Oxford University students have been barred from union roles after accusations they are complicit in “institutional racism”.

The historic debating society has become embroiled in infighting in recent months after a “sinister” Israel-Palestine debate on the motion “This house believes Israel is an apartheid state responsible for genocide” passed by 278 votes to 59.

During the debate, one speaker described the Oct 7 attacks as “heroism” – something that dons said broke the law.

The Telegraph understands a member of the audience also called one speaker a “genocidal motherf-----”.

Now, a number of students who were applying to help run the society’s termly elections for president and its committees have been barred from the roles by the Oxford Union after they were accused of being complicit in racist acts.

Minutes of a union meeting on Oct 21, seen by The Telegraph, reveal that students of one faction were denied re-appointment as deputy returning officers (DROs) by Ebrahim Osman-Mowafy, the president, and his supporters after being accused of “institutional racism”.