Belgian university decides against hiring controversial lecturer after Radboud departure

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) has decided against hiring the controversial British lecturer Harry Pettit due to his statements on social media. Pettit left Radboud University Nijmegen in November last year, due to controversial statements about Israel and Hamas.

When Pettit left Radboud University last year, he said that he had a new job. Four days ago, VUB’s Vice-Rector announced Pettit’s appointment on LinkedIn. But on Monday, the university announced in a statement that it is withdrawing his appointment.

Following the Israeli and American attacks on Iran over the weekend, Pettit again made several statements on social media. Among other things, he called Israel and the United States the reincarnation of evil and said that the killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stood up to their “pedophile cabal.”

According to the VUB, these statements incite hatred or violence and go against agreements between Pettit and the university. “Based on this, the VUB has decided not to proceed with Dr. Pettit’s planned appointment,” the university said.

“The VUB stands for freedom of expression, even when it concerns controversial views. However, statements that incite hatred or violence not only cross legal boundaries but also the norms and values ​​that apply within the VUB academic community,” the university said.