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CAA calls on Home Secretary to intervene after two terror suspects in Hizballah case released on bail

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences as part of an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command.

Detectives arrested a 39-year-old man on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed organisation, preparation for acts of terrorism and being involved in a funding arrangement for the purposes of terrorism. Officers also arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed organisation.

The investigation relates to Hizballah, a proscribed terrorist organisation.

The two men were taken to a London police station, and have since been released on bail until a date in mid-July.

The full Met Police statement can be found here.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The decision to release these suspects on bail, so that they are now free to roam in London until July, is extremely alarming. Hizballah is a proscribed antisemitic genocidal terror group, which seeks the murder of all Jews, and has carried out terrorist attacks against Jews all over the world, from Burgas to Buenos Aires. In 2015, the authorities discovered a cache of three metric tonnes of Hizballah explosives in London. Given the gravity of the allegations in this matter, we are asking the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, to intervene to ensure that Londoners are being adequately protected.”

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A confused policy proposal

The Government has announced that police are to be given greater powers to stop protests near places of worship, including mosques and synagogues.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, intends the policy to “prevent intimidating protests outside places of worship to ensure that people can pray in peace.”

It is not clear to what extent the motivation for this policy relates to antisemitism.

We have urged the Government to do what its predecessor failed to do and act to stop the intimidatory marches through our cities, which have been rife with criminality and support for proscribed terrorist organisations.

The announcement of restrictions on these marches near synagogues and other places of worship appears to be far from enough.

Ultimately, if one accepts that these marches pose a threat to synagogues and thus to the Jewish community, then why is changing their route a solution? To ask the question is to concede the point: as we have been arguing for months now, marches that threaten Jews should be prohibited. To limit the solution to protecting synagogues is to accept only that Jews are entitled to worship without intimidation, but not that they have a right to be free from intimidation anywhere else.

Not only that, but as we have been arguing for months, along with prominent KCs, police have the power to ban these marches and have declined to use those powers. The police have also already used existing powers to prohibit the marches from taking place near synagogues.

This proposal may, therefore, not be as ground-breaking or pertinent as the Government is suggesting, but we hope that this announcement is a sign of a new interest in addressing the worst crisis of antisemitism in living memory, which is being driven by these regular marches.

We look forward to engaging with the Home Secretary to bring about the urgent changes that the Jewish community and our urban centres are craving.

Give a thought to Jewish mothers

This Mother’s Day, we’ve been amplifying the voices of Jewish mothers speaking out about antisemitism and their fears for their children.

We then brought their words to non-Jewish mothers. Watch here to see how they reacted.

Extraordinary from the BBC

Several weeks ago, we submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act to the BBC regarding the so-called documentary titled ‘Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone’.

We have received a staggering response.

Given that the BBC, like all media outlets, urges everyone to be transparent, we hoped that the BBC would have no problem responding quickly to our request asking whether the BBC made payments in relation to the so-called documentary, to whom and in what amounts – in particular whether it had made payments to Hamas or anyone affiliated to it. This was before the BBC admitted that monies had gone to a Hamas family.

Here is what the BBC wrote back to us:

“We have carefully considered your request and concluded that it is clear from your description of the information you are seeking that if the BBC held information of the kind you have asked for, it would all be held for the purposes of journalism, art or literature. The FOI Act does not apply to information held by the BBC for any of those purposes.”

The BBC then referred us to the statement that it has since published, admitting that money went to a Hamas family.

Let’s be clear: the BBC is saying that, in principle, information about money that goes to Hamas terrorists is for the purposes of journalism and can therefore remain secret.

Yes, information about money that goes to Hamas terrorists is considered journalism at the BBC.

Of course, if this happened in any other institution, the BBC would desperately be trying to expose it, on the basis that the public ‘has a right to know’. But when things happen at the BBC, the public has no right to know anything.

Now, the BBC is clutching at whatever it can in its desperate effort to do damage control over this Gaza film fiasco. But it all just goes to show why the BBC cannot be allowed to mark its own homework and why we need an independent investigation into the broadcaster – something that our polling, conducted by YouGov, shows that a majority of the British public supports.

Until there is such an investigation, the licence fee must be suspended. If you agree, please sign the petition.

It has been reported that the BBC has rejected offers of antisemitism training by the Government’s independent advisor on antisemitism. This tallies with our experience: every offer that we have made of antisemitism training to the BBC has been rejected or ignored, as have our repeated calls on the broadcaster to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism, which would help staff and journalists understand what qualifies as antisemitic discourse.

The prospect of the BBC delivering its own antisemitism training, which has also been reported, is plainly absurd.

We are now well over a month since the BBC began to mark its own homework with an internal review into how the so-called Gaza documentary was made and broadcast and licence fee money was paid to a Hamas family. There is still no outcome to this review.

The BBC cannot be allowed to kick this into the long grass. A majority of the British public supports an independent investigation. There must be accountability for endemic BBC bias.

Until there is a proper investigation, the licence fee must be suspended.

In the meantime, there continue to be instances of the BBC putting its thumb on the scales, for example a producer was recently caught requesting an Israeli guest who would be critical of the Israeli Prime Minister. This is not news; it is narrative. The BBC has issued an “unreserved apology” to the Israeli embassy.

Not everybody at the BBC is apologetic, however.

BBC international editor Jeremy Bowen has reportedly claimed that Israel has refused to allow foreign journalists into Gaza to report on the war against Hamas “because there’s stuff there they don’t want us to see.”

It is odd that Mr Bowen would care one way or another, given his record of misreporting things that he does see and refusing to apologise for doing so.

We need an independent investigation into bias at the BBC. Until then, the licence fee must be suspended.

Rogue venues are screening the BBC’s so-called Gaza documentary

Now, the Cubit Gallery is planning to hold a screening this week of ‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone’, the same so-called documentary that the BBC removed from iPlayer after it was revealed that it spotlighted the family member of a Hamas official. The event is being hosted by the Islington branch of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign who, in their description of the event, make reference to “pressure from the Zionist lobby”.

Hamas is an antisemitic genocidal terror organisation responsible for the 7th October attacks in which they murdered some 1,200 people and kidnapped 251. One of the documentary’s cameramen reportedly celebrated the attacks. This documentary is little more than Hamas propaganda, and we will not stay silent about it. Hamas terrorists also still hold 59 hostages in Gaza, and we need all of them home.

We are writing to the Charity Commission regarding the screening, as the Cubit Gallery is a registered charity.

A “right to armed resistance” at Manchester University

Last week, the University of Manchester’s Students’ Union passed a scandalous motion.

One part of the motion reads: “International law enshrines a right to resist occupation…” It also states: “In recognising that, as an occupied nation, the people of Palestine have the right to armed resistance under international law.” The motion can be read in full here.

Yet again, Manchester University Students’ Union has disregarded the concerns of Jewish students to push through a reckless and divisive motion.

Whether or not it is meant as such here, the phrase ‘armed resistance’ is commonly used in this context as a euphemism for terrorism and the destruction of the Jewish state. At a minimum, this motion aspires to deprive the Jewish people of their right to self-determination.

These motions do nothing to change things in the Middle East but contribute to the ostracisation of Jewish students on campus.

Our lawyers are examining whether the motion runs afoul of charitable or criminal law, and we are supporting affected Jewish students.

We have written to the University and the Students’ Union and, if necessary, we will write to the Charity Commission as well.

Naomi, a Jewish student at the University of Manchester, told Campaign Against Antisemitism: “Despite our concerns about this deeply troubling motion, the Students’ Union proceeded with discussions on the Solidarity with Palestine policy. Prior to the assembly, they invited us to a meeting where we voiced our concerns. While they assured us that the policy’s demands cannot be enforced due to the Union’s charitable status, they also acknowledged that its only real impact would be fostering intimidation, an unwelcoming atmosphere, and hostility toward Jewish students and those who proudly support Israel.

“They are trying to create an environment where you have to disavow Israel and your identity to be accepted. This is not what I came to university for, and it is no longer a place where I feel comfortable. What is the university administration going to do about it?”

King’s College London (KCL)

We are also supporting a student at KCL, where the Students’ Union, in a staggering decision, has issued a “formal warning” against a student society that hosted a speaking event which was disrupted by anti-Israel activists with chants of “From the River to the Sea”, rather than to the protesters themselves.

