‘You support genocide!’ Moment Tory councillor is hijacked by students

A Conservative politician’s speech at a university was overwhelmed by chants of “you support genocide” after she had voted against a ceasefire in Gaza.

Natasha Asghar, Member of the Senedd for South East Wales, was talking to Cardiff University’s politics society when a group began banging on the door and chanting.

Ms Ashgar said she was called a “murderer” in the tirade, which followed the Welsh Government’s vote to back calls for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

As the students questioned why she had voted against the motion, videos shared online show her responding: “If you aim for the moon, you will land amongst the stars, have you heard that saying before? Why can you not aim for peace; a ceasefire will naturally occur.”

South Wales Police confirmed officers attended the event, while Cardiff University said security were in attendance and the event went ahead with “minimal disruption”.

READ MORE Gaza ceasefire vote – How your MP voted as Labour revolt against Keir Starmer

In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Ms Ashgar said: “Despite repeated attempts to explain my point of view following last week’s vote, and answer their questions, many of the protestors simply would not listen and engage and instead continued disrupting the event because they didn’t like my answers.

“I am not prepared to be bullied and intimidated into not attending important events like these and I would like to say a huge thank you to my team, the police and the university’s security team for keeping me safe.”

She said that while she accepted people had the right to protest, the scenes at the university were “totally unacceptable”.

A spokesman for Cardiff University said: “In response, we will review the night’s events and adapt our procedures, if necessary.”

He added: “It is important to stress that universities are places where a range of ideas can be considered, examined and dissected both in academic programmes and in the wider University life. This means differing views can be brought forward and listened to.

“As a result, we will continue to take all reasonable steps to ensure that – within the law – freedom of speech is secured on our campus.”

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said both Hamas’ attacks on Israel and the “collective punishment” of Gaza were unjust and inhumane ahead of the Welsh Government’s vote last week.

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The call for a ceasefire in Gaza was backed by a total of 24 MSs, while 19 voted against.

The Welsh Conservative group and four Labour members opposed the ceasefire calls.

Adam Johannes from campaign group Cardiff Stop the War Coalition said: “Polls show that the majority of people in Britain favour an immediate ceasefire, but the majority of politicians want the slaughter to continue.”

A spokesperson for the university’s student union said: “Cardiff Students’ Union is dedicated to providing a space where students can engage in discussions, express their opinions, and advocate for change.

“Whilst we have a responsibility to uphold freedom of speech, we also recognise the need to balance this with the responsibility of ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants in society events.

“The Students’ Union is now reviewing the event and the protest that took place, including if any formal actions need to be taken.

“It is crucial to recognise that peaceful protests and constructive dialogue are integral components of a thriving academic community, we encourage any students who wish to voice their opinions to do so whilst also ensuring campus is free from hate, discrimination, and hostility.”

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