Jewish MP’s visit to school cancelled after concerns raised by pro-Palestine group | Bristol
It has been revealed that a Jewish Labor Party MP’s planned visit to a school in the Bristol constituency was canceled following a campaign by a pro-Palestinian group.
Damien Egan, Labor MP for Bristol North East, was booked to speak to students at Bristol Brunel Academy, but the visit was canceled due to school hours before it was due to take place.
The cancellation took place in September but has now been highlighted after community secretary Steve Reed said he had been banned from visiting a school in his constituency over concerns that the presence of a Jewish colleague would “anger” teachers..
Speaking at the Jewish Labor Movement conference in north London on Sunday, he said: “I have a Jewish colleague who has been banned from attending a school and is not allowed to visit a school in his constituency in case his presence angers teachers. It’s an absolute disgrace.”
Reed added: “They’re going to be called out and held accountable for doing this, because you can’t have people with those kinds of attitudes teaching our children.”
He did not name his colleague but sources close to Egan confirmed to the Guardian that Reed had mentioned the Bristol MP’s planned visit in September. It appears there is still hope that the visit can continue.
Following the cancellation of the visit, Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign wrote on Facebook: “Bristol North East MP Damien Egan’s planned school visit has been canceled after concerns were raised by NEU. [National Education Union] staff group, parents and local voters.
“This is a clear message: Politicians who openly support Israel’s genocidal attack on Gaza are not welcome in our schools. Egan is vice president of the Association of Labor Friends of Israel and has been showing his support by visiting Israel since the current attack on Gaza began.”
Bristol NEU wrote on its Facebook page: “We celebrate this cancellation as a victory for protection, solidarity and the power of the NEU union staff group, parents and campaigners standing together.”
Reed told the conference that the UK government had been slow to respond to some examples of anti-Israel extremism and promised Labor would “re-evaluate” that approach.
Egan has been a target of anti-Israel activists since winning his seat in the last election. She has an Israeli husband, software developer Yossi Felberbaum.
Investigative newsroom Bristol Cable Reportedly canceled in November When a NEU member at another school in Bristol spoke of a “flash of organisation” that included a plan for people to wear keffiyehs on visiting day.
Neither Egan nor the school had a comment.
