The Israeli ambassador has branded hard-Left activists ‘shameful’ after they tried to intimidate her following a lecture at the London School of Economics.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Tzipi Hotovely said the thugs attempted to silence her by ‘shouting and screaming’ – but will not succeed.
The diplomat was harassed by an angry mob after delivering a lecture to the LSE’s student union debating society.
Beating drums and chanting, they booed her and shouted: ‘Aren’t you ashamed’ as her bodyguards bundled her into a car.
Before the event, an Instagram account called LSE Class War urged students to storm the building and ‘make her shake’, adding: ‘Whoever smashes the Ambassador car window gets pints.’
Tzipi Hotovely, the Israeli ambassador (pictured), has branded hard-Left activists ‘shameful’ after they tried to intimidate her following a lecture at the London School of Economics
Tzipi Hotovely (42), was attacked by an angry mob outside LSE. At one point, a member the Ambassador’s Security Detail was made to stop a protester from getting through police.
Mrs Hotovely, 42, was at the university on Tuesday for an event called Israel’s Perspective: A New Era in the Middle East.
The Mail reported that she had spoken fluently for 90 minutes in front of a group consisting of 50 students and 100 others via Zoom.
She said LSE made sure her ‘freedom of speech wouldn’t be hurt’ and she was able to ‘reach out’ to students.
She said: ‘The protesters were shouting and screaming throughout the event but they didn’t disturb [it]Because the British police, my security and I made it very clear that this event was going to take place.
‘They were trying to put on a lot of pressure and basically intimidating us.’ She said she felt ‘very protected’ by her security team and by the police.
However, she added: ‘I do think it’s shameful that people are trying to silence diplomats from a democratic country.
Ambassador Hotovely is seen during the London School of Economics debate – described by the Embassy as tranquil – before the chaos she left the building
Protesters line up to follow the vehicle of the ambassador, after she is bundled in the Jaguar’s back.
‘Even expressions concerning hurting my vehicle is unacceptable. It’s an incitement to violence.’
The protests appear to have been organised by LSE for Palestine, which calls itself a ‘student group’ which ‘calls for the liberation of Palestine’.
It later congratulated protesters on their ‘march’, calling it ‘peaceful’. There is no suggestion it is connected with the LSE Class War Instagram account – which last night was shut down.
Mrs Hotovely, a lawyer, a married mother of three daughters and a practising Orthodox Jew, said: ‘I will continue to speak in every British campus. They cannot influence academic discourse.
A demonstration was held outside the venue by Islamic and Palestinian societies from London’s universities. Pictured: Tuesday night’s diplomat
‘Those groups are really against this very basic value of dialogue [and] freedom of speech.’ She is controversial among pro-Palestinians because as a former minister she has sought global recognition for West Bank settlements.
Last night, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi condemned the events outside the university, adding: ‘This is harassment and it will have deeply shaken Jewish students.
‘I have invited Jewish students from LSE to a meeting to hear directly from them and offer any support that I can.’
Priti Patel, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Home Secretary Priti Palel also condemned protests.
Scotland Yard stated that there had been no arrests. An LSE spokesman said intimidation was ‘completely unacceptable’ and students found to be involved would face disciplinary action.