The event, which took place on 27th February, was titled ‘From Conflict to Connection: Israelis & Iranians in Dialogue’, and featured guest speaker Faezeh Alavi, an Iranian researcher and artist, speaking sympathetically about the future of Israel and Iran. The chanting came as part of a barrage of intimidation tactics targeting Ms Alavi and the organiser of the event. Security was forced to escort Ms Alavi out of the lecture theatre, and the event was swiftly and abruptly terminated. Students then continued their abuse and disruption outside the lecture theatre and throughout the corridors of the building.

Following the incident, we wrote to the University calling on the administration to take action and we have been supporting the Jewish KCL student who moderated the event.

Speaking to Campaign Against Antisemitism, the student said that as the day of the event progressed, they became “acutely aware that the event may cause some unnecessary commotion and welcome some unreceptive audience members” owing to spurious information appearing on the event’s sign-up sheet. Approximately fifteen minutes into the event, a “pre-planned” and “premeditated” outburst occurred, alarming the speaker.

The student said: “From what was supposed to be an opportunity to bring together two uncommon allies and opinions that are often silenced in a world flooded with misinformation, became a wholly negative experience where antisemitism was given a lecture room to spread and be promoted to the masses under the guise of being anti-Israel.”

The student alleges that KCL offered virtually no support to him following the incident: “It seems as if the mental hell that I had been dragged through was not enough to get in contact with me. Quite telling, isn’t it? To this day, I am yet to hear from any member of security or any member of a ministerial or senior level at KCL consoling myself, Faezeh, or my guests, or apologising for the disruption.”

The student has now also revealed that the KCL Students for Justice in Palestine Society has since reached out to him, but “failed to apologise directly”.

The student has also disclosed to us that, ten days after the incident, they received an e-mail from KCL’s Students’ Union (KCLSU) informing them that rather than taking action against those who disrupted the event, it was KCL’s Geopolitics Forum – the society to which the student belongs – that received a “formal warning”.

In an e-mail seen by Campaign Against Antisemitism, it was stated that supposed misconduct on the part of the Geopolitics Forum included “behaviour that has a negative impact on other people,” “theft, misuse of funds or damage to KCLSU property,” “actions that are in contravention of KCLSU’s values and likely to damage the reputation of KCLSU or KCL,” and “actions that knowingly or willingly expose KCLSU to threat of legal action”. The e-mail appears to be a staggering example of victim-blaming.

The student forwarded this e-mail to a senior KCL staff member, who allegedly referred to the action as “a clumsy move” from the Students’ Union. When asked whether they felt that the University was supporting its Jewish students, the student replied: “This is drivel. Total nonsense.”

We reached out to KCLSU but they declined to provide a comment, citing confidentiality around student disciplinary issues.

A spokesperson for KCL said: “We are investigating the disruption at a recent student society event in line with our policies and procedures for protest. We fully support and are committed to upholding the right of freedom of speech and of protest within the law, however the safety and wellbeing of our community and visitors to our campuses is our absolute priority. Since October 7 we have engaged with our Israeli, Jewish and wider student societies, to listen to any concerns and provide extensive pastoral support. In response to concerns for safety, both on campus and across London more generally, we have enhanced security measures to keep our community safe on campus.”

KCL and its students’ union should be protecting its Jewish students, not persecuting them. Is it any wonder that only 3% of British Jews are confident that if a Jewish student reported an antisemitic incident on campus, the university’s administration would take appropriate action?

This incident is a stain on KCL. It should issue an apology to the Jewish student and finally go after not the victim but the people who perpetrated the disruption of the event.

University College London (UCL)

Elsewhere in London, masked anti-Israel thugs stopped students and staff from entering UCL while chanting: “Resistance is glorious. We will be victorious!”

Jewish students on campus deserve better, and UCL is failing them.

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].

It is good to see the Government finally showing interest in addressing the worst crisis of antisemitism in living memory.

As a starting point, we need to see real measures to tackle the regular marches, and action regarding the BBC.

We will engage with the Government to bring about those measures – but we will never be afraid to call out failings or hold institutions to account when we believe that they fall short in their duty to defend British Jews.

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New member of Government’s Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition has history of inflammatory online activity

Shaista Gohir, Baroness Gohir has been appointed as a member of the Government’s new Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition.

Lady Gohir is a crossbench peer in the House of Lords and the Chief Executive Officer of Muslim Women’s Network UK.

In 2022, Campaign Against Antisemitism wrote to the Honours Forfeiture Committee regarding several posts published on Lady Gohir’s social media. We have not yet received a decision from the Committee on the status of her OBE.

In 2013, a post on Lady Gohir’s X profile read: “Who controls America’s foreign policy? ISRAEL – they would be the ONLY beneficiaries of a US attack on Syria.”

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Making stereotypical allegations about the power of Jews as collective, such as the myth of Jews controlling the government,” is an example of antisemitism.

We can underscore “stereotypical”: the idea that the Jews – or, now, the Jewish state – have excessive and secret political power is about as old a trope as they come.

Another post read: “Will Israel influence the US vote on whether to invade Syria? Are the AMericans [sic] really on [sic] control of their own decisions? #JustAsking.”

In 2014, a post on her profile read: “US warns Israel over Palestine talks failure. I bet Israel are quaking in their boots – NOT! Don’t they control US? http://bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26416958”

Another post the same year read: “The hold Israel has over world leaders including Muslim ones is extraordinary that they continue to murder Palestinians and get away with it.”

According to the Definition, “Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism, e.g. blood libel, to characterise Israel” is an example of antisemitism.

Another post read: “It’s a shame that media does not highlight all those Jews who are against the Israeli aggression against Palestinians even in Israel.”

According to the Definition, “Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the State of Israel” is an example of antisemitism.

In 2016, another post on X read: “Very worrying that increasingly anyone criticising Israeli govt is deliberately being accused of antisemitism to prevent debate.”

This is an example of the antisemitic ‘Livingstone Formulation’, which holds that Jews level baseless allegations of antisemitism in order to silence criticism of Israel.

The EHRC, in its investigation of the Labour Party, found that this formula was part of the unlawful harassment of Jewish people by the Party.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Baroness Gohir’s social media is riddled with antisemitic tropes. Lady Gohir has no place on a Government committee that is supposed to tackle hatred. You can’t fight bigotry with bigotry. There is an irony that someone who has breached one Government definition is chosen to work on another: is the Government even serious about these definitions? Clearly this appointment must be rescinded.”

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KCL Students’ Union victim-blames hosts for disrupted speaking event instead of anti-Israel protesters responsible for sabotage

In a staggering decision, the King’s College London (KCL) Students’ Union has apparently issued a “formal warning” against a student society that hosted a speaking event which was disrupted by anti-Israel activists with chants of “From the River to the Sea” rather than the protesters themselves.

The genocidal chant ‘From the River to the Sea’, which is regularly heard at anti-Israel protests, refers to the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, and, whether intended or not, is widely understood to represent a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state — and its replacement with a Palestinian state. It is reasonably interpreted to be a call for the annihilation of half the world’s Jews, who live in Israel.

The event, which took place on 27th February, was titled ‘From Conflict to Connection: Israelis & Iranians in Dialogue’, and featured guest speaker Faezeh Alavi, an Iranian researcher and artist, speaking sympathetically about the future of Israel and Iran. The chanting came as part of a barrage of intimidation tactics targeting Ms Alavi and the organiser of the event. Security was forced to escort Ms Alavi out of the lecture theatre, and the event was swiftly and abruptly terminated. Students then continued their abuse and disruption outside the lecture theatre and throughout the corridors of the building.

Following the incident, we wrote to the University calling on the administration to take action and we have been supporting the Jewish KCL student who moderated the event.

Speaking to Campaign Against Antisemitism, the student said that prior to the event taking place, their day started normally. However, as the day progressed, they became “acutely aware that the event may cause some unnecessary commotion and welcome some unreceptive audience members” owing to spurious information appearing on the event’s sign-up sheet.

As the event started, the organiser noticed a senior member of the group KCL Students For Justice For Palestine (KCL SJP) – an official society at the University – sitting near the front. Approximately fifteen minutes into the event, a “pre-planned” and “premeditated” outburst occurred, the student told Campaign Against Antisemitism. The student said that Ms Alavi “was alarmed at the levels of anger and abuse hurled at her during the disruption.”

