An event called to discuss the current situation in Israel and Palestine has been pulled by the University of Birmingham, allegedly because of the presence of watermelon emojis on advertising materials.
Academics in the law school said permission to hold the “staff-student listening session” was rescinded owing to concerns it would not “provide the safe and objective space for discussion that was intended”.
Images of watermelons were featured on a flyer for the event, as the fruit has become a symbol of Palestinian solidarity in Israel, where public displays of the Palestinian flag are prohibited.
The local branch of the University and College Union (UCU) says in a blog post it had raised concerns with Birmingham’s vice-chancellor, Adam Tickell, due to the “apparent constraint on free speech and academic freedom that this cancellation entails”.
