VUB Withdraws Appointment of Controversial Academic Harry Pettit
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) has rescinded its planned appointment of British academic Harry Pettit following the emergence of online statements deemed to incite hatred or violence. Pettit, a social geographer, previously departed from Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands, due to similar controversies surrounding his public statements regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Background: Previous Controversies at Radboud University
Harry Pettit, born in 1991, specializes in urban geography, social geography and job insecurity in Egypt. He faced significant backlash at Radboud University for his outspoken pro-Palestinian views, particularly after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. He described the attacks as a “lawful act of resistance,” a statement that sparked a polarized debate and a petition garnering over 10,000 signatures [1].
The university ultimately reached a mutual agreement with Pettit for his departure in November 2023 [1]. In his announcement of his departure, Pettit posted on X, stating “Free Palestine (and fuck ‘israël’)”, with “israel” intentionally lowercased [3].
VUB Appointment and Subsequent Withdrawal
Pettit’s move to the VUB was initially confirmed on February 27, 2026, by Pieter Ballon, the vice-rector of Research at the VUB, via a LinkedIn post [3]. Though, recent social media posts by Pettit prompted the university to reconsider.
According to the VUB, Pettit’s recent posts included descriptions of Israel and the United States as “the ultimate reincarnation of evil” and a call for their defeat [4]. He also praised Ayatollah Khamenei, referring to him as a figure who resisted a “pedophile cabal” of the US and Israel and a source of inspiration for “resistance against demonic forces of Zionism” [4].
VUB’s Statement on Freedom of Expression and University Values
The VUB stated that Pettit’s statements violated both legal boundaries and the university’s core values. While the university affirms its commitment to freedom of expression, it emphasized that this freedom is not absolute and is limited when speech incites hatred or violence [4]. The university also cited a breach of agreements made with Pettit as a factor in its decision [4].
Previous Parliamentary Scrutiny in the Netherlands
Pettit’s earlier statements regarding the October 7th attacks also led to questions in the Dutch Parliament. The then-minister Bruins described Pettit’s statements as “abject” but indicated that determining their legal culpability was a matter for the justice system [1].
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