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Call to 'blow up' Jewish conference by former Bristol councillor probed

 1 year ago
source link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-67659271
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Call to 'blow up' Jewish conference by former Bristol councillor probed

Published
3 days ago
Photo of Harriet Bradley
Image caption,
Harriet Bradley was suspended by the Labour Party in 2020 for a different social media post
By Louis Inglis & Clara Bullock
BBC News, Bristol

Police are investigating a post by a former Labour councillor calling on someone to "blow up" a Jewish Labour Movement meeting.

Harriet Bradley, who was also a university lecturer in Bristol, has apologised "to all people who've been hurt" by the now deleted post on X.

She added she "deeply regrets" writing the post "in a moment of anger".

Avon and Somerset Police said it is investigating the post as "an incident of malicious communications".

The one-day conference in north London is being organised for 14 January.

'Blow up the venue'

Planned speakers include Wes Streeting, Peter Mandelsen, Bridget Phillipson and Pat McFadden.

Ms Bradley posted on X: "Somebody blow up the venue!"

Formerly the member for Brislington West, Ms Bradley resigned from Bristol City Council in 2020, citing ill-health.

She was suspended from the Labour Party in 2019 for a different social media post that the party deemed as anti-Semitic.

Ms Bradley was also a former professor in Sociology at the University of Bristol and at University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol.

'I am ashamed'

Both universities have now stripped her of an honorary title.

Ms Bradley said: "I want to offer an apology on what was a very ill-considered stupid tweet, I am ashamed of having made it.

"It has had awful consequences for me obviously and I'd like to apologise to anybody who was upset, offended, frightened even."

Mike Katz, the national chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, said the tweet was especially harmful considering a recent rise of antisemitism.

He said: "I'd say if you are an academic, you'd think that words matter, what you say matters and it can have an impact.

"I don't think that this is something she was going to do but I think you have got to take the possibility of incitement very seriously.

"There is a real feeling of uncertainty around the Jewish community," he added.

'Deeply dismayed'

A University of Bristol spokesperson said: "We are deeply dismayed by the inflammatory comment on social media from a former employee who has long since retired, and are taking appropriate action.

"We can confirm that we have withdrawn the Emeritus and Honorary Status of retired employee Professor Harriet Bradley with immediate effect."

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The University of Bristol said the comment was "inflammatory"

A spokesperson from UWE said: "Harriet Bradley's permanent employment at UWE Bristol ended in 2018.

"Following her recent offensive remarks on social media, we can confirm that her honorary title of Emeritus Professor has been removed with immediate effect."

Avon and Somerset Police said: "We are aware of a social media message in response to the announcement of a Jewish Labour Movement conference next year - since deleted by X (formerly Twitter)."The post has also been reported to Avon and Somerset Police by a third party. We have recorded it as an incident of malicious communications, which is currently being investigated."

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