Are these peace marches? We want to hear from you

This past week, all eyes were on the Home Affairs Select Committee, where the organisers of the weekly anti-Israel marches were grilled by MPs and antisemitism experts gave evidence before parliamentarians.

Notwithstanding the evidence gathered week after week by our Demonstration and Event Monitoring Unit, the organisers of the marches, including leaders of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Stop The War Coalition, insisted that these were peace marches, and that they not only “tolerate” the genocidal “From the River to the Sea” chant but actively chant it.

Are they really peace marches? Watch our video and decide for yourself.

After the organisers had their say, antisemitism experts had their turn answering the Committee’s questions.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Chief Executive, Gideon Falter, pointed out that there is no freedom to intimidate others, glorify terrorism or commit acts of hatred, and contrasted how police at the March Against Antisemitism were there to protect marchers from criminality, whereas at the anti-Israel marches they are there to protect the public from the criminals among the marchers.

This hearing was an opportunity to bring our polling results – your responses to our recent survey – to the attention of lawmakers. Thank you to the thousands of you who participated.

He also did not leave unchallenged Diane Abbott’s claim not to have seen any glorification of terrorism at these anti-Israel protests and her insistence that her Jewish constituents are unafraid to enter Central London during the demonstrations. (After we publicised her comments, members of the Stamford Hill Jewish community contacted us angrily to reject her assertions.)

Watch the exchange in the video.

Have you experienced or witnessed an antisemitic incident?

We are looking to collect filmed testimonials from the Jewish community to capture how British Jews are coping at a time of surging antisemitism.

Please contact us so that we can get in touch about arranging filming.

Solidarity during Chanukah

During Chanukah, it is traditional to display the Chanukah lamp at the window, in order to publicise the miracles that were bestowed on the Jews of antiquity who successfully overcame their oppressors.

This year, particularly after last week’s march, that feeling of defiance is stronger than it has been in a while, and we anticipate that many of the Jewish community’s friends and allies will be looking for ways to continue to show solidarity against antisemitism.

We have created an image of a Chanukah lamp which you can print and place in your window during the eight-day festival, which begins this Thursday evening. We have also included a version that can be coloured in, in case you have children who would like to get involved!

We would love you to send us pictures of images of your Chanukah lamp or the picture of the lamp in your window, which we can share on social media.

“Acheinu” – “Our Brothers”

Campaign Against Antisemitism, in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Rabbi, is delighted to present Jonny Turgel’s “Acheinu”, an anthem for the National Solidarity March Against Antisemitism that took place in Central London on Sunday 26th November 2023.

We were thrilled to have the Chief Rabbi among the speakers at the National Solidarity March Against Antisemitism and to have such an accomplished chazan in Jonny Turgel to express the feelings of the crowd that day.

We are honoured to have worked with him and the Office of the Chief Rabbi to create this music video to immortalise that most extraordinary day and to be able to present it to the Jewish community and our many friends.

Please share the video widely. May it bring light to us all in this particularly dark period for the Jewish people and our wonderful allies.

Wishing our Jewish supporters a Happy Chanukah!