Police await charging decision on ‘put the Zios in the ground’ student
Samuel Williams was arrested a week ago and subsequently released on bail
The Metropolitan police are awaiting a charging decision from the CPS with regards to the student filmed chanting to “put the Zios in the ground”, having confirmed earlier this week that he had been released on bail.
Samuel Williams, who had been a Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) final year student at Balliol College, Oxford, was videoed at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in London on Saturday 11 October. In the excerpt of the video posted to social media, Williams appeared to praise what he described as “an upright, a steadfast and a noble resistance in Palestine and in Gaza to look to, to be inspired by.”
He went on to refer to “a chant we’ve been workshopping in Oxford that maybe you guys want to join in, it goes ‘Gaza, Gaza, make us proud, put the Zios in the ground’.” Williams subsequently led others in the chant.
Last Wednesday, the Met police confirmed that “officers investigating chants filmed at a Palestine Coalition demonstration in central London on Saturday, 11 October, have made an arrest.
“A 20-year-old man was arrested at an address in Oxfordshire on Wednesday, 15 October, on suspicion of inciting racial hatred. He remains in police custody.”
Subsequently, the Mail reported that officers had been seen at the family home of Williams in Tunbridge Wells, removing firearms from the site. There is no suggestion that the weapons in question were obtained illegally.
On Monday, in response to a specific request from Jewish News as to whether the arrestee had been charged, the Met replied saying that he had been “released on bail”.
At the same time as the police announced the arrest last week, the University of Oxford confirmed that ““While the University cannot comment on individual student cases, it has the power to take immediate and proportionate action including, as appropriate, suspending a student from membership of the University, whenever serious concerns are raised.
“Oxford University is unequivocal: there is no place for hatred, antisemitism or discrimination within our community, and we will always act to protect the safety and dignity of our students.”
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