London universities cancel events featuring anti-Israel activist

The University of East London and Middlesex cancelled events for a former UN official due to pressure from Campaign Against Antisemitism. 

The University of East London and Middlesex University cancelled scheduled book launches for Richard Falk, former United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Palestine.

“The University of East London has taken the difficult decision to cancel a book launch by Professor Richard Falk, which was scheduled to take place at our Stratford campus on Tuesday 21 March 2017,” said a university spokesperson. “It became clear the day before the event that the University‘s External Speakers Policy had not been adequately followed.”

“We would consider welcoming Professor Falk to our campus on another occasion if the appropriate policies and procedures were followed,” the spokesperson continued, adding that  “UEL is a diverse and inclusive environment.”

University of East London cancelled the event after Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAS) wrote to the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor John Joughin, protesting the book launch. Middlesex followed suit a few hours later.

According to CAS, which protested Falk’s book launch Monday night at the London School of Economics, , where vicious anti-Semitism and harassment of pro-Israel students was tolerated.

Falk had “been denounced by the United Kingdom on at least three separate occasions for antisemitism, as detailed by UN Watch.”

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

anti-SemitismRichard Falk