{"id":5618,"date":"2025-06-30T13:00:24","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T12:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/?p=5618"},"modified":"2025-07-01T23:19:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T22:19:34","slug":"student-activists-accused-of-misconduct-in-free-speech-row","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/news\/2025\/06\/30\/student-activists-accused-of-misconduct-in-free-speech-row\/","title":{"rendered":"Student activists accused of misconduct in free speech row"},"content":{"rendered":"

Author\u2019s Note: All persons named in this story have agreed to be named.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ayah, 22, then-President of Palestine Solidarity Society (PSS) faced investigations for a statement challenging University of Aberdeen (UoA) for welcoming a former Israeli soldier as a student.<\/p>\n

A separate investigation ordered Sanaa, \u2018Scarf for Gaza\u2019 fundraiser and ex-University Senator, to attend antisemitism training and delete several Facebook posts.<\/p>\n

Both were investigated under the Code of Practice on Student Discipline (Non-Academic).<\/p>\n

Ayah\u2019s case<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Weeks before graduating with a degree in Education, Ayah has been accused of committing misconduct as a representative of PSS for a post in which the society accused a Students Supporting Israel (SSI) event of \u201cwhitewashing war crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The SSI panel was a collaboration of students at Ohio State and University of Aberdeen
\ndiscussing \u2018the impact of head trauma on Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) personnel\u2019.<\/p>\n

It was co-hosted by Adam, 21, a Law & Politics student at UoA who discussed head trauma he sustained while serving in the IDF.<\/p>\n

The event was aimed at Israeli-supporting students, but Pro-Palestine activists entered the public Zoom call en-masse, waving flags and holding up banners with slogans.<\/p>\n

Afterwards, PSS posted an Instagram statement accusing asserting the event was \u201cnot in our name\u201d and labelling Adam as \u201ca pawn of genocide.\u201d<\/p>\n

The post indirectly alluded to Adam\u2019s identity by stating his degree subject and year of study – information which Ayah says he shared about himself in the panel discussion. Calling the ex-IDF soldier \u201ca potential war criminal,\u201d PSS asked, \u201cis this someone the University should welcome?\u201d<\/p>\n

After Adam reported the post to the Students\u2019 Union (SU), PSS unpublished the post, and the SU Chief Executive formally referred investigation proceedings to UoA.<\/p>\n

Following an investigation, University officials concluded the post was \u201cthreatening and intimidating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMisconduct had occurred,\u201d reads the investigation, by \u201cthe social media posts made by the PSS following the Ohio State University event\u201d and \u201cthe allegations made against the University of Aberdeen regarding its involvement in the event.\u201d It is unclear what allegations PSS made against the University of Aberdeen.<\/p>\n

Ayah shared: \u201cThose who reported the statement have been looking for something to report us on.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe investigation came at one of the most critical points in my academic journey. I was working on my dissertation and managing placement full-time \u2014 all while being scrutinised for standing up for a cause I believe in. It didn\u2019t just affect my studies; but at that time my health was declining significantly. I wasn\u2019t silent because I had nothing to say \u2014 I was just trying to survive a process that felt punishing for speaking up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam told The Gaudie that he perceived the PSS post as \u201cunacceptable\u201d, \u201ca direct attack\u201d on him, and a \u201cblood libel\u201d. The former IDF soldier thanked the SU\u2019s student officers \u201cfor their support\u201d but was disappointed by the outcome of the University\u2019s investigation: \u201cThey allowed my safety to be breached and allowed my skin and blood to be exposed on campus. What more needs to happen for the University to realise the situation is serious?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ayah responded: \u201cOur intention was never to put any individual in danger – that wouldn\u2019t help our cause at all. None of this was done in vain to make somebody feel unsafe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked how the University should respond to students who are former IDF soldiers, she responded: \u201cI think the University need to check who they are welcoming.\u201d<\/p>\n

A UoA spokesperson shared: \u201cThe [panel discussion on IDF head trauma] was not organised by the University. We responded to a complaint about online posts and followed established policies. We support and promote the right of all members of our community to have a voice, however our campus must be a safe space for all and we will take appropriate steps to investigate reports of concern where needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sanaa\u2019s case<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sanaa, a PHD student of engineering at the time of investigation, stood as a prominent student encampment member last summer, and raised University Senate motions condemning Gaza violence and calling for freedom of expression.<\/p>\n

A University staff member who searched Sanaa\u2019s public Facebook page screenshotted several posts and emailed them to the Principal alleging antisemitism.<\/p>\n

