal” and a “Nazi.”
“They came right up to me and screamed in my face,” Ben-Gad told Sky News. “One of them made a threat about having my head chopped off.”
Video footage shared on social media showed masked protesters taking over the classroom and yelling that Ben-Gad “is part of the genocide in Gaza.”
The video shows a handful of enraged masked students charging that Ben-Gad served in the “IOF” — an acronym for Israeli Occupation Forces, a term used by some anti-Israel activists to refer to the IDF — and chanting pro-Palestine slogans as security personnel attempted to guide them out of the room.
Ben-Gad, who served in the IDF in the 1980s and has ties to Israeli universities and the Bank of Israel, said he has been targeted by an anti-Israel group called City Action for Palestine demanding his dismissal.
The group had distributed flyers around campus branding Ben-Gad a “terrorist” and calling for his dismissal because his compulsory army service, from 1982 to 1985, coincided with the Sabra and Shatila massacre in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War.
Ben-Gad responded that his “only crime” was being a Jew who has lived in the Middle East.
“If the objective of the demonstration was to frighten or intimidate me, frankly they will have to try a lot harder than printing up a flyer, launching an Instagram campaign or a small demonstration,” Ben-Gad said.
“I lectured this week as usual while all this was beginning, and plan to do so next week as well,” he said. “I am indeed, as they claim, an IDF veteran, and I plan to act like one — these modern brownshirts are not going to send me into hiding.”
Following the incident, the university said that Ben-Gad, who has worked at City University of London since 2008 and served as the head of the economics department for three years, has the full support of the university and its senior management team.
“City St George’s fully supports and upholds freedom of expression within the law and is willing to engage in lawful discussion and debate across the full range of topics,” a spokesperson said. “However, unlawful and repugnant attempts to obstruct and interfere with our academic operations are another thing entirely, and the University will not tolerate the harassment of its staff and students.
“We reject the unlawful actions of this small group of individuals that is neither affiliated with the University nor its Students’ Union,” the statement continued. “We will continue to support and protect our staff and students, including Michael, who has the full support of the University and its senior management team, as well as colleagues of all faiths and backgrounds.”
