Thread by @PSCupdates

In a House of Lords debate this week on antisemitism in universities, John Mann, government advisor on antisemitism, made the spurious claim that there are no examples of the IHRA definition being used to suppress free speech. (1/14)

Even more outlandishly, he sought to cite PSC as a source for this assertion. He further framed the myriad of eminent bodies and individuals who have raised serious concerns about the IHRA’s threat to free speech and to legitimate critique... (2/14)

...of Israel's oppression of the Palestinian people as “some maverick academics.”

Facts are not a currency in which John Mann deals, but here are some helpful ones. (3/14)

1. These “maverick academics” include Professor David Feldman, Director of the @PearsInstitute for the study of antisemitism, Brian Klug, honorary fellow of the Parkes Institute for the Study of Jewish/non-Jewish Relations... (4/14)

Anthony Lerman, former Director of the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, Stephen Sedley, ex Court of Appeal judge, the Institute of Race Relations, Kenneth Stern the author of the IHRA definition itself.

Full database of 100s of criticisms: fmep.org/resource/chall…

(5/14)

2. The most systematic study of the impact of the IHRA concludes that it's not fit for purpose, “obfuscates [...] the meaning of antisemitism” & threatens freedom of expression via its conflation of antisemitism and legitimate criticism of Israel.

ucl.ac.uk/ucu/sites/ucu/…

(6/14)

3. There are many examples of the IHRA acting to suppress activism for Palestinian rights.

Here's just one notorious one:

theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/a…

(7/14)

Tower Hamlets Council refused to allow a bicycle ride raising money for sick children in Gaza to finish in a council run park, because officials feared that refences to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and to Israel as an apartheid state might contradict the IHRA.

(8/14)

The Tower Hamlets example speaks to a point made by PSC in a recently launched legal guide to students. Mann used this guide to try to suggest that PSC believes the IHRA is not problematic. This is the goal of those using the IHRA to suppress advocacy...

(9/14)

...for the rights of Palestinians & create a chilling effect, a McCarthyite climate of fear. The aim is to pressure public bodies to ban events to avoid accusations of antisemitism even though the IHRA definition may not be used legally to enforce the accusation (10/14)

So in Tower Hamlets, fearing such an accusation, the council banned the bike ride but gave another “official “ reason for doing so.

John Mann clearly believes that using the IHRA to create a climate of fear is in accordance with respect for democratic freedom... (11/14)

He has no concern with the IHRA being cited to protect Israel from legitimate assertions that it is an apartheid state, as made by @btselem, or any call for any form of sanction against Israel. His willful ignoring of all of the concerns being raised about IHRA... (12/14)

...shows disrespect for free expression and undermines a true antiracist politics. His content to see the IHRA being used to protect Israel's ability to continue with its oppression of the Palestinian people is shameful... (13/14)

But we suspect, shame like truth, is a currency of no interest to John Mann. (14/14)