The student said: “From what was supposed to be an opportunity to bring together two uncommon allies and opinions that are often silenced in a world flooded with misinformation, became a wholly negative experience where antisemitism was given a lecture room to spread and be promoted to the masses under the guise of being anti-Israel.”

The student alleges that KCL offered virtually no support to him following the incident.

Addressing the aftermath directly after the incident, the student said: “From 20:00 onwards, my phone was blowing up. Messages from people checking in with me, people reposting the event disruption on Instagram, Faezeh’s post going viral, receiving messages from media wanting to speak to me as soon as possible, and so forth. The one message I did not receive on the night of – or for days after and even now weeks later – was a message from anyone at KCL to check in with me.

“It seems as if the mental hell that I had been dragged through was not enough to get in contact with me. Quite telling, isn’t it? To this day, I am yet to hear from any member of security or any member of a ministerial or senior level at KCL consoling myself, Faezeh, or my guests, or apologising for the disruption.”

The student has now also revealed that the KCL SJP Society has since reached out to him, but “failed to apologise directly”.

The student is also now disclosing that, at 12:55 on 8th March – ten days after the incident – the student received an e-mail from KCL’s Students’ Union (KCLSU) informing them that rather than taking action against those who disrupted the event, it was KCL’s Geopolitics Forum – the society to which the student belongs – that received a “formal warning”.

In an e-mail seen by Campaign Against Antisemitism, it was stated that supposed misconduct on the part of the Geopolitics Forum included “behaviour that has a negative impact on other people,” “theft, misuse of funds or damage to KCLSU property,” “actions that are in contravention of KCLSU’s values and likely to damage the reputation of KCLSU or KCL,” and “actions that knowingly or willingly expose KCLSU to threat of legal action”. The e-mail appears to be a staggering example of victim-blaming.

The student forwarded this e-mail to a senior KCL staff member, who allegedly referred to the action as “a clumsy move” from the Students’ Union.

When asked whether they felt that the University was supporting its Jewish students, the student replied: “This is drivel. Total nonsense.”

We reached out to KCLSU but they declined to provide a comment, citing confidentiality around student disciplinary issues.

A spokesperson for KCL said: “We are investigating the disruption at a recent student society event in line with our policies and procedures for protest. We fully support and are committed to upholding the right of freedom of speech and of protest within the law, however the safety and wellbeing of our community and visitors to our campuses is our absolute priority. Since October 7 we have engaged with our Israeli, Jewish and wider student societies, to listen to any concerns and provide extensive pastoral support. In response to concerns for safety, both on campus and across London more generally, we have enhanced security measures to keep our community safe on campus.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This appears to be a bad case of victim-blaming. KCL and its students’ union should be protecting its Jewish students, not persecuting them. Is it any wonder that only 3% of British Jews are confident that if a Jewish student reported an antisemitic incident on campus, the university’s administration would take appropriate action? This incident is a stain on KCL. It should issue an apology to the Jewish student and finally go after not the victim but the people who perpetrated the disruption of the event.”

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].

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“Right to armed resistance”: Manchester University Students’ Union proposes scandalous motion

Yesterday, the University of Manchester’s Students’ Union proposed a scandalous and potentially criminal motion.

One part of the motion reads: “International law enshrines a right to resist occupation. Additionally, lawyers and scholars have argued that the use of armed military force by a people exercising the right to self-determination when all other avenues of resistance have been exhausted is legitimate under international law, and that the right of an occupied people to armed resistance is an extension of the right to national self-defence. On the other hand, the right to national self-defence does not extend to occupying nations in the land they are occupying. International law forbids occupying or oppressor nations from taking military action to suppress self-determination. This position has recently been reaffirmed by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese.”

It also states: “In recognising that, as an occupied nation, the people of Palestine have the right to armed resistance under international law.”

The motion can be read in full here.

Naomi, a Jewish student at the University of Manchester, told Campaign Against Antisemitism: “Despite our concerns about this deeply troubling motion, the students’ union proceeded with discussions on the Solidarity with Palestine policy. Prior to the assembly, they invited us to a meeting where we voiced our concerns. While they assured us that the policy’s demands cannot be enforced due to the union’s charitable status, they also acknowledged that its only real impact would be fostering intimidation, an unwelcoming atmosphere, and hostility toward Jewish students and those who proudly support Israel. They are trying to create an environment where you have to disavow Israel and your identity to be accepted. This is not what I came to university for, and it is no longer a place where I feel comfortable. What is the university administration going to do about it?”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Once again, Manchester University students’ union has disregarded the concerns of Jewish students to push through a reckless and divisive motion. Whether or not it is meant as such here, the phrase ‘armed resistance’ is commonly used in this context as a euphemism for terrorism and the destruction of the Jewish state. At a minimum, this motion aspires to deprive the Jewish people of their right to self-determination. These motions do nothing to change things in the Middle East but contribute to the ostracisation of Jewish students on campus. Our lawyers are examining whether the motion runs afoul of charitable or criminal law, and we are supporting affected Jewish students. We will be writing to the university, the students’ union and the Charity Commission.”

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].

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A year and a half on, has anything really changed in law enforcement?

After a year and a half of regular Palestine protests, the scene of a man standing on the entrance to Marble Arch Underground Station waving a flag at the Al Quads Day march has become one of the preeminent and iconic symbols of London.

It has happened with the full acquiescence of the police and criminal justice system, and thanks to politicians too afraid to stand up to the mob.

A photograph of this scene was taken yesterday by our Demonstration and Events Monitoring Unit at the Al Quds Day march in London.

In the past, the Al Quds Day march has been an annual display of support for the murderous theocracy in Iran and its client terror groups like Hizballah. Some cities have banned the march altogether. Since we and others secured the proscription of Hizballah in the UK, the organisers and marchers have had to rethink some of their paraphernalia.

Still, yesterday’s Al Quds Day march featured what we have all come to expect in our nation’s capital at the weekend: support for violent terrorism and calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.

Extremism is on the march in London, and it is a devastating indictment of our political class and of the state of our criminal justice system that they simply do not seem to care.

A week prior to Al Quds Day there was – of course – another Palestine march, which, as ever, our volunteers were present to monitor.

What was interesting about that march was that it took place when there was a ceasefire in Gaza – which was exactly what the Palestine protesters claim to have been calling for over the past year and a half.

Many of us argued that the animosity on these marches went much deeper and spoke to far darker motivations. Hence we were not surprised that, notwithstanding the ceasefire, they continued to march.

But for what?

Judging by the chanting and the signs many seemed to be marching for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state and the exile or murder of its millions of Jewish citizens.

For the few who still believed in the mask, it has well and truly fallen.

A noteworthy intervention

Why are these marches still taking place?

Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, says that he is disgusted by the regular Palestine demonstrations, finding the response of the authorities lacking, and is astonished that the IRGC has not yet been proscribed.

In an interview with the JC, he said: “As a long-serving intelligence officer, I’m disgusted by what I’ve seen in terms of Hamas-supporting demonstrations in the UK, which are clearly very, very intimidating. The Government hasn’t nearly taken a tough enough line. In my view, we should have been like the French and banned them.”

He described Iran as “the primary destabilising force in the Middle East” and, with regard to proscribing the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), said: “I just don’t get why we haven’t done so. It is the agency through which Iran has conducted what I would call ‘arm’s length warfare’. The Quds Force is part of the IRGC, and they’ve made an absolute fundamental aspect of Iranian policy using this agency to destabilise and interfere in the affairs of other countries. I know the Foreign Office arguments for not banning the IRGC, but it should have been identified as a terrorist organisation a long time ago.”

We have been critical of the response of the authorities to the Palestine marches for a year and a half now. We have also long called for the proscription of the IRGC, and our polling shows that 93% of British Jews support a ban. A proscription was promised by the Government prior to the General Election but has not yet been delivered.

So, where are the police?

A few weeks ago, the police finally applied some restrictions to one of the marches, conveniently timed to coincide with Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s victory lap around the Jewish community. This, despite our polling showing that just 5% of British Jews have confidence in him.

Beneath the surface, the police have continued to disappoint.

