SOAS Defends Albanese
‘Freedom of expression, the right to protest and academic freedom are fundamental to our existence.’
by Zaki Abdullah Kabir, BA Law and Social Anthropology 09/12/2024
Protests broke out at SOAS on 11 November 2024 during a talk by Francesca Albanese titled ‘Imperialism, Colonialism and Human Rights: The Litmus Test of Palestine.’ The event sparked a demonstration by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), who accused Albanese of antisemitism and called for her to be banned from speaking at British universities.
The CAA gathered outside SOAS at 3pm, holding banners reading ‘Ban Fran’ and chanting slogans opposing the talk. Earlier that day, they had staged a similar protest at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Social media images showed dozens of protesters near the university gates.
Albanese, who studied Human Rights Law at SOAS and holds a PhD in International Refugee Law, is the UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories. She has gained recognition for her advocacy for Palestinian rights but has also faced accusations of antisemitism for her criticism of Israel. The same claim was made against her in 2022 which she called ‘another malicious attack against the mandate I hold. I will not let anyone define who I am and what I stand for’.
The SOAS Jewish Society organised a counter-protest in response to the CAA. Vastly outnumbering the original protesters, the society released a statement condemning the CAA: ‘The SOAS Jewish Society firmly condemns CAA’s weaponisation of antisemitism against the movement for Palestinian liberation. As Jewish students in the UK, we face antisemitism on a daily basis. This has certainly increased since the Zionist genocide intensified last year. Organisations like the CAA make Jewish students’ lives worse.’ These protests highlight the growing tensions on UK campuses regarding the rights of Palestinians and the accusations of antisemitism surrounding these debates.
During her talk, Albanese discussed events in the Middle East over the past year, including the genocide in Gaza, the occupation of the West Bank, and claims that Palestinians face apartheid-like conditions. She also spoke about the role student movements on campus have played in challenging the Israeli state through their educational institutions. Albanese stated: ‘It is the students who have spoken truth to power, who have risked and are risking their futures to take a stand where too few would. In doing so, you, the students, have given the Palestinians a rare sense of truly being seen.’
Albanese’s talk came at a time of heightened activism at SOAS, where recent measures have restricted some protests. A University of London injunction prohibits groups like the SOAS Liberated Zone for Gaza (SLZ) and the Democratise Education Campaign (DEC) from protesting on the SOAS campus without prior permission. SOAS reaffirmed its commitment to free speech on campus: ‘It is crucial that universities like SOAS University of London continue to be places where a range of perspectives can be heard and engaged with on the major issues of the day. Freedom of expression, the right to protest and academic freedom are fundamental to our existence. The increasing tendency of some political groups to demand that speakers they disagree with should be prevented from speaking is an approach we reject. We would only act to limit speech that breaks the law, or advocates hate or violence.’
The events of 11 November highlighted the intensity of debates surrounding Palestine and the polarised views on Francesca Albanese’s advocacy. The protests and counter-protests reflected SOAS’ role as a space for discussion on these contentious issues.
