Copenhagen University condemns lecturer’s image of Israel as “unacceptable”

An external lecturer at the University of Copenhagen displayed a cartoon figure holding a Molotov cocktail with the words “death, death to the IDF” on a large screen just before a law lecture, the university confirmed Tuesday.

The university called the incident “unacceptable” in a written statement, emphasizing that the image had been shown “without any educational context.” While taking the matter “very seriously,” officials declined to comment on personnel actions, citing confidentiality.

Research and Education Minister Christina Egelund (Moderates) welcomed the university’s “decisive” response, writing on X that “there must never be calls for death against anyone.”

The cartoon figure also wore a keffiyeh, a checkered scarf associated with Palestinian nationalism.

The university did not confirm whether the lecturer had been suspended or would face further consequences.

The incident follows months of protests at the university tied to the Gaza conflict. In May 2024, students from the group Students Against Occupation set up a tent camp demanding the university divest from companies operating in the West Bank. Months later, demonstrators barricaded a university building housing the rector’s office, calling for an end to partnerships with Israeli institutions. Police dismantled the occupation and arrested six protesters on trespassing charges.