Imperial security officer called student a ‘wanker,’ claim activists

Activists at Imperial’s Palestine solidarity encampment alleged that a university security officer called a student a ‘wanker’ during a raid on the camp in the early hours of Friday last week.

According to a post on the encampment’s Instagram account, security officers arrived on Queen’s Lawn at around 4:30am to ‘forcefully remove’ anti-Zionist signs, which the university banned a day earlier.

The post says that ‘students who were awake mobilised and defended the signs (again), but not before some were taken. Security also called a student a “wanker” when he physically took one of the signs back.’

It is understood that Imperial is aware of the post and is looking into the allegation.

A day before the early-morning seizures, the university told campers that they would have to remove slogans containing references to Zionism after university president Hugh Brady received complaints about a plaque reading ‘Siamo Tutti Antisionisti’ (‘We are all anti-Zionists’).

The slogan has been used in pro-Palestinian protests in Italy and references an older catchphrase used in the country – ‘Siamo Tutti Antifascisti’ (‘We are all anti-fascists’).

Students refused to remove the plaque and instead made more in different languages. The university has told them that they could face disciplinary action as a result.

Commenting on the seizures, the encampment’s Instagram post says: ‘Security chose to remove the signs by force as they know they are wrong and would fail to do so via any route that follows an established procedure.

‘They came in the early hours of the morning because they thought we were asleep and they fear strength in numbers. Repression of voices and censorship of the fundamental nature of this movement will not succeed.’