Their policy of avoiding arrests in real time means that they rely on making identifications of suspects later on, but even then their success has been limited. For example, a woman was taken aside by police at a march a few weeks ago, apparently in connection with a sign that she was holding that glorified the deceased leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar. She was then let go. Later, the police sought to identify her for questioning but apparently could not do so and closed the investigation.

As usual when a public authority fails to do its job, we stepped in, and our Online Monitoring and Investigations Unit looked into the matter and provided her identity to the police. We are waiting to hear if further action is being taken.

Even when details of the case are known to the police and prosecutors, they still often decline to take action.

For example, the Metropolitan Police have decided to close their investigation into an imam at the Redbridge Islamic Centre, claiming that there was not sufficient evidence for a conviction.

The investigation related to a sermon delivered on 20th October 2023. In a video of the sermon, the imam is heard saying, “Oh Allah, curse the Jews and the children of Israel. Oh Allah, curse the infidels and the polytheists,” and “Oh Allah, break their words, shake their feet, disperse and tear apart their unity and ruin their houses and destroy their homes.”

Following an initial investigation, the Met concluded that there was insufficient evidence and closed the case.

In May 2024, Campaign Against Antisemitism notified the Met of our intention to launch a private prosecution of the imam, and over the succeeding months there was also a public outcry as media pressure began to build. Consequently, the Met decided to reopen its investigation. Their conclusion was that they were “not satisfied there was sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction” and they have now decided to close the case again.

It is hard to imagine what more the Met would need to pursue this case. There is video footage and it does not seem that any of the facts are in question, so what the Met is saying is that extremists can preach hatred of Jews from pulpits in mosques up and down the country, and our police will not lift a finger.

This is why eight in ten British Jews think that the police do not do enough to protect them, according to our polling, and why only 16% of British Jews believe that the police treat antisemitic hate crime like other forms of hate crime, with two thirds believing that the police apply a double standard.

We are now working with our lawyers to continue the process of privately prosecuting this case.

We are also awaiting a decision from the Charity Commission on this matter as the mosque where this took place is a registered charity.

Instead of relying on the authorities like everyone else, it is increasingly the case that British Jews have to rely on us to take action to enforce the law of the land.

There are some cases where the police do take action: for example against the Iranian activist and ally of the Jewish community, Niyak Ghorbani.

Mr Ghorbani has become renowned for declaring, in the face of anti-Israel protesters, that Hamas and Hizballah are terrorists under UK law. For doing so, he has repeatedly been arrested by the police, with draconian bail conditions removed by the courts when appealed by our lawyers.

The latest fiasco stemmed from an accusation by a counter-protester against Mr Ghorbani at a demonstration on 12th November last year at Queen Mary University of London. The demonstration was organised to protest Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, who was scheduled to speak at the University. Ms Albanese has long been accused of using antisemitic rhetoric.

The protest was initially organised by Campaign Against Antisemitism, but was cancelled due to security concerns, following an online threat of an ‘Amsterdam-style’ attack, which appeared to refer to a series of violent attacks against Jews in the Netherlands that took place only days earlier. Several protesters, including Mr Ghorbani, proceeded to demonstrate outside the University and were met by counter-demonstrators.

‘Mr Ghorbani was accused by one of the counter-protesters of making racially aggravated threats to kill. They alleged that he said: “I’ll kill you, you Arab b******.” A police investigation was launched but, with our legal assistance, he has since been informed that the investigation has been dropped. The police have also confirmed that an investigation will be opened to determine if the allegation was an attempt to pervert the course of justice.

We will continue to stand with all those who stand with the Jewish community and face repercussions for doing so.

Justice has prevailed, but this case raises serious concerns about the priorities of those tasked with upholding the law.

It isn’t just the police

Recently, a volunteer from our Court Monitoring Unit reported that the CPS has dropped its case against a person whom it had charged with a racially aggravated public order offence for parading around London during one of the Palestine marches in March last year with a sign showing the Israeli flag being thrown in the bin and the caption “Keep the world clean”.

The District Judge said that that the CPS had told him that: “Upon a thorough review of all the evidence it was felt there was no reasonable prospect of conviction.”

This sort of last-minute dropping of charges is unreassuringly reminiscent of the convoy scandal, when the CPS decided at the eleventh hour not to prosecute individuals charged in connection with a car that drove down Finchley Road whose occupants shouted antisemitic, misogynistic vitriol from loudspeakers.

What of the regulators?

We mentioned that we are awaiting a decision regarding the Redbridge Islamic Centre from the Charity Commission.

Lord Walney, the former independent adviser on political violence and disruption, has criticised the Charity Commission for proceeding with investigations at a “glacial pace”.

Our experience sadly confirms this assessment: of all the outstanding complaints that Campaign Against Antisemitism has with the Charity Commission regarding UK-registered charities, fewer than one-fifth have proceeded beyond an automated acknowledgement.

In some cases, it has been months and there is still no word from the Commission as to whether an investigation is even going to be launched. That is aside from the time that it will take for an investigation to be carried out once it is commenced.

Some of these cases involve extremist activity that, in our view, puts Jewish people at risk.

In the meantime, potentially dangerous charities and trustees are able to continue with business as usual and enjoy all of the benefits that charitable status entails.

We appreciate that the regulator may be inundated with actionable complaints, especially since 7th October 2023. But that goes to an even deeper and more worrying issue: the scale of the problem and the threat within Britain’s charitable sector.

This is what ‘globalising the Intifada’ looks like

Faiz Shah, 23, Mohammad Comrie, 23, and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, 20, have been sentenced to eight years and one month in prison after pleading guilty to manipulating Itay Kashti, an Israeli Jew, into traveling hundreds of miles to Wales, where they kidnapped him, handcuffing him to a radiator and beating him.

Why did they do it? Because he is a Jew.

It is astonishing that this crime has not received greater coverage; it may represent a terrible tipping point for Jewish life in Britain.

Mr Kashti said that the incident “felt like my own personal October 7,” in reference to the Hamas massacre in Israel on 7th October 2023 and the terror group’s seizing of hostages, many of whom still remain in captivity in unspeakable conditions.

The gang was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court, where Judge Catherine Richards said that the kidnapping was “motivated by events taking place elsewhere in the world,” adding: “He was an entirely innocent, hard-working music producer that you had identified as a victim based on your understanding of his wealth and his Jewish heritage.”

This is an absolutely horrific crime.

It is an enormous relief that Mr Kashti was able to escape, given that similar abductions of Jews from France to Gaza have ended in murder. This is what ‘globalising the Intifada’ looks like: Jews being subjected to violence motivated by religious hatred.

We are grateful to the police in Wales and to the court for taking a stand. This sentence is a message both to prospective perpetrators of such heinous crimes and also to the authorities elsewhere in Britain, who have turned too much of a blind eye to incitement to violence against Jews.

Suspend the licence fee!

31 days.

That is how long it has been since the BBC announced that it had launched an “internal review” into how it commissioned and aired a so-called documentary on Gaza that spotlighted the family member of a Hamas official. It was later revealed that licence fee money actually went to that Hamas family.

One month, and still no update for the public on this internal review. Britain deserves better than this.

No other broadcaster in Britain would be allowed to get away with marking its own homework with a mere internal review into such a major scandal, which is why we have called for an independent investigation.

We will not let the BBC kick this into the long grass with an endless review. The BBC must publish the result of its naval-gazing, and then we can have a proper independent investigation, which a majority of the British public supports.

Until there is an independent investigation, clearly the licence fee must be suspended.

Sign the petition at suspendthelicencefee.com.

In the midst of all the negative news, there is a bright spot.

The All Party Parliamentary Group on UK-Israel has published a report on the Hamas attack of 7th October 2023. The report was authored by esteemed historian Lord Robert of Belgravia.

As the report explains: “This report is driven by a single purpose: to chronicle the facts of 7 October with clarity and precision. By compiling survivor testimonies, eyewitness accounts, first responder narratives, and expert analyses, this project has sought to create an authoritative historical record. This report will serve as an enduring resource for governments, educators, and civil society, safeguarding the truth against denialism and distortion.

“By preserving these facts for posterity, the Commission seeks to honour the memory of those who died and ensure that the events of 7th October 2023 are never forgotten. It should also stand as a stark reminder of the cost of extremism.”

