At least three protesters were arrested as part of a demonstration disrupting former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s address at the Oxford Union this Sunday afternoon. A group of around 60 activists gathered outside the buildings on St Michael’s Street, chanting and blocking access to the main entrance, leading to the event being delayed by an hour.
The activists were arrested by Thames Valley Police on suspicion of aggravated trespass after climbing over the wall into the Union, while three more activists were removed from the chamber by Union security. Around 25 police officers were present outside throughout the protest.
During the talk, in which Olmert discussed Israeli internal affairs and military operations, the protesters could be heard from outside the debate chamber where the talk was taking place. Several activists inside had their hands painted red and were yelling “shame” and “lies”. They were later removed by security upon request of the President Moosa Haraj, in accordance with Regulation 51(a) of the Oxford Union.
The President told the activists to wait until the questions would be taken from the audience. Olmert replied to protesters saying: “If you will not be too hostile, people in Israel will think you’re not against me. Be against me and it will help me at home [sic].”
The three activists who were removed from the chamber, all members of the Oxford Union, told Cherwell that they were “shoved out” of the chamber by security, and that police officers attempted to arrest and handcuff them on suspicion of aggravated trespass, before the Oxford Union security confirmed that they were all Union members.
An Oxford Union spokesperson told Cherwell that “it is categorically false that they [the activists] were shoved out, and video recordings of the event confirm this”. They added that “after 30 minutes” of the protesters “interjecting and abusing the forms of the house”, they were “respectfully” escorted out by security.
Before the talk began, around 60 pro-Palestine protesters had gathered outside the Union. By around 4pm the gates to the courtyard were blocked by protesters, interlinking arms to not be removed. The protesters’ chants included “Union, Union, you can’t hide, you’re whitewashing genocide”.
Police officers told protesters they “may need to use force to restore access to the building”, but ultimately the back entrance on Cornmarket street was used to allow Union members to enter. Around 15 officers with bicycles created a barrier on Cornmarket street to allow members to queue outside while Union security checked membership cards. Cherwell understands that no bag checks were in place outside of the chamber until the first activists were removed.
The protest was organised by Oxford Schools 4 Palestine, in collaboration with Oxford Action 4 Palestine (OA4P) and Youth Demand Oxford. Most of the 60 protesters present on St Michael’s Street were students at the University. The protesters were joined by drummers and activists from Oxford Stand Up to Racism.
The majority of police officers moved away from the Union to hold back a dozen counterprotesters with Union Jacks and St George flags. Following that, pro-Palestine protesters moved to block the entrance of the building and climb over the wall.
During the event, Olmert was questioned on his role in Operation Cast Lead, an Israeli military offensive in January 2009 which resulted in over 1,400 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths. He said: “1,400 Hamas fighters were killed and unfortunately some others might have been killed too, with civilian populations being used as a human shield.”
Ehud Olmert was the Prime Minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009. Serving as a Prime Minister, he was engaged in the 2006 Lebanon War and a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, in response to Hamas terrorist attacks. Olmert served 16 months of a 27-month sentence for a string of corruption cases, including accepting bribes from real estate developers as the mayor of Jerusalem and bribery and obstruction of justice as a trade minister.
While Olmert defended Israel at the start of the war, 19 months since its start he has been critical of Israel’s action in Gaza, calling its government a “criminal gang” and its blockade of Gaza a “war crime”. Olmert had already visited Oxford in Hilary Term 2024, giving an address to Oxford Speaks and the Oxford Diplomatic Society.
An Oxford Union spokesperson told Cherwell: “Disagreement is intrinsic to the Oxford Union’s commitment to upholding free speech. As such, we remain committed to hosting speakers whose views may be subject to disagreement, not to endorse those views but to challenge them in an open forum. Platforming a speaker does not equate to supporting their positions – it allows those positions to be questioned and held to account by instrumentalising our tradition to debate and disagree.”
As part of their commitment to free speech, the spokesperson emphasised to Cherwell that the Union also hosted the former Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh earler this week.
