David Lammy, the UK Labour Party's shadow foreign secretary, has sparked controversy by suggesting that the late South African President Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison and initially advocated armed resistance, would not have supported the ongoing student protests over Gaza in the US. Lammy differentiated between peaceful protests, which he believes Mandela would have endorsed, and the current protests that have seen elements of violence and rioting. His comments have drawn criticism, with some accusing him of misrepresenting Mandela's views to avoid addressing his own stance on the Palestine issue.
"Lammy suggests Mandela would oppose Gaza student protests". I suggest Mandela would have regarded Lammy as a twerp with a big mouth, no balls & very little between the ears. https://t.co/yUvCEXqkpx
David Lammy suggested that Nelson Mandela would not have agreed with the ongoing student protests over Gaza. Mandela spent a total of 27 years in prison and had initially advocated armed resistence against apartheid https://t.co/0UYS9tsFTl
Oh and in case you were wondering how I know this @DavidLammy I worked for Mandela as an ANC activist and then as an MP under Mandela’s Presidency. Stop misrepresenting his views in support of your repugnant, cowardly position on Palestine https://t.co/9rTGUoFK04
David Lammy said: "There is a difference between peaceful protest of the kind Mandela would have advocated, and violence and rioting" https://t.co/G7tYcUUQVn
The UK opposition Labour party's shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, has suggested the late South African President Nelson Mandela would not have agreed with the ongoing protests over Gaza at campuses across the US https://t.co/5ye2V3NtFE
Labour's Lammy suggests Mandela would oppose Gaza student protests https://t.co/hqxRiBNGCG
UK Labour's David Lammy suggests Mandela would oppose Gaza student protests https://t.co/dou3fBafHC https://t.co/YAn9A3rWum
The most repugnant thing about this is that @DavidLammy knows full well the truth of Mandela's politics, ideology & tactics, just as he knows full well why there are mass protests over Gaza but not Sudan or DRC. He is actively playing dumb to sidestep his own responsibilities https://t.co/CGch6u3Dll