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WhipsApp: OxYou political analysis
Michaelmas Term, Week 5 | Friday 10 November 2023
OXFORD STUDENT The
The University of Oxford’s Student Newspaper, Est. 1991
Activists protest Ben Shapiro’s Union appearance
The Oxford Student News Team
A
protest took place against the controversial right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro appearing at the Oxford Union. The group involved activists
from “Stand Up to Racism”. Beforehand, they laid out Shapiro’s controversial views in a statement, calling him “a racist, islamophobic, climate-change denying, transphobic, homo-
phobic, anti-Palestinian bigot”. Students had queued all along St Michael’s Street and around the block to hear Shapiro speak. However, only 200 people were in the Union
Protests calling for “Ceasefire Now” held in Oxford Valida Pau
T
wo protests took place last week calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, attracting large numbers of students and locals. This is a response to the Israel-Gaza war, where Hamas attacks on 7th October claimed 1,400 lives in Israel and the Gaza health ministry has reported at least 9,488 deaths in the resulting conflict. Hundreds of people gathered
at Broad Street and the Radcliffe Camera on 4th November, including former Labour councillor Jabu Nala-Hartley. Speeches were given outside the Weston Library in support of Palestine. An argument briefly broke out when a passer-by shouted to the protestors to “recognise the state of Israel”, leading to police intervention. The Oxford Trades Union Council resolved to back calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, so Read more on page 5
anyone who has been affected by the ongoing conflict.” In the chamber, Shapiro made controversial remarks such as “[anyone] who draws comparisons between Israel and the Hamas is a Jew-hater” and that “[he] will absolutely not condemn [the killings of Gazan civilians by the IDF operations against Hamas]”. On the conflict, he held “[civilian] casualties are a necessary cost of war”, dismissing a question on the issue from a Union member with a comparison to the fact “[more] German civilians died in WWII than Brits”. Shapiro’s views on the IsraelPalestine conflict, including controversial remarks such as “Israelis like to build. Arabs like to bomb crap and live in open sewage”, have become especially controversial in light of recent events. A number of protests have taken place in Oxford responding to the crisis in recent months. A former Union officer told The Oxford Student that Ben Shapiro was “disgusting”, and he believed that the Union was creating controversy Read more on page 4
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St John’s is delighted to announce the future of the Eagle and Child as a pub and iconic landmark has been assured
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Credit: Cameron Samuel Keys for The Oxford Student
chamber, with the upper level restricted to ensure that there were no potential threats. In Trinity 2023, an activist glued themself to the ground while Kathleen Stock spoke on trans rights and gender at the Oxford Union. The protestors chanted “Oxford Union here us say, hate speech no way”, “Ben Shapiro we know you, you’re a racist through and through”, and “Oxford Union you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide”. SU VP Mia Clement was also present at the event, seen holding a sign that stated “Freedom for Palestine” and joining chants saying “Israel is a terrorist state”. Clement has previously protested at the Oxford Students for Life (OSfL) Freshers’ Fair stall, and at Bonn Square against government policy on transgender people. On Clement’s appearance, the SU commented: “Mia atmore on in page 3 tended Read the protest a personal capacity, not in the capacity of a Sabbatical Officer. Oxford SU supports everyone’s right to freedom of speech, and we will continue to do so. We stand in solidarity with
- St John’s College bursar on the sale of the Eagle and Child to the Ellison Institute of Techology