A former St Andrews student who a court has ruled was the victim of Israel-related racial abuse has thanked Fife police and university officials for helping him pursue the case.
Chanan Reitblat was speaking after fellow St Andrews University student Paul Donnachie was convicted at Cupar Sheriff Court on Tuesday (link).
“My privacy was invaded in a shocking way,” he said at the end of the dramatic case. “I am Jewish … and Israel is an important part of my religious belief.
“They attacked my beliefs and the behaviour toward me and my property was humiliating.”
He added: “I welcome today’s conviction. I want to thank the St Andrews University authorities for their support during this troubled time.
“I also want to thank Fife police and officials at Cupar Sheriff Court.”
Mr Reitblat, who moved to Glasgow after the incident, said he also wanted to send his “heartfelt gratitude” to its Jewish community. Mr Reitblat, who now studies in the USA and has won a research position at Harvard, defiantly insisted the incident had not put him off Scotland.
He vowed to return to St Andrews in the future.
Meanwhile, Donnachie told The Courier he would appeal the “ridiculous” conviction.
“This was a case of freedom of expression and certainly not in any way racial,” he said. “I will appeal this conviction and take it as far as I can.
“The right to criticise Israel, or any state, is very important. I do not believe my actions were in any way racial.”
Donnachie said his expulsion from St Andrews University was uncalled for.
“I feel it is completely disproportionate,” he said. “Within an hour of the conviction I was told my university career is over. I worked hard to get to university and got good grades … but I will now have to apply to other institutions.”
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“I still hope I can get in somewhere for the next academic year but (even if an appeal against the conviction is successful) it may not be practical to return to St Andrews.”
Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign members branded the ruling “shameful”.
They also blasted Sheriff Charles Macnair after he refused to allow “expert witnesses” to give evidence on the political situation in Israel.
President of the SPSC Mick Napier said.”What has happened at Cupar Sheriff Court today is scandalous … This sheriff will have a stain on his name and (following an appeal) Paul will have no stain on his name.”
Donnachie’s father, Tom, told The Courier his son was paying a high price for “drunken high jinks.”
“This was just student humour gone wrong,” he said. “Paul is not a racist he is politically motivated. If he was a racist I would not be with him in court today. His university career is over because of this.”
Confirmation of the expulsion came courtesy of a statement issued by St Andrews University shortly after the case concluded.
Samuel Colchester, who was acquitted of the same charge after the case against him was found to be not proven, is to be suspended for one year.
“The university conducted its own investigation of these matters and held disciplinary hearings in June 2011,” a spokesman said. “We reserved the findings and judgments of these hearings to avoid any possibility of prejudice to court proceedings.
“As a consequence of our internal hearings, Mr Donnachie has been informed this afternoon that his studies at St Andrews have been terminated and he will leave the university with immediate effect.
“Mr Colchester has been informed that he has been suspended for one year and excluded from university halls of residence.”
He added, “The student community at St Andrews has a long tradition of tolerance, respect and the right to freedom of expression. However, it is also a community which abhors racial intolerance.”