The report memorialises the eighteen British citizens murdered by Hamas and observes that more British citizens were killed on 7th October than in any foreign terror attack since 9/11. One might question whether the previous or current governments have acted in a way commensurate with this extraordinary statistic.

It is tragic that a report is necessary to counter denialism of an attack whose perpetrators filmed themselves in action.

But we are fortunate to have legislators and historians who still value truth and decency and brought about this worthwhile project.

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Once again, needless police investigation into anti-Hamas activist dropped following legal support from CAA

A police investigation into an activist renowned for declaring, in the face of anti-Israel protesters, that Hamas and Hizballah are terrorists under UK law, has been dropped.

The investigation stemmed from an accusation by a counter-protester against Niyak Ghorbani at a demonstration on 12th November last year at Queen Mary University of London.

The demonstration was organised to protest Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, who was scheduled to speak at the University. Ms Albanese has long been accused of using antisemitic rhetoric.

The protest was initially organised by Campaign Against Antisemitism, but was cancelled due to security concerns, following an online threat of an ‘Amsterdam-style’ attack, which appeared to refer to a series of violent attacks against Jews in the Netherlands that took place only days earlier. Several protesters, including Mr Ghorbani, proceeded to demonstrate outside the University and were met by counter-demonstrators.

Mr Ghorbani, who is of Iranian heritage, was accused by one of the counter-protesters of making racially aggravated threats to kill. They alleged that he said: “I’ll kill you, you Arab b******.” A police investigation was launched.

He has since been informed that the investigation has been dropped.

The police have also confirmed that an investigation will be opened to determine if the allegation was an attempt to pervert the course of justice.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement for Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “We welcome the decision to drop the ludicrous investigation against Niyak Ghorbani, who should never have been subjected to this ordeal in the first place. It is appalling that those who speak out against terrorism are targeted while actual extremists go unchallenged. We are proud yet again to have provided legal assistance to Mr Ghorbani, and we will continue to stand with all those who stand with the Jewish community and face repercussions for doing so. Justice has prevailed, but this case raises serious concerns about the priorities of those tasked with upholding the law.”

Anyone requiring legal assistance over an incident relating to antisemitism can contact us at [email protected].

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Extremism is on the march: Another annual Al Quads Day in London

Today saw the annual Al Quds Day march in London and other cities in the UK and abroad.

The Al Quds Day march in the UK is convened by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), a controversial charity best known for these Al Quds Day events, which in the past have featured IHRC-badged placards that read “We are all Hizballah”. Hizballah is an antisemitic genocidal terror organisation.

As ever, our Demonstration and Events Monitoring Unit was present at today’s march.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “In the past, the Al Quds Day march has been an annual display of support for the murderous theocracy in Iran and its client terror groups like Hizballah. Some cities have banned the march altogether. Since we and others secured the proscription of Hizballah in the UK, the organisers and marchers have had to rethink some of their paraphernalia.

“Sunday’s Al Quds Day march featured what we have all come to expect in our nation’s capital at the weekend: support for violent terrorism and calls for the destruction of the Jewish state. Extremism is on the march in London, and it is a devastating indictment of our political class and of the state of our criminal justice system that they simply do not seem to care.”

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UK-Israel APPG publishes report on Hamas attack of 7th October 2023

The All Party Parliamentary Group on UK-Israel has published a report on the Hamas attack of 7th October 2023. The report was authored by esteemed historian Lord Robert of Belgravia.

As the report explains: “This report is driven by a single purpose: to chronicle the facts of 7 October with clarity and precision. By compiling survivor testimonies, eyewitness accounts, first responder narratives, and expert analyses, this project has sought to create an authoritative historical record. This report will serve as an enduring resource for governments, educators, and civil society, safeguarding the truth against denialism and distortion.

“By preserving these facts for posterity, the Commission seeks to honour the memory of those who died and ensure that the events of 7th October 2023 are never forgotten. It should also stand as a stark reminder of the cost of extremism.”

The report observes that more British citizens were killed on 7th October than in any foreign terror attack since 9/11.

The report also memorialises the eighteen British citizens murdered by Hamas:

Bernard Cowan
Nadav Popplewell
Roi Popplewell
Nathanel Young
Danny Darlington
Jake Marlowe
Aner Shapira
Dvorah ‘Debbie’ Abraham
Yonatan Rapoport
Lianne Clair Brisley [Sharabi]
Noiya Sharabi
Yahel Sharabi
Benjamin “Benji” Trakeniski
Yannai Hetzroni-Heller
Liel Hetzroni-Heller
Rotem Kalderon
Yosef Malachi Guedalia
Dor Hanan Shafir

May their memory be a blessing.

In addition, the British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari was released in a ceasefire deal in January 2025, after fifteen months in Hamas captivity.

The report further notes that several victims, though not British citizens, have strong ties to Britain.

Eli Sharabi is the husband and father of the deceased British-Israeli citizens, Lianne, 48, and Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, who were murdered by Hamas on 7th October. Eli was taken as a hostage into Gaza and was recently released in a ceasefire deal. Yossi Sharabi, Eli’s brother, was taken into captivity by Hamas and murdered.

Oded Lifshitz was taken hostage by Hamas along with his wife, Yocheved. Both were peace activists. While Yocheved was released in October 2023, Oded was kept in captivity by Hamas and murdered. His daughter, Sharone, is a British citizen residing in the UK.

Avinatan Or was taken hostage from the Nova Music Festival on 7th October, along with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani. His mother, Ditza, is British. Avinatan and Noa were separated and taken to Gaza by Hamas terrorists. Noa was rescued by Israeli soldiers. Avinatan remains in Hamas captivity.

Tsachi Idan, 50, was taken hostage from his home, where his daughter Maayan was murdered by Hamas. Tsachi was murdered in captivity. His cousin, who has long been working to raise awareness of the plight of the hostages, lives in the UK.

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Problems on campus aren’t going away – but CAA is there to help

Problems on university campuses are persisting, but Campaign Against Antisemitism has been extremely active scrutinising universities, students unions’ and student societies and holding perpetrators to account, to defend Jewish students and staff.

Here are some examples of our recent work:

  • We wrote to the Vice-Chancellors of numerous universities where student societies had signed a “Joint Statement on the Ceasefire” earlier this year. The statement commented on the recent Hamas-Israel ceasefire and contained a considerable amount of alarming and dangerous rhetoric, including “Glory to the martyrs. Glory to the resistance,” and “Long Live The Intifada.” A reader is left in no doubt that the statement intends to glorify violence conducted in part or in whole by a proscribed terrorist group. It also repeatedly calls for “continued strategic efforts to dismantle the zionist entity [sic],” which could be understood as a call for the destruction of the state of Israel – the world’s only Jewish state – and the annihilation of its citizens. So far, we have received a number of encouraging responses from universities, including the University of Reading and the University of Liverpool, which are both launching an investigation; the University of Greenwich, where the relevant society has rescinded its support for the statement; and the University of Leeds, which agrees that the language is unacceptable and has asked the students’ union to investigate.
  • LSE recently held a book launch event titled ‘Understanding Hamas and Why That Matters’. The book’s synopsis described Hamas as “a widely misunderstood movement” and said that “the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has been subjected to intense vilification.” It appeared to be an outrageous attempt to whitewash Hamas’ barbaric acts of horror, and we called it out in the media and wrote to the University. LSE refused to listen to the concerns of the Jewish community and proceeded with the appalling event, but the event’s description was edited and the event, originally open to the public, was subsequently limited to students and then further restricted to LSE students only, and, as recordings obtained by Campaign Against Antisemitism showed us, the scrutiny succeeded in ensuring that those involved were extremely careful in what they said. We were ready to intervene over anything actionable – and, in view of the public outcry that preceded the event – they must have known that.
  • We wrote to King’s College London about disgraceful scenes at a speaker event which was disrupted by a group of students chanting “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free” as part of a barrage of intimidation tactics targeting guest speaker Faezeh Alavi, an Iranian actress and filmmaker and human rights activist speaking sympathetically about the future of Israel and Iran, and the organiser of the event. Security was forced to escort Ms Alavi out of the lecture theatre and the event itself swiftly and abruptly terminated. Students then continued their abuse and disruption outside the lecture theatre and throughout the corridors of the building. We have called on the University to take action and are supporting the students involved.
  • We wrote to UCL regarding an invitation to Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to speak on campus, an appalling decision that sends a damning message to Jewish students. Campaign Against Antisemitism has previously protested her appearances at other campuses. Separately, we have called on the University and the Charity Commission to investigate the Director of Equity, Inclusion and Culture at UCL, who is also one of the trustees of Save One Life UK and the Director of Strategy and Communications at that charity, over allegations that some of the money that it distributes to children may have been diverted to Hamas.
  • The University of East London has decided to uphold the International Definition of Antisemitism after we wrote to the University as part of a consultation that the University was carrying out. The University adopted the Definition in 2021, but decided to review its adoption last year, citing concerns from staff members about “potential stifling of freedom of speech” during a review of its Position Statements and Charter Marks. Campaign Against Antisemitism has published resources on the interaction of the International Definition of Antisemitism and rights to freedom of speech, and we monitor the adoption of the Definition by universities. You can find up-to-date information at antisemitism.org/universities.
  • Sarah Cotte, 20, from London, has been charged with two counts of expressing support for Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation. She is listed as the President of the SOAS ‘Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!’ Society. According to the Met Police, the first charge relates to a public speech she allegedly made in October 2023 that endorsed and celebrated Hamas’ 7th October attacks in Israel and invited support for those who committed them in a video that was subsequently broadcast online. The second charge pertains to comments made in a WhatsApp group.
  • The Goldsmiths Students’ Union and numerous non-student societies and groups from beyond the University have published a statement declaring their refusal to engage with a long-running independent inquiry into antisemitism at the University. Campaign Against Antisemitism provided a submission to the inquiry many months ago. It is extraordinary that a students’ union would refuse to engage with an inquiry against racism, and underscores just how toxic campuses have become and how the authorities there cannot be relied upon to safeguard Jews.

