Professor Anat Pick: “The complaint was very vague in general. To this day we haven’t received any precise information. My head of school called me in for a conversation, and at that point I was told that a particular poster was identified and would be taken off my door. That poster said ‘Stop the genocide’. Following the removal of that poster, I found out that someone had gone into my office and removed a sticker that was inside my office. I think it said ‘Liberation for Palestine’ or ‘Free Palestine’.” Host William Crawley: “This complaint suggests that there are multiple pro-Palestine, anti-Israel, and in places antisemitic posters in and around the campus. Anat, is that true?” Anat: “No. Well I haven’t seen any of them. There are posters that oppose the policy of the state of Israel, that oppose genocide, that oppose ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank. I have never seen an antisemitic poster or emblem or item or other mode of expressions, and I should add also that, ironically or not, Queen Mary is home to the second oldest Jewish cemetery in London, the Novo Cemetery. It was opened in 1733. It sits there right at the centre of campus. Throughout this whole period of over 2 years now, since the war in Gaza began, this site has always been treated as a sacred space by everyone. So until I am given concrete evidence as to what they mean by antisemitic forms of expression I have no way of knowing. I have never seen it or encountered it myself as a Jewish person.”

William: “Anat, what are the issues here for you, as an academic?” Anat: “As an academic, I am involved through my research in political realities – urgent ones that are taking place – and as a Jewish Israeli I have obviously personal connection to the country. I was born and I grew up there, and I am very, very concerned about what’s happening in the region, and what’s being done on my behalf, as it were. I should add that there’s a whole bunch of us, Jewish members of staff and Jewish Israeli members of staff at Queen Mary – there’s quite a large group – everyone knows that I’m from Israel and I’m Jewish. I’ve never felt unsafe on campus, and I felt very uncomfortable that one group of Jews, presumably those that support the actions of Israel in Gaza and the West Bank, their safety is being prioritised, while other Jews who don’t agree and want to express their solidarity with Palestine and its people are being completely silenced.”