British anti-Israel organisations have come under fire for endorsing a violent chant calling to “put the Zios in the ground,” just days after an Oxford University student was arrested for inciting racial hatred during a London protest, reports The Jerusalem Post.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Wednesday that it had arrested a 20-year-old man in Oxfordshire in connection with the 11 October rally. Identified by The Telegraph as Samuel Williams, the Oxford student was filmed leading demonstrators in chanting: “Gaza, Gaza, make us proud, put the Zios in the ground.”
Williams said he had “workshopped” the chant at Oxford and was inspired by what he described as the “resistance” in Gaza.
Following his arrest, Oxford University issued a statement stressing its zero-tolerance stance on hate speech and antisemitism.
“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,” it said, adding that disciplinary action, including suspension, could follow.
Despite the widespread condemnation of the chant—which many have described as incitement to violence against Jews—several anti-Israel groups publicly backed it over the weekend. These included Direct Confrontation Media (Leeds), Cardiff Students for Palestine, and social media influencer Ani Says, who jointly released a statement on Instagram defending the slogan.
Their post claimed that chants such as “Death to the IDF” had “global resonance” and argued that Israelis were “tools and mercenaries of imperialism.”
It continued: “Language shapes consciousness. Our words and discourse matter… These words dismantle the palatable, liberal, and chauvinistic sloganeering that does the bidding of imperialism.”
The groups’ endorsement of a chant widely seen as antisemitic has provoked alarm among Jewish community leaders, who warned that open calls for violence against Zionists are effectively calls for violence against Jews.
Williams remains under police investigation for inciting racial hatred.
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