UK science minister pays damages after accusing professors of 'sharing extremist views'

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - The UK science secretary has agreed to pay damages to an academic over allegations that suggested she sympathized with Palestinian group Hamas, local media reported on Wednesday.

The controversy erupted after Michelle Donelan posted a letter on social media on Oct. 28 expressing her "disgust and outrage" over Heriot Watt University’s Kate Sang and Kamna Patel of University College London both allegedly "sharing extremist views."

The accusations came in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, which killed some 1,200 people. The attack was swiftly condemned by Western countries, though later they have been slow to criticize an Israeli offensive in response which has killed over 30,000 people and injured over 72,000, most of them women and children.

Donelan's assertions were made in the context of the appointment of Sang and Patel to an advisory group on equality, diversity, and inclusion at UK Research and Innovation, a body responsible for managing government research funding.

Her accusations triggered a months-long investigation which ultimately found no evidence to support Donelan's claims that Sang or Patel had violated codes of professional conduct.

In a statement posted on social media late Tuesday, Donelan said she had misunderstood online remarks by the two academics. She retracted her accusations and said she fully accepted that Sang did not endorse extremist views nor support Hamas.

Saying she was glad the matter had been resolved, Sang still condemned Donelan's actions, stating the science secretary had made a "cheap political point" at her expense. She announced her intention to donate part of the compensation to charity.

Patel echoed Sang's sentiments, stating that the investigation was unnecessary, as it should have been clear from the outset that they did not breach codes of professional conduct or express extremist views.