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].

Father of British-Israeli 7th October victim announced his refusal to pay BBC licence fee

Michael Marlowe, the father of Jake Marlowe, a 26-year-old British-Israeli citizen who was brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists on 7th October 2023 whilst working unarmed as security for the Nova musical festival in Southern Israel, has told us that he will no longer pay the licence fee to the BBC, calling it a “hate-filled organisation”.

“For decades, the BBC stood as the bastion of honest and trustworthy reporting. It was the world’s first point of call for global and national news, respected for its integrity and neutrality. But that BBC is long gone. Over the years, it has been overtaken by countless other media outlets. Once a pillar of credibility, it has now become a national embarrassment—bloated, blinkered, and anything but neutral. It is rotten from top to bottom. It is morally corrupt.

“In my view, it is a vile, hate-filled organisation that is no longer fit for purpose. The BBC won’t even call Hamas – a terrorist organisation that murdered our son, Jake Marlowe – what it is. This is why I have cancelled my TV licence. The BBC’s refusal to acknowledge this has stripped it of any remaining credibility.”

Do you feel the same way?

Sign our petition to suspend the BBC licence fee.

Since our national full-page newspaper advertisements last weekend, we have maintained the pressure on the BBC, including in the media – and we will continue to do so until there is fundamental change at the broadcaster.

How we celebrated Purim

The festival of Purim celebrates Jewish victory over genocidal adversaries, a theme that has recurred throughout the last several millennia.

Genocidal antisemitism did not end with the Nazis. It is sadly alive and well, including nowadays among Islamist Jew-haters like Hamas, enabled by supporters and useful idiots in the West.

Purim is also a time when, because we are confident of Jewish survival, Jews can laugh at their enemies. That may be difficult while the Jewish state is still at war, Jewish hostages are still in captivity and Jewish people around the world face the worst levels of antisemitism in a generation and most authorities seem unwilling to acknowledge and address the problem.

But despite all this hardship, there is still the possibility of merriment, because the Jewish people know that, ultimately, we will survive this too.

With that in mind, at Campaign Against Antisemitism, we joined in the spirit of the festival – that of levity and satire.

For example, for those who did not have a costume ready, we offered a last-minute option: The BBC Contributor.

Also for Purim, we published the BBC’s not-so-official glossary, to help viewers, listeners and readers understand how the BBC translates terms to fit its narrative.

Finally, we also managed to get a hold of comedian and broadcaster Josh Howie’s BBC correspondent audition tape. For his submission, Josh decided to report on the BBC’s recent documentary on Gaza.

If you’re outraged that as part of the production of the so-called documentary, licence fee money went to a Hamas family, sign our petition.

Anybody who thought that antisemitism problems on campus would disappear with the end of the last academic year or with the agreement of a ceasefire in Gaza, was certain to be disappointed.

The radicalisation of students, student societies and their unions and the reluctance of most university administrations to take action unless there are legal or financial consequences to not doing so, means that life on campus for Jews is much less secure than it is for others.

We believe that this state of affairs is totally unacceptable, and we will continue to work with Jewish students and staff to hold their peers and administrations to account.

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Gang sentenced for kidnapping of Itay Kashti

Faiz Shah, 23, Mohammad Comrie, 23, and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, 20, have been sentenced to eight years and one month in prison after pleading guilty to manipulating Itay Kashti, an Israeli Jew, into traveling hundreds of miles to Wales, where they kidnapped him, handcuffing him to a radiator and beating him.

Mr Kashti said that the incident “felt like my own personal October 7,” in reference to the Hamas massacre in Israel on 7th October 2023 and the terror group’s seizing of hostages, many of whom still remain in captivity in unspeakable conditions.

The gang was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court yesterday, when Judge Catherine Richards said that the kidnapping was “motivated by events taking place elsewhere in the world,” adding: “He was an entirely innocent, hard-working music producer that you had identified as a victim based on your understanding of his wealth and his Jewish heritage.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This is an absolutely horrific crime. It is an enormous relief that Mr Kashti was able to escape, given that similar abductions of Jews from France to Gaza have ended in murder. This is what ‘globalising the Intifada’ looks like: Jews being subjected to violence motivated by religious hatred. We are grateful to the police in Wales and to the court for taking a stand. This sentence is a message both to prospective perpetrators of such heinous crimes and also to the authorities elsewhere in Britain, who have turned too much of a blind eye to incitement to violence against Jews.”

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CAA resumes private prosecution after Met says it was not incitement for imam to preach: ‘curse the Jews’

The Metropolitan Police have decided to close their investigation into an imam at the Redbridge Islamic Centre, claiming that there was not sufficient evidence for a conviction.

The investigation related to a sermon delivered on 20th October 2023. In a video of the sermon, the imam is heard saying, “Oh Allah, curse the Jews and the children of Israel. Oh Allah, curse the infidels and the polytheists,” and “Oh Allah, break their words, shake their feet, disperse and tear apart their unity and ruin their houses and destroy their homes.”

Following an initial investigation, the Met concluded that there was insufficient evidence and closed the case.

In May 2024, Campaign Against Antisemitism notified the Met of its intention to launch a private prosecution of the imam, at which point the Met decided to reopen its investigation.

The Met then sought early advice from the Senior District Crown Prosecutor, it said, who concluded that the rhetoric did not cross a criminal threshold. The Met also told Campaign Against Antisemitism that it consulted senior counsel and an “expert academic”, whom it did not name.

The Met then told us that its senior officers concluded that they were “not satisfied there was sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction” and have now decided to close the case again.

Campaign Against Antisemitism intends to recommence our private prosecution, which we had paused during the Met’s re-investigation.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “After a year and a half, senior Met commanders have concluded that a call in a mosque to ‘curse the Jews’ does not constitute incitement. This is an appalling betrayal.

“It is hard to imagine what more the Met would need to pursue this case. There is video footage and it does not seem that any of the facts are in question, so what the Met is saying is that extremists can preach hatred of Jews from pulpits in mosques up and down the country, and our police will not lift a finger. This is why eight in ten British Jews think that the police do not do enough to protect them, according to our polling.

“We will now work with our lawyers to continue the process of privately prosecuting this case. We are also awaiting a decision from the Charity Commission on this matter as the mosque where this took place is a registered charity. Instead of relying on the authorities like everyone else, it is increasingly the case that British Jews have to rely on us to take action to enforce the law of the land.”

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Who is Dr Amal Saad?

