Pro-Palestine protesters disrupted a debate about anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism at the University of Manchester this week.
A total of 20 protesters from the Youth Front For Palestine (YFFP) interrupted speeches and chanted during a Whitworth Debate on Thursday discussing the question: “Is antizionism antisemitism?”
The debaters were Raphi Bloom, co-founder and current co-Chair of North West Friends of Israel, and Abdullah Al Andalusi, co-founder of the discussion forum The Muslim Debate Initiative (MDI).
Bloom argued that anti-Zionism equates to anti-Semitism, whilst Andalusi argued against this point.
This debate, the second in a series of controversial discussions, was chaired by Manchester Evening News writer Joseph Timan.
Four protesters separately interrupted Bloom’s opening speech, passionately detailing the Palestinian death toll and calling for the liberation of Palestine before security dragged them out.
These interruptions received a mix of cheering and jeering from the audience, with one protester immediately met with calls to be thrown out of the building.
Timan attempted to settle the audience by reiterating the University of Manchester’s responsibility to allow freedom of speech.
Andalusi followed on to say: “if you want the Palestinian side to be heard and be advocated for then please let my side be heard.”
The event further descended into chaos when 20 pro-Palestine protesters stood up with flags, chanting “free, free Palestine” and “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
Multiple fights ensued between protesters and members of the audience before police was called to haul the YFFP members out of the hall.
The debate continued after this 30 minute disruption, although the audience remained tense and divisive with attendees heckling both speakers.
🧵 Pro Palestine activists disrupt debate at the University of Manchester's Whitworth Hall, over 'is anti-zionism anti-semitism?" (Israel vs. Palestine) & police called
— Tke Media (@TkeMedia) October 31, 2024
The debate ultimately went on/ is still ongoing pic.twitter.com/I5dFkYZ5eP
A spokesperson from The University of Manchester, said: “The Whitworth Debates aim to tackle complex and contentious issues in a way that fosters dialogue, mutual understanding, and an opportunity to listen to diverse perspectives through civil and open conversation.
“While there were some attempts to disrupt last night’s event, it proceeded as planned.
“The speakers were members of the Jewish and Muslim communities, and the views they expressed were their own.
“As was emphasised during the event, they, and we, recognise that there are a wide range of opinions within these and other communities and a deep level of concern about the current conflict.”
A spokesperson from YFFP said: “This is not a debate so much as it is an attack on the Palestinian movement in general.
“The framing of the debate ‘Is anti-zionism anti-semitism?’ places the Palestinians and their movement under suspicion instead of the state and political movement – zionism – which is currently committing genocide against them.
“We refuse to allow this genocide to be normalised on our campus.
“We would ask of the University – would it have been appropriate in the 1980s to host a debate titled ‘Is the anti-apartheid movement anti-white?’
“We know our answer.”
Feature image by Jack Clarke @clarkeofsalford