One screenshot shows a reshared image of a Star of David symbol intertwined with a Nazi swastika, accompanied by the caption \u201cThe irony of becoming what you once hated.\u201d<\/p>\n

The investigation outcome reads that \u201cthe post, [alongside Sanaa\u2019s] response at the meeting that the current behaviour of Israel in the ongoing Israel \u2013 Palestinian conflict is the same as what the Nazis fell within examples of antisemitic behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another post makes a \u201c2024 wish\u201d for \u201cthe Zionist Israeli state to vanish,\u201d for post-1914 settlers to \u201cleave Palestine,\u201d and for \u201coriginal Palestinians (Muslims, Jews and Christians) to live in peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

The investigation report says: \u201c[Sanaa]\u2019s response that those who are offended by these posts should come to her so that she could educate them indicates the reported party fails to recognise and appreciate the antisemitic nature and negative impact of the posts on some members of the university community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Investigator concludes [the images] have antisemitic connotation based on the definition and examples of antisemitism by IHRA and JDA, could be found to be offensive to some members of the university community and wider public, and thus constitute, on the balance of probabilities, misconduct under the Code.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2022, the University adopted the Jerusalem Declaration of Antisemitism (JDA) in place of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) guidance. The University Senate had voted on the new definition in a bid to protect the freedom to criticise the Israeli government. The University did not answer The Gaudie<\/i>\u2019s question on why University investigators applied the replaced IHRA definition.<\/p>\n

An open letter to the National Union of Students (NUS) signed by PSS also implores NUS to revoke use of the IHRA definition as \u201cpro-Israel groups weaponise the IHRA definition of antisemitism to silence and intimidate students and staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

At her investigation hearing, Sanaa invited an academic for support. When asked if the posts caused offense to them as a Jew, they said \u201cno\u201d.<\/p>\n

Sanaa denied charges of antisemitism and accused the University of \u201cclear targeting and persecution of students who stand for Palestine.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an Iraqi Muslim woman, refugee and having lived under Saddam\u2019s authoritarian regime, I have never experienced this level of oppression and harassment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am trying to stop a genocide and to save a nation \u2013 it\u2019s an important cause that I am willing to face difficulties for.\u201d<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for The University of Aberdeen said: \u201cWe do not comment on individual student matters.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Students\u2019 Union did not respond for comment for this article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Author\u2019s Note: All persons named in this story have agreed to be named. Ayah, 22, then-President of Palestine Solidarity Society (PSS) faced investigations for a statement challenging University of Aberdeen (UoA) for welcoming a former Israeli soldier as a student. A separate investigation ordered Sanaa, \u2018Scarf for Gaza\u2019 fundraiser and ex-University Senator, to attend antisemitism […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":5619,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","iawp_total_views":109,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[254,1275,1273,252,392,558,409,1274,349,394,490,183],"wf_post_folders":[181],"class_list":["post-5618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-aberdeen","tag-allegations","tag-antisemitism","tag-fred-byrne","tag-freedom-of-speech","tag-israel","tag-israeli-defence-forces","tag-misconduct","tag-palestine","tag-palestinian-solidarity-society","tag-social-media","tag-university-of-aberdeen"],"acf":[],"author_meta":{"display_name":"Fred Byrne","author_link":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/author\/marketing\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/2024-demonstration-for-Palestine.-Photo-by-Fred-Byrne-300x225.jpeg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["News<\/a>"],"unlinked":["News<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["Aberdeen<\/a>","allegations<\/a>","antisemitism<\/a>","Fred Byrne<\/a>","freedom of speech<\/a>","Israel<\/a>","israeli defence forces<\/a>","misconduct<\/a>","Palestine<\/a>","Palestinian Solidarity Society<\/a>","social media<\/a>","University of Aberdeen<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Aberdeen<\/span>","allegations<\/span>","antisemitism<\/span>","Fred Byrne<\/span>","freedom of speech<\/span>","Israel<\/span>","israeli defence forces<\/span>","misconduct<\/span>","Palestine<\/span>","Palestinian Solidarity Society<\/span>","social media<\/span>","University of Aberdeen<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"1","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 1 year ago","modified":"Updated 1 year ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on 30 June 2025","modified":"Updated on 1 July 2025"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on 30 June 2025 13:00","modified":"Updated on 1 July 2025 23:19"},"featured_img_caption":"2024 demonstration for Palestine | Photo: Fred Byrne","series_order":"","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5618"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5618\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5671,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5618\/revisions\/5671"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5618"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=5618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}