The educational establishment and the 20-year-old settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
(Stock image) The student compared a scarf worn by a Palestine Action supporter to a tea towel (Image: Getty)
A student suspended for hate speech after comparing a pro-Palestine activist’s keffiyeh headscarf to a tea towel has been paid compensation by his university. Brodie Mitchell, aged 20, launched legal proceedings against Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) after they temporarily suspended him from studies.
After Mr Mitchell was barred from studies a group of MPs and Lords wrote to the university expressing alarm at the decision to punish students for “engaging in robust exchanges about contentious issues” The letter from Parliamentarians, including Sir John Whittingdale and Tom Tugendhat called the response “completely disproportionate” and “evidence of a failure to exercise common sense”.
According to the Sunday Telegraph, RHUL has now agreed to pay Mr Mitchell an undisclosed sum as a “gesture of goodwill” after the two sides settled out of court.
(Stock image) A tea towel (Image: Getty)
The Telegraph reports RHUL expressed regret at the “length of time” Mr Mitchell had been suspended and the “distress caused to him as a result”. Express.co.uk have approached RHUL for comment.
According to the Telegraph Mr Mitchell describes himself as a non-Jewish Zionist. It’s alleged he was called a “wannabe Jew” when he became involved in a confrontation in September.
In response to being asked why he wasn’t wearing a kippah, a traditional Jewish head covering, he is said to have told Huda El-Jamal, the president of the Friends of Palestine Society, that she was “wearing a tea towel on your head”.
The head covering Ms El-Jamal, who is of Palestinian origin, was wearing was described as keffiyeh, the scarf-like garment made famous by the famous Palestian leader Yasser Arafat.
A nine-week Royal Holloway investigation was launched into Mr Mitchell for “for alleged conduct that could be considered hate speech”.
Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) (Image: Getty)
Mr Mitchell and RHUL issued an agreed statement on Friday, confrming the dispute had been settled without admission of liability.
The university said that the terms of the settlement would allow Mr Mitchell “to participate in his studies and other activities within the university”.
Mr Mitchell still faces possible prosecution for hate speech and police have handed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service.
