Police arrest man in connection with ‘Put the Zios in the ground’ chant
The university of Oxford have suspended a student believed to be Samuel Williams, the individual identified from a Pro-Palestinian rally on Saturday
The University of Oxford has suspended a student videoed chanting a call to “put Zionists in the ground” last weekend, with the police confirming that a 20-year old man has been arrested today “for inciting racial hatred”.
Samuel Williams, a Politics, Philosophy and Economics undergraduate at Balliol College, had been identified as the individual videoed at a demonstration in central London on Saturday, appearing 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.”
In the video, Williams goes on to say that he doesn’t want “to yap for too long”, and then refers 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’.”
The man goes on to scream the chant, which is picked up by a number of people in the surrounding crowd.
Williams has previously been pictured in videos shared by Oxford Students Palestine Society.
Investigative journalist David Collier identified Williams’ Instagram account, which has now been made private – but not before Collier found pictures shared by Williams showing his pro-Palestinian activism, including a picture of a pro-Palestine march, including people standing on top of bus shelters while flying the Palestinian and Lebanese flags. Another appears to show Williams, with part of face concealed by his hands, wearing a scarf featuring the word “Palestine” and a Palestinian flag.
Other image show Williams appearing to be brandishing mock-assault rifles – one, which is clearly Williams despite his eyes being blurred out, shows him holding a replica AK-47 assault rifle and wearing a camouflage jacket. Another image appears to show Williams and a friend wearing balaclavas, with Williams also wearing a keffiyeh and making gun signs with his fingers. A third image appears to show Williams holding an American flag while another individual holds an England flag featuring the cross of St George, in front of a shopping trolley in which a bonfire has been lit. Another individual in the picture is holding a mock-assault rifle.
Williams also featured on a language-tutors site in which he described himself as “native German” with “a passion for German culture both old and modern”. He described his family as coming “from northern Bavaria, the town of Bayreuth (Wagner’s home town).”
The Met police released a statement on Wednesday morning, saying:
“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.”
On Monday the Union of Jewish Students described itself as “horrified by the footage”, describing how “this violent rhetoric is unacceptable, with students calling for murder and employing a slur (“Zio”) coined by David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the KKK.”
In the wake of the arrest announcement, UJS said:
“The Union of Jewish Students welcomes the news that decisive action has been taken against a University of Oxford student who called to “put the Zios in the ground”. Jewish students should never have to stand by as their peers glorify terrorism or incite hatred. Universities around the country should take note of this swift action. Institutions must end the culture of impunity that has allowed antisemitism to go unchecked on campus and take a firm, consistent stand against the glorification of terror.”
Jewish News understands UJS had been directly liaising with both Balliol College and the university authorities.
A spokesperson for the University of Oxford said:
“An Oxford University student was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday 15 October. The precise basis for the arrest has not yet been disclosed to the University.
“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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