Dr Amal Saad is a lecturer at the School of Law and Politics at Cardiff University.

According to her X profile, which has a following of over 35,000, she is a “Scholar of Hizballah and politics of Resistance Axis”.

So, what gets posted on this account?

In 2019, a post appeared on Dr Saad’s X account which read: “When you’re eager to call a legitimate and popular resistance like Hizbullah [sic] ‘terrorist’ but refer to the murder of Muslims by white supremacists a ‘terrible act’ rather than a ‘terrorist act’, that’s precisely the type of racism and Islamophobia that enables white terrorism.”

Hizballah is a proscribed antisemitic genocidal terror group.

On 8th October – one day after Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel in which some 1,200 people were murdered and 250 were taken hostage – Hizballah launched rockets from Lebanon into the world’s only Jewish state. According to Hizballah, this was purportedly done “in solidarity” with Gaza.

The same year, another post from her X account, also on the topic of Hizballah, read: “Absolutely shameful to equate with al-Qaeda affiliates, a legal and legitimate popular resistance movement that’s an integral part of the Lebanese state, which closely coordinates with the Lebanese army & security forces and represents a significant segment of the Lebanese people.”

In November last year, a post appeared on her X profile which described Israel – the world’s only Jewish state – as a “terrorist state”. It also compared Israel to ISIS.

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g. by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour,” is an example of antisemitism.

Her account also reposted a post from another account which read: “Everyone in Gaza is a Holocaust survivor.”

According to the Definition, “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is an example of antisemitism.

Her account also reposted a post from another account which read: “Zionism is an absolute irredeemable evil that must be eradicated. To support this is to be a repugnant, depraved individual.”

According to our polling, 80% of British Jews consider themselves to be Zionists; only 6% do not.

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].

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UEL upholds International Definition of Antisemitism, following CAA input

The University of East London has decided to uphold the International Definition of Antisemitism after Campaign Against Antisemitism wrote to the University as part of a consultation that the University was carrying out.

The University adopted the Definition in 2021, but decided to review its adoption last year, citing concerns from staff members about “potential stifling of freedom of speech” during a review of its Position Statements and Charter Marks.

Campaign Against Antisemitism monitors the adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism by universities.

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].

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CAA calls on UCL to ban Francesca Albanese

Campaign Against Antisemitism is writing to the UCL, following the announcement that Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, will be speaking at an event on campus.

Ms Abanese has a well-documented history of using rhetoric that alienates Jews. Last year, Campaign Against Antisemitism organised several protests at London universities after it was announced that she was due to address students.

Below is a sample of her past rhetoric:

  • She has previously posted about “the Jewish lobby” and is alleged to have told a Hamas-organised conference that they have “the right to resist”.
  • She has made innumerable comparisons between Israelis and the Nazis, in breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism, which has been adopted by the British Government and UCL.
  • In 2022, she reportedly addressed a conference in Gaza in which she stated “You have a right to resist this occupation.” The conference was reportedly organised by Hamas and numerous spokespeople from both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) were present. Both Hamas and the PIJ are proscribed as terrorist organisations by the UK Government.
  • Last year, she was condemned by the French Foreign Ministry after she posted on X: “The victims of 7/10 were not killed because of their Judaism but in response to Israel’s oppression,” after President Macron described the 7th October attacks as “the largest antisemitic massacre of our century”.
  • A 2014 open letter that she posted on her Facebook account read: “America and Europe, one of them subjugated by the Jewish lobby, and the other by the sense of guilt about the Holocaust, remain on the sidelines and continue to condemn the oppressed — the Palestinians — who defend themselves with the only means they have.” This is also a breach of the Definition.
  • According to The Times of Israel, in 2014 in a now-hidden post on Facebook directed at the BBC, she wrote: “The Israeli lobby is clearly inside your veins and system and you will be remembered to have been on the big brother’s side of this orwellian [sic] nightmare caused once again by Israel’s greed.” Also a breach of the Definition.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The decision to welcome Francesca Albanese on campus is appalling and sends a damning message to Jewish students. She has previously posted about ‘the Jewish lobby’ and is alleged to have told a Hamas-organised conference that they have ‘the right to resist’. Everyone knows by now how Jews feel about this inflammatory activist. Are these appearances just to bait Jews? At a time when Jewish students are experiencing an unprecedented surge in antisemitism, Ms Albanese’s presence on campus only exacerbates the issue. We will be writing UCL.”

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Abu Wadei arrested, following investigation by CAA

Abu Wadei, who was recently reported to have arrived in the United Kingdom on a dinghy, has reportedly been arrested, following an investigation by Campaign Against Antisemitism.

The initial investigation found that Mr Wadei has been part of a Hamas-endorsed unit responsible for violence on the Gaza-Israel border, and has told a rally in Gaza that he wanted to “die for the sake of Allah”, along with various other details.

We also uncovered a video posted to Facebook on 18th September 2024, in which Abu Wadei is heard praying: “Oh Allah, punish the Jews and those who support them. Oh Allah, punish the Jews and those who support them. Oh Allah, punish the Jews and those who conspire with them. Oh Allah, punish the Jews and those who are in league with them. Oh Allah, kill them all ,and do not leave a single one of them. Oh Allah, destroy them completely, scatter them completely, and make the earth fall from under their feet.”

He is also heard praying: “Oh Allah give us strength against the criminal Jews. Give us strength against them, Oh Lord of the worlds. Give us strength against them, Oh God.”

Mr Wadei seems to have been living without attracting attention in Switzerland and Germany for two years, despite having hundreds of thousands of followers on social media accounts that showcase his involvement in violence in Gaza. Suddenly a few days ago, it appears that he has decided to cross Europe and risk his life to come to Britain.

We believe that Abu Wadei’s name is Mosab Al Qasas.

We also obtained a WhatsApp number that appears to be his, registered in Greece.

It appeared that he was receiving money via PayPal using paypal.me/MosabAlqassass. We reported the account to PayPal.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We welcome the reported arrest of Abu Wadei. It is evident that he poses a threat to the safety of the Jewish community and to the British public more widely. Clearly he should not be at liberty in the UK. We are now asking the Home Office to confirm that this case will be expedited and we are seeking assurances on the anticipated timeframes. We are also asking why nobody seemed to have worked out who he was until our investigators exposed him.”

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CAA launches national newspaper ads calling for suspension of TV licence fee

Campaign Against Antisemitism has launched a full-page ad campaign in today’s Sunday newspapers calling for the suspension of the TV licence fee, pending an independent investigation into the BBC in relation to the Gaza film scandal and wider issues of bias against the Jewish state in its coverage.

The striking ads observe that a majority of the British public supports the launch of an independent investigation, according our polling.

The campaign comes following a protest, organised by Campaign Against Antisemitism, on Thursday at Broadcasting House where protesters told the BBC: “We refuse to fund terrorists with our licence fee!”

We are encouraging the public to sign our petition calling for the suspension of the licence fee, at suspendthelicencefee.com.

In addition, 200 figures from the entertainment industry have signed an open letter calling for an investigation into the BBC, including Ozzy and Sharon Osborne, Debra Messing and Mayim Bialik.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “It is unconscionable to force people to pay a licence fee that for years has funded biased reporting and has now been handed to the family of a Hamas terrorist. The BBC has offered to investigate itself, but the British public is having none of it and a clear majority now wants an independent investigation into this latest scandal and the underlying rot of BBC bias that enabled it to happen. The licence fee must be suspended pending an independent investigation.

“Thousands of people have already signed our petition at suspendthelicencefee.com, and now celebrities are adding their voices too. Everyone has had enough of BBC bias and handing licence fee money to a Hamas terrorist’s family has to be the final straw.”

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Further information surfaces following CAA investigation into Abu Wadei

Campaign Against Antisemitism has uncovered further information about Abu Wadei, who was recently reported to have arrived in the United Kingdom on a dinghy.

The initial investigation found that Abu Wadei has been part of a Hamas-endorsed unit responsible for violence on the Gaza-Israel border, and has told a rally in Gaza that he wanted to “die for the sake of Allah”, along with various other details.

