This evening, Campaign Against Antisemitism led a demonstration outside Downing Street calling on the Government to declare a national emergency on antisemitism and on the Prime Minister to present a plan to tackle the worst levels of antisemitic violence in living memory.
The demonstration came after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green yesterday. Our investigations team uncovered new information about the suspect, which we have made public in the interest of this vital national debate.
After the rally was called yesterday, the Prime Minister visited Golders Green this afternoon, where he was met with a frosty welcome from locals, and he delivered a televised statement to the nation on antisemitism this afternoon.
The evening began with passersby yelling “Free Palestine!” at the assembling crowd. It is 2026 so Jewish people gathering in central London understand that they can expect racially-aggravated abuse as a matter of course. The police moved those passersby on instead of taking action against them.
The crowd was addressed by four speakers.
Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said “Vandalism, arson, firebombing, harassment, violent assault have all become commonplace in the daily lives of the Jewish community. What we need now is a plan put together by serious people. Tough people prepared to take tough action.
“Successive governments have failed the Jewish community, including the current one. We have seen no meaningful action which has consequences playing out before our eyes. This Government has appeased this fanatical hatred. They gaslit us. Tough determined action needed to fix this.
“Patriotic British Jews now worry about their safety each and every day and question their future in this country. Prime Minister, how are you going to deal with this? Prime minister, what is your plan?”
Next to speak was broadcaster and former Minister, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg: “The Jewish people are instrumental to the history of our nation. Jewish people were our older brothers in faith.
“It’s the depths of evil where people are being killed for their religion.
“We need a great cultural change because antisemitism has been on the rise and we all must play our part. Things need to happen, real things. Platitudes serve no real purposes. What we need is proper action.
“You are our people, we are your people, we are one people.”
Lord (Toby) Young, the journalist and Director of the Free Speech Union, spoke next: “Has there ever been a minority who has contributed so much to our national life? I don’t recall a British Jew being elected to Parliament and then saying he has been elected for Israel.”
“We will be poorer if British Jews who are nothing but patriotic leave Britain. Jews for centuries have shown how much they love our country. If we want them to stay we have to show how much we love them.”
Finally, broadcaster and comedian Josh Howie took the stage: “I would like it if we don’t have massive gates and massive walls. That is what we should be working for. They want to give more money for security but I’d like to not have security at all and not live behind walls,” says broadcaster and comedian Josh Howie, the final speaker this evening.
“The only problem with Keir Starmer’s speech is that it is over two years late.
“We have been gaslit by everyone, including this Government.”
The crowd chanted for “Actions, not words!”
There were two arrests made of hostile outsiders: both Public Order offences, one of which was racially aggravated. Unlike in the hate marches, where arrests are made from within the crowd, at demonstrations organised by Campaign Against Antisemitism arrests are never made of participants, because they act lawfully, and any arrests are only of external parties who pose a threat to the crowd.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “After we called this rally, the Prime Minister made a statement in Downing Street, delivering strong words but no timeline for action. We are fed up with words – even if, finally, they were the right ones. What we need is action.
“After almost two years in office during the worst levels of antisemitic violence in living memory, we would have expected the Prime Minister and his Government to have come up with a plan. The previous Government’s failure to deliver one is no excuse. This is a national emergency. So what is the plan?
“We thank everyone who came out this evening and made the voice of the Jewish community and its allies heard.”
