London Students Fail To Pass Motion Condemning Paris Attacks

The student union at a London university has failed to pass a motion condemning the Islamic State terror attacks in Paris, just as they prepare to vote on a motion condemning the “symbolic imperial might” of Britain’s bombing of the terrorists in Syria.

Around 20 per cent of students who voted at the London School of Economics (LSE) answered no to the motion “Should LSESU Condemn the Brutal Massacre in Paris?” — in which 130 innocent, most young, people were slaughtered.

#UGM results – the motion on condemning the Paris Attacks fails to reach quoracy and does not pass. Thank you to all who voted!

— LSE Students' Union (@lsesu) December 4, 2015

The motion needed 250 students to take part in the online ballot for it to pass. Liam Hill, a former managing editor of LSE’s student paper told the Independent:

“While this is probably more of a reflection on the sad state of democracy at LSE [student union], it is appalling to see such a lack of support for a motion condemning a terror attack”.

Democratic engagement may indeed be floundering, yet the result reflects the view taken by the National Union of Students (NUS), who blocked a motion to stand in solidarity with Iraqi Kurds and condemn Islamic State last year because it was “Islamophobic”.

Just one week ago the NUS also voted to oppose British bombing of Islamic State terrorists at an emergency meeting following the vote in parliament.

In reference to LSE student union, Mr. Hill added: “It will highlight a sorry double standard if this week’s motion condemning British airstrikes in Syria passes”.

A new motion to condemn the decision of the Government to bomb Syria has now been raised, which reads: “The Union notes the history of Western Interventionism,” before describing the decision to bomb as a display of “symbolic imperial might”.

Just a week ago the Palestinian society at LSE was condemned for displaying an exhibition which “celebrated” terrorism by “dramatizing” the recent wave of stabbing seen in Israel.

The institution regularly host extremists and has previously given senior academic positions to members of Hizb ut-Tahrir and journalists such as Nir Rosen, who openly support terrorists groups such as Hezbollah. Such a history has led some to dub LSE the “London School of Extremism”.