A student at the University of Edinburgh and NUS delegate has allegedly posted horrific antisemitic incitement on his Facebook account.
The student described an Israeli footballer, Nir Bitton who plays for Celtic, as “a filthy Zionist rat”. Describing Jews in animalistic terms, particularly describing them as vermin, is a recurring antisemitic trope, and replacing the word ‘Jew’ with the word ‘Zionist’ does not make it any less antisemitic.
He also writes that “Zionists are sub human” and believes that Nir Bitton should in “a jail cell for supporting the apartheid regime”. The use of the term subhuman unambiguously and directly draws upon the terminology used by the Nazis to describe their victims, particularly Jews.
Another commenter replies “gas him”, to which the student replies that it would be “too good for him”, instead suggesting that he should be exposed “to the worst torture” – a direct act of incitement of violence towards a man whose only ‘crime’ is to have been born a Jew in Israel.
The incident has been reported to the police and is being investigated as a hate crime.
The Union of Jewish Students commented:
“We are aware of the offensive and hate-filled social media posts made by a student at the University of Edinburgh. There is no place for such reprehensible comments in society.
The matter is being dealt with by EUSA and the Police Hate Crimes Unit.
As always, any concerned students of the University of Edinburgh should feel free to be in touch with UJS.”