Oxford student denies racial hatred at protest

A University of Oxford student accused of chanting for Gaza to "put the Zios in the ground" at a pro-Palestinian march has denied stirring up racial hatred.

Samuel Williams, 20, from Oxford, is accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour during the demonstration in central London on 11 October last year.

He was charged after a video was posted online of a man chanting in Whitehall during a Palestine Coalition protest.

He has been granted conditional bail to appear at Southwark Crown Court on 24 February.

The video appeared to show a man tell the crowd: "A steadfast and noble resistance in Palestine and in Gaza to look to, to be inspired by and - I don't want to yap for too long - but a chant that we've been workshopping in Oxford that maybe you guys want to join in.

"It goes 'Gaza, Gaza make us proud, put the Zios in the ground'."

Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram said as a condition of his bail, Williams must not participate in Palestine-related protests inside of the M25 or in Oxford.

Williams was suspended by Oxford University following his arrest.