Professor of Economics, Michael Ben-Gad, of City St George’s, University of London was recently threatened by masked students during a lecture. The students accused him of committing war crimes during his compulsory military service while he lived in Israel. The Committee is concerned that the university is not doing enough to protect professors from violent students.
November 3, 2025
Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein CBE FREng
President of City St George’s, University of London
Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE
United Kingdom
Sir Anthony Finkelstein:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers, and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.
Michael Ben-Gad is an esteemed Professor of Economics at City St George’s, University of London. On October 22, 2025, his lecture was interrupted by a group of masked students claiming to be part of the City Action for Palestine. He was personally threatened, apparently for the compulsory military service he fulfilled in the 1980s as a citizen of Israel. On top of this incident, there has been ongoing harassment of Ben-Gad over social media, through petitions, and on campus.
The Committee is concerned that Ben-Gad is being targeted simply for being Jewish and Israeli, especially given that Ben-Gad was required to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces as a citizen. While the Committee appreciates the verbal support he has been given by the University, we are especially interested to hear from your office about which measures have been taken to protect Ben-Gad and others from violent students.
The University should be a place for civil discussion of complex ideas and conflicts. Whatever the political inclinations of any member of your campus, they should not be the target of harassment.
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. We will be closely following developments in this case.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
CC:
Amy Ripley
Chief of Staff to the President
City St George’s, University of London
Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0)20 7040 3134
E-mail: amy.ripley@citystgeorges.ac.uk