Firearms and ammunition were seized at the family home of Oxford University student and anti-Israeli ‘hate’ protester Sam Williams today.
Two uniformed officers arrived at the quiet cul-de-sac in Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, around lunchtime.
They were followed by a single female forensics officer who arrived in a separate police van and entered the property wearing a face mask.
A short time later a male officer was pictured as he brought out clear plastic bags containing what appeared to be shotgun cartridges.
He then carried out several boxes labelled High Pheasant cartridges – a type of hunting ammunition – and placed them in the boot of a marked police car.
Minutes later the officer returned with what appeared to be several rifles or shotguns in cases or bags which were also placed in the boot.
There is no suggestion any of the weapons were not legally owned. The family home is close to woodland and countryside.
Balliol College ‘PPE’ student Mr Williams sparked a backlash after the Daily Mail revealed he had whipped up a crowd at a pro-Palestine rally on Saturday in a chant interpreted by some as calling for the death of Jews.
Items appearing to be firearms were removed from the family home of Sam Williams, the Oxford University student at the centre of a row over his chanting video
A police forensics van outside the family home today. There is no suggestion any of the firearms equipment taken away by police was not held entirely legally
An officer carried out several boxes labelled High Pheasant cartridges – a type of hunting ammunition – and placed them in the boot of a marked police car
Other items were seized from the house and removed in forensic boxes.
One neighbour said: ‘It’s a bit worrying there were shotguns and ammunition in the house. They may be legally owned by we didn’t know they went hunting.
‘Obviously the police have got a job to do but, as far as we’re concerned, it adds a layer of extra worry to it all.’
Mr Williams, 20, was arrested after being filmed chanting ‘put the Zios in the ground’ at a pro-Palestine protest. He was also suspended by Oxford University.
‘Zio’ is an offensive reference to Zionists, and some have interpreted the words as calling for death to Jews, after the Palestine Coalition demonstration on Saturday.
Three police forces have been involved in the investigation. The Metropolitan Police is leading the probe, and said: ‘A 20-year-old man was at an address in Oxfordshire on Wednesday, 15 October, on suspicion of inciting racial hatred. He has been released on bail.’
He was detained by Thames Valley Police officers and held for questioning at an Oxfordshire police station for most of Wednesday before being released. He has not been charged with any offence, and his whereabouts today were unknown.
Mr Williams’ family home in Pembury was the scene of activity carried out by Kent Police.
The philosophy, politics and economics student at Balliol has also been suspended by Oxford University.
The chants were filmed on the the day after ceasefire came into effect in Gaza.
Speaking through a microphone at the march, Mr Williams told 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’.’
Samuel Williams led the chants at a pro-Palestine demonstration in Central London on Saturday
Mr Williams was among dozens of students who camped outside the Natural History Museum in Oxford to protest their university’s alleged complicity in Israel’s war against Hamas
Pictures from Mr Williams’s Instagram page show him sporting a red and white keffiyeh scarf
Police outside the home of Mr Williams in a leafy cul-de-sac in Kent
A specialist forensics officer and a uniformed colleague take away items from the family home
Items including what appear to be firearms were taken away
Several rifles or shotguns were removed by officers. There is no suggestion they were not being held legally and securely
As he repeatedly shouted the slogan, others in the crowd joined in. The university said it could not comment on ‘individual student cases’ but said it had ‘the power to take immediate and proportionate action including suspending a student from membership of the University’. A spokesman added: ‘Oxford University is unequivocal: there is no place for hatred, anti-Semitism or discrimination within our community.’
Meanwhile, Mr Williams’ old Church of England school in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Bennett Memorial Diocesan School, which prides itself on Christian values, said it was ‘unequivocal in condemning, in the strongest possible terms, any language urging violence against groups of people or expressing any form of racial hatred’.
Before winning a place at Oxford, Williams was a ‘swot’ at the ‘outstanding’-rated school where former classmates remember him coming ‘top in almost everything’.
But his old school turned its back on him in a hard-hitting statement saying: ‘This is entirely contrary to the values of our school and our focus, for every student, on the formation of academic and character excellence. Our values of hope, wisdom and love reflect our firm commitment to protecting and recognising the innate dignity of all in our school community and beyond.’
The school is close to the £350,000 semi-detached family home where neighbours said the family was well respected.
One said: ‘His parents are nice people. They’re well liked. His mother was a councillor and took an active part in the community. I haven’t seen them for a while, but the video is quite shocking.’
Williams is a regular pro-Palestine protester. Pictures from his Instagram account show him regularly posing in a keffiyeh scarf – an accessory associated with the pro-Palestine movement.
Williams also features on a language-tutors site in which he described himself as ‘native German’ with ‘a passion for German culture both old and modern’.
Since joining the university he has dedicated his life not to his studies but to student activism
Mr Williams previously attended the Bennett Memorial Diocesan school in Tunbridge Wells
Mr Williams was one of a number of students to have attended the pro-Palestine event
Jewish students have welcomed the ‘decisive action’ by Oxford. The Union of Jewish Students said: ‘Jewish students should never have to stand by as their peers glorify terrorism or incite hatred.
‘Universities around the country should take note of this swift action and take a firm, consistent stand against the glorification of terror.’
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said last week there had been an ‘unacceptable increase in anti-Semitism’ at universities and called on them to better protect Jewish students.
There has been growing concern about incidents at Oxford. Last year, a dossier presented to the vice-chancellor detailed 70 anti-Semitic incidents in just eight months.
