Activists who stole ‘Weizmann’ busts got one of them wrong – university

After a British anti-Israel group claimed to steal two busts of Israel’s first president Chaim Weizmann from the University of Manchester, it emerged Wednesday that one of the statues was actually of a 19th-century chemistry professor.

On Saturday, Palestine Action published footage of activists stealing what it claimed to be two busts of Weizmann from the University of Manchester, and later showed they had decapitated one of the statues.

But the University of Manchester said in a statement cited by British news outlets that it believed the busts to have been of Weizmann and Prof. Harold Dixon, a chemist at the institution in 1886-1922 and an amateur soccer player who supported women being able to study physics.

Palestine Action said Saturday that activists had taken the sculptures to mark the 107th anniversary of the 1917 Balfour Declaration because Weizmann had “secured” the measure “which began the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by signing the land away.” The group posted footage of the theft.

The Balfour Declaration, signed by then-British foreign secretary Arthur James Balfour, set out London’s support for a national home for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel. It is seen as a precursor to Israel’s creation in 1948 and is viewed by Israelis as one of the most consequential events surrounding the Jewish state’s establishment.

Palestine Action also posted an image with both busts wearing keffiyehs. After decapitating one of the busts, the group wrote in a post: “First bust of Weizmann is dead. Soon, his Zionist project will be too.”

BREAKING: Palestine Action abduct sculptures of Israel’s first president, Chaim Weizmann, from the University of Manchester.

Weizmann secured the Balfour Declaration, a British pledge written 107 years ago, which began the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by signing the land away. pic.twitter.com/a8urQciod5

— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) November 2, 2024

It was not immediately clear if the beheaded bust belonged to Weizmann or Dixon.

Greater Manchester Police said they were investigating the robbery, but no arrests have been made yet.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said in a statement that the act constituted “intimidation, vandalism and criminality” and said he would ask police to ensure those responsible were held to account.

UK politician John Woodcock, known as Lord Walney, was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying that the act was “designed to terrorize British Jews” and could be seen as incitement to violence.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism said Palestine Action was “terrorizing the Jewish community” and accused police of being “too lax” on the anti-Israel group.

First bust of Weizmann is dead. Soon, his zionist project will be too! pic.twitter.com/CZcTX1MIu5

— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) November 5, 2024

Weizmann, who worked as a biochemistry professor at the University of Manchester, was a leading statesman of the Zionist movement in the early 1900s. He spearheaded the international diplomatic efforts that led to international recognition of the budding Jewish state and is considered one of Israel’s founding fathers.

A spokesperson for the university told British media outlets the institution was “dedicated to freedom of speech” amid the conflict in the Middle East but added, “These appalling acts of vandalism have no place in our community and make no contribution whatsoever to a better understanding of the issues.”

“Our priority is the safety and well-being of our students, and we will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of criminality, discrimination, or harassment on our campus,” the spokesperson said.

Palestine Action has taken responsibility for several acts of vandalism against sites linked to Israel in the United Kingdom both before and after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war last year.

In August, seven people appeared in a London court charged with violent disorder, burglary, and other offenses in what prosecutors said was an attack by Palestine Action at a warehouse linked to Israeli defense firm Elbit.