Fury As Blind Student ‘Dragged By His Feet’ From Debate Held By Prestigious Oxford Society

The incident was first reported in the the university paper, The Oxford Student, in which an eyewitness said: “The whole ordeal looked humiliating and traumatising… the force used was objectively disproportionate – at one point he was being dragged off the bench by his feet while audience members merely looked on.” 

The Oxford University Africa Society quickly condemned the incident in the wake of the news, sharing the video on their Facebook page and writing “An injury to one is an injury to all. We stand with Azamati to protest the unjust and gross misconduct of the Oxford Union.

“We will not be silent. We will not turn a blind eye. We will be seen. We will be heard.”

The society launched a petition, which at the time of writing has garnered more than 800 signatures, and called on Brendan McGrath, the president of the Union, to resign from his position, after he “personally lodged a complaint against Mr Azamati for violent behaviour.”

On Friday evening, members of the Africa Society, as well as supporters both at and outside of the university, held a protest in order to “demand justice’ for Azamati. 

The Union held a disciplinary committee meeting on Saturday, The Sunday Times reported, during which Azamati reportedly said that his public removal from the room had left him feeling “unwelcome in the Union, Oxford and even the country.

“I felt that I was treated as not being human enough to deserve justice and fair treatment,” he added. 

It was alleged that Azamati had behaved in a violent manner by thrusting an arm out and gesturing in an aggressive manner as he was being removed. 

According to a statement posted online by the African Society, McGrath withdrew his complaint following the hearing and had apologised “unreservedly for the distress and any reputational damage which the publication of the charge may have caused him [Azamati].” 

Huffpost UK has contacted both the Oxford University Africa Society and Oxford Union for further comment.