CAA’s Gideon Falter confronts Labour MP Afzal Khan at Chanukah party over historic antisemitic social media posts

Afzal Khan has been confronted at a Chanukah party over his historic antisemitic social media posts.

Gideon Falter, the chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, asked the Labour MP for Manchester Gorton why he had shared a post in 2015, when he was an MEP, that referred to “mass murdering Rothschilds israeli Mafia Criminal Liars” several years ago, and how he had “the gall to show [his] face” at the event, which was being held at the London residence of the US ambassador on 19th December.

The post also said: “Divorce Israel-British-Swiss Rothschilds Crime Syndicate in every way especially homeland security and AIPAC-Wall Street-Pentagon warmongers!” and “Netanyahu = major sales person for Iraq War = puppet of the Zionist mafia like Bush & Clintons!”

Mr Falter reported that he “went up to him and he put his hand out, and I said ‘I don’t shake hands with Jew-haters’. And I asked him what he was doing there.” Mr Khan responded that he had been invited. Mr Falter replied that “Chanukah is the celebration of the triumph of my people over antisemites like you,” asking: “Do you often attend celebrations for people you despise?” Mr Falter further asked: “You shared an article saying that there is a conspiratorial Israeli Rothschild mafia. Lord Rothschild is here. Are you not afraid to be in the presence of such a man?”

Although Mr Kahn said he was “sincerely sorry about this genuine accident” when the post was revealed earlier this year, Mr Falter said that Mr Kahn now denied that he had shared anything antisemitic. Mr Falter showed him a screenshot of the post in question on his mobile phone, as well as a tweet from Mr Khan in 2014 linking to an article with the title: “The Israeli Government are [sic] acting like Nazi’s [sic] in Gaza”.

Mr Falter told Mr Kahn: “You’re not just an antisemite, you’re a brazen liar too.”

Mr Kahn responded that he was going to speak to somebody else, but Mr Falter warned him: “Everywhere you go in this room, I will accompany you so that everyone you try to shake hands with or speak to knows who and what you are, or you can just get out now.” Mr Khan then said goodbye to the ambassador and left.

A spokesman for Mr Kahn erroneously claimed that Mr Falter had “sworn at” Mr Khan and repeated that he had apologised for the offensive social media material.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2019 showed that antisemitism on the far-left of British politics has surpassed that of the far-right.

On 28th May, the Equality and Human Rights Commission launched a full statutory investigation into antisemitism in the Labour Party following a formal referral and detailed legal representations from Campaign Against Antisemitism, which is the complainant.