We have now uncovered a video posted to Facebook on 18th September 2024, in which Abu Wadei is heard praying: “Oh Allah, punish the Jews and those who support them. Oh Allah, punish the Jews and those who support them. Oh Allah, punish the Jews and those who conspire with them. Oh Allah, punish the Jews and those who are in league with them. Oh Allah, kill them all ,and do not leave a single one of them. Oh Allah, destroy them completely, scatter them completely, and make the earth fall from under their feet.”

He is also heard praying: “Oh Allah give us strength against the criminal Jews. Give us strength against them, Oh Lord of the worlds. Give us strength against them, Oh God.”

Mr Wadei seems to have been living without attracting attention in Switzerland and Germany for two years, despite having hundreds of thousands of followers on social media accounts that showcase his involvement in violence in Gaza. Suddenly a few days ago, it appears that he has decided to cross Europe and risk his life to come to Britain.

We believe that Abu Wadei’s name is Mosab Al Qasas.

We have obtained a WhatsApp number that appears to be his, registered in Greece.

He also appears to receive money via PayPal using paypal.me/MosabAlqassass. We have reported the account to PayPal.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We consider that this man poses a threat to public security and are asking the Home Office for urgent assurances that he is in secure custody pending further investigation. A jihadi whose stated ambition is ‘to die for the sake of Allah’ and prayed for the slaughter of all Jews must not be permitted to be at large in this country.

“The fact is that he has brazenly posted not only these views, but also his involvement in a Hamas-endorsed unit in Gaza on social media accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers. It is alarming in the extreme that he does not appear to have attracted the attention of the authorities in numerous European countries and has now arrived in the UK with relative ease, having openly posted videos on each stop of his journey to the UK.”

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CAA finds dinghy arrival to UK was part of Hamas-endorsed unit in Gaza

An investigation by Campaign Against Antisemitism has revealed that a man who posted on TikTok earlier today about his arrival in the UK was a member of a Hamas-endorsed unit involved in serious violence on the Gaza-Israel border who wants to “die for the sake of Allah”.

The man, who goes by Abu Wadei, posted a video on TikTok this morning showing the final steps of his journey from Gaza to Britain, in a dinghy. We have been urgently looking into who he is.

We have identified him in a video in which he took the microphone at a rally, apparently in Gaza. He told the crowd that he is a member of the “tyre burning unit”, which was active in the Hamas-endorsed violent border riots in 2018 and 2019. He then railed against Jews, adding that his “loftiest aspiration” is to “die for the sake of Allah”.

At the same rally, men chant a battle cry referring to a massacre of Jews: “Jews, remember the battle of Khaybar, the army of Muhammad is returning.”

The “Khaybar” chant is a classic Arabic battle cry referencing the massacre and expulsion of the Jews of the town of Khaybar in northwestern Arabia, now Saudi Arabia, in the year 628 CE. The chant has been heard in numerous anti-Israel rallies in Britain and abroad.

We have also found photographs of Abu Wadei apparently at a conference addressed by Yahya Sinwar. Sinwar is the deceased leader of the antisemitic, genocidal terrorist group Hamas. He was one of the primary organisers behind the group’s barbaric 7th October 2023 attack on Israel in which some 1,200 people were murdered and over 250 were taken hostage, 59 of whom are still held by Hamas.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We are asking the Home Office to take immediate action to locate Abu Wadei and ensure that he cannot pose a threat to public security. Anyone who may have a track record of being in any way affiliated with Hamas or promoting antisemitic rhetoric must not be permitted to endanger this country.

“If jihadis who want ‘to die for the sake of Allah’ can enter the United Kingdom from Gaza with relative ease, that poses a serious threat to national security.”

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Protesters tell the BBC: “We refuse to fund terrorists with our licence fee!”

This evening, protesters gathered at Broadcasting House to tell the BBC: “We refuse to fund terrorists with our licence fee!”

The protest was organised by Campaign Against Antisemitism, following the BBC’s admission of ‘serious flaws’ relating to the so-called documentary, ‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone,’ and confirmation that licence fee payers’ money was handed to the family of a senior Hamas official.

The crowd was addressed by Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, who said: “A national treasure has become a national embarrassment.”

Broadcaster and comedian Josh Howie told demonstrators: “We have no choice. We are all compelled to be here—compelled by decades of racism, compelled by the distortions, the omissions and the outright lies—all in service of creating a warped biased hateful narrative that has been directed at our community by the BBC. And just as much, we are also compelled to be here by the decades of inaction, dismissal and denial by the BBC of that racism.”

At last week’s protest, he announced on stage that he will no longer pay the BBC licence fee.

We then heard from actress and columnist Dame Maureen Lipman, who asked: “Where is the balance?”

She continued: “As always, all I ask for is a level playing field.”

Natalie Sanandaji, who survived the Nova music festival massacre on 7th October, where a reported 364 people were murdered by Hamas terrorists, told the crowd: “This is not just a case of poor judgment. This is an active betrayal of the trust that the public has in institutions like the BBC. The BBC is supposed to be a respected, reliable source of news for the British public. The BBC is supposed to uphold standards of fairness and responsibility. And yet here they are, amplifying the voices of those connected to the very people who are responsible for the deaths of our friends, our families, our communities.”

We then heard from Mark Birbeck, founder of Our Fight UK, who said: “There are a lot of people like me that feel that first and foremost, journalism should be about truth and transparency.”

The protest came following another protest at the Broadcasting House last week, also organised by Campaign Against Antisemitism, where protesters demanded that the broadcaster stop whitewashing terrorism.

On Tuesday, BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC Chair Dr Samir Shah spoke at a Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearing, where Mr Davie insisted that the BBC is the “most trusted brand in the world”.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The BBC has allowed licence fee money to go to the family of a Hamas terrorist in the production of what was essentially a Hamas propaganda film. The majority of the British public now backs our call for an independent investigation.

“The BBC is trying to pretend that it is business as usual while hoping to get away with an internal report, but the British public is having none of it and does not want the BBC to mark its own homework. That is why we want the licence fee to be suspended pending an independent investigation into this scandal and the wider issue of the BBC’s glaring bias.

“It is unconscionable to force people to pay a licence fee that pays for biased reporting and has now even been handed to the family of a terrorist.”

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New polling on BBC, as we prepare to protest this evening

New polling commissioned by Campaign Against Antisemitism and conducted by YouGov shows that 57% of the British public back an independent investigation into the BBC Gaza film scandal; only 21% do not.

A majority of the British public do not trust the BBC to investigate themselves.

Campaign Against Antisemitism will be demonstrating at the Broadcasting House at 19:00 this evening.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The BBC has allowed licence fee money to go to the family of a Hamas terrorist in the production of what was essentially a Hamas propaganda film. The majority of the British public now backs our call for an independent investigation.

“The BBC is trying to pretend that it is business as usual while hoping to get away with an internal report, but the British public is having none of it and does not want the BBC to mark its own homework. That is why we want the licence fee to be suspended pending an independent investigation into this scandal and the wider issue of the BBC’s glaring bias.

“It is unconscionable to force people to pay a licence fee that pays for biased reporting and has now even been handed to the family of a terrorist.”

Full polling results

“Last month the BBC pulled a documentary about Gaza after it was revealed that the narrator was the teenage son of a Hamas official. Do you think there should or should not be an independent investigation into how this came to happen?”

  • Definitely should 31
  • Probably should 26
  • Probably should not 14
  • Definitely should not 7
  • Don’t know 23
  • TOTAL SHOULD 57
  • TOTAL SHOULD NOT 21

“Last month the BBC pulled a documentary about Gaza after it was revealed that the narrator was the teenage son of a Hamas official. How much, if at all, would you trust the following to investigate how this happened?”

The BBC themselves?

  • A lot 6
  • A fair amount 22
  • Not very much 26
  • Not at all 32
  • Don’t know 14
  • TOTAL A LOT / FAIR AMOUNT 28
  • TOTAL NOT VERY MUCH / AT ALL 58

OfCom?

  • A lot 12
  • A fair amount 37
  • Not very much 23
  • Not at all 10
  • Don’t know 18
  • TOTAL A LOT / FAIR AMOUNT 49
  • TOTAL NOT VERY MUCH / AT ALL 33

Fieldwork

Polling was conducted by YouGov plc, with frieldwork undertaken on 4th – 5th March 2025 with a sample size of 2,147 adults in GB.

The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). YouGov are a member of the British Polling Council and abide by their rