Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns admits she got emotional when talking to Jewish students at the University of Leeds who have been hounded by pro-Palestine demonstrators.
Security has been stepped up at the university after its Jewish chaplain was threatened and a building for Jewish students was vandalised with ‘Free Palestine’ graffiti.
Speaking on The Camilla Tominey Show on GB News, Jenkyns admitted that speaking to Jewish students about their experiences left her in tears as she blasted the surge of ‘far-left’ extremism which she claims is prominent in all institutions.
“It’s horrific. I cried when I was speaking to them [Jewish students]”, she said.
Andrea Jenkyns has hit out at the treatment of Jewish students
GB NEWS
“In the main building, they’ve been putting up Palestinian flags and students have been chanting ‘From the River to the Sea’ to Jewish pupils.
“They’re saying this has not been reported to the police because staff ‘do not want to give the university a bad name’.
“Nobody in life should be fearful to be who they are.”
Leeds University leaders said they are ‘actively supporting’ West Yorkshire Police and the Union of Jewish Students as investigations into the incidents are carried out.
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Leeds University is under pressure to tackle problems caused by pro-Palestine demonstrators
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Andrea Jenkyns joined Camilla Tominey on GB News
GB NEWS
In a statement, a spokesperson for the university said: “We totally condemn the antisemitic abuse and threats directed towards the chaplain and his family.
“Such attacks on any individual are unacceptable and will not be tolerated from members of the public or our university community.
“The university has detailed measures in place to safeguard our students and is further stepping up activity relating to both security and wellbeing.”
Asked how the University of Leeds and wider society can tackle the issue of pro-Palestine demonstrators prompting discomfort for Jewish people, Jenkyns said ‘don’t put flags up full stop, unless it’s the British one’.
She added “they should seriously think of disciplining people if they aren’t behaving in a decent way”.
Jenkyns believes the issues in Leeds are reflective of a rise of ‘far-left extremism’.
The Tory MP went as far as to argue that the trend is prevalent in public institutions such as the Civil Service.
“I think it’s in every situation”, she said.
“We see it in the Civil Service, we’ve seen it in the Home Office where they tried to boycott the Rwanda Bill.”
