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Students at the London School of Economics (LSE) have defended their that welcomedÌýIsraeli ambassadorÌý on Tuesday, as government ministers closed ranks in opposition to the demonstration.

Hotovely, who previously called the - the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their native landÌýto createÌýthe state of Israel -Ìý an "Arab lie", swiftly leaving the university with flowers in handÌýas bodyguards surrounded her and police warded off protesters.

"Students maintained a peaceful protest throughout the evening and it was the police who incited violence... the protest was a tremendousÌýdemonstration of solidarity with Palestine... there is no place for a Nakba denier andÌýanti-Palestinian racist like Hotovely on campus," LSE for Palestine, the student group who organised the protest, said Ìýon Wednesday.

Disgusted by the treatment of the Israeli Ambassador at LSE last night.

Antisemitism has no place in our universities or our country.

I will continue to do everything possible to keep the Jewish community safe from intimidation, harrassment & abuse.

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— Priti Patel (@pritipatel)

Government ministers, however, have criticised the student action and attempted to link it to anti-semitism.Ìý

"Antisemitism has no place in our universities...Ìýthe police have my full backing in investigating this appalling incident," UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said , linking the anti-zionist demonstration to anti-semitism.

Patel on Wednesday also voicedÌýsupportÌýfor a police investigation into the .

Students who attended the protests have responded to the allegations on Twitter, including by highlighting that many of those opposed to Hotovely's speech at the LSE were Jewish.

Minister of State for Higher Education Michelle Donelan also condemned the "intimidation", stating she has made clear to the director of the university that she expects a "rapid investigation"Ìýwith disciplinary consequences for any students involved in "unlawful intimidation".

Despite the protest, the LSE, and Hotovely,Ìýagreed the event was "successful" andÌýwent according toÌýplan.

The LSE says it will review processes around such events, statingÌý"intimidation or threats of violence are completely unacceptable" and that they will "take action if any students are identified as having made threats of violence".