Two busts of Chaim Weizmann, Israel's first president, were stolen and subsequently damaged at the University of Manchester in what began as a burglary investigation and has escalated into an act of politically motivated vandalism, according to police and social media posts from the perpetrators.
Vile hate on campus: Sculptures of Chaim Weizmann stolen from the University of Manchester by the Palestine Action Group pic.twitter.com/ky8rg6jUGS
— Adam Milstein (@AdamMilstein) November 3, 2024
The incident began shortly before midnight when surveillance footage captured two masked individuals breaking into the university's chemistry building and smashing a glass display case to remove the busts of Weizmann, who had served as a chemistry lecturer at the institution before becoming Israel's first president in 1948. Greater Manchester Police confirmed that they "received a report of a burglary at a university building on Oxford Road, Manchester" that took place the previous night.
Weizmann is now under Palestine Action's control pic.twitter.com/ebg2LoYnK7
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) November 3, 2024
The Palestine Action group claimed responsibility for what they termed an "abduction" of the busts, timing their action to coincide with the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration of November 2, 1917. The declaration, issued by British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour, supported establishing a "national home for Jewish people" in then-Palestine. According to the Palestine Action, they targeted the busts because of Weizmann's role in "securing the Balfour Declaration," which they describe as "a British pledge written 107 years ago, which began the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by signing the land away."
First bust of Weizmann is dead. Soon, his zionist project will be too! pic.twitter.com/CZcTX1MIu5
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) November 5, 2024
Palestine Action has since posted images showing the busts draped in keffiyehs with the caption, "Weizmann is now under Palestine Action's control." In a subsequent post, the group shared an image of one of the busts with its head removed, declaring, "First bust of Weizmann is dead. Soon, his zionist project will be too!"
Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester Mayor, responded to the incident on X: "I will ask Greater Manchester Police to ensure that there is the fullest possible investigation into this appalling act of vandalism and that those responsible are held to account." He added his commitment to supporting the University of Manchester in "reassuring all students and staff, particularly those from the Jewish community, of their safety on campus."
