Imperial researcher resigns after racist comments at Queen’s Lawn encampment
Video shows former College staff member saying Palestinians “cherish death”.
Photo: Walt Gao for Felix
A researcher at Imperial College London has resigned after he was filmed making racist comments and calling for Palestinians to be driven into Egypt at the Queen’s Lawn encampment in South Kensington.
A video published on Instagram depicts the man, a research associate, saying that the “vast majority” of Palestinians are “collaborating with the Hamas regime” and “cherish death”.
He alleges a conspiracy in which “the Arabs control a huge fraction of the world and have it under their tyranny,” and says that “Islam and democracy are incompatible and always have been.”
The caption under the video says that the students being addressed are a Muslim student wearing a hijab and an Arab, though they are not visible on screen.
The researcher describes the war in Gaza as “a battle of civilisation against barbarism”. When asked by the students who he would consider to be barbarians, he says, “You.”
The social media video begins mid-conversation with the man being asked if he wishes for Palestinians to be wiped out. He responds: “Who would miss them?”
Later, he says that he would not like for Palestinians to be wiped out but wants to “drive them into Egypt.”
He says: “I try to extend my compassion to them, I try to practice unconditional love, but I just can’t, something is holding me back. These people are not the same as me, they do not have the same values. They cherish death, while we cherish life.”
The researcher becomes increasingly agitated as the conversation progresses. He shouts “Depart!” and says, “If you support the Palestinians so much, leave this country.”
He tells the students: “You don’t belong here, none of you do because you hate this country.”
In a statement published on its website, Imperial said: ‘We aware of footage relating to an incident on one of our campuses involving a member of Imperial staff.
‘A disciplinary investigation was immediately activated and a decision taken to suspend. The individual has resigned with immediate effect.
‘There is no place at Imperial for any form of racist or hateful behaviour and any incidents are taken extremely seriously.
‘Anyone who feels that they have encountered harassing speech or behaviour is encouraged to use our Report and Support tool, to ensure we can take any necessary action.’
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