Bristol SU officer keeps job after anti-Semitic comments

Image source, Facebook

Image caption, Omar Chowdhury made the comments to a Jewish student, Izzy Posen

A students' union (SU) officer has been allowed to keep his job after making anti-Semitic comments online.

Bristol University's black, minority & ethnic (BME) officer Omar Chowdhury told a Jewish student he should "be like Israel and cease to exist".

Bristol SU has given Mr Chowdhury a formal warning for his online comments to Izzy Posen.

Mr Chowdhury said he regretted his "ignorant, offensive... and unacceptable comments".

"I have already begun efforts to educate myself on anti-Semitism... and will undertake training as part of this," he added.

The comments were made a year ago but only came to light when Mr Chowdbury recently became a BME officer at the union.

The SU said it would compel Mr Chowdhury to make an unqualified apology, educate himself on anti-Semitism and make him work with Jewish students to rebuild their trust.

Image caption, Izzy Posen, a Jewish student at the University of Bristol, said social media discussions "too quickly become hostile"

Writing to Mr Posen, the SU told him it recommended those sanctions on the basis that Mr Chowdhury had shown remorse for his comments that were "said in ignorance".

It added that his formal warning would be kept on record.

Mr Chowdhury's remarks were made in an online discussion on a Facebook page called Bristruths.

"When he made those comments at the time, I didn't take it very seriously," said Mr Posen.

"But when he was elected as the representative of BME students, I felt somebody in his position was meant to bring students together.

"They weren't comments that showed a great deal of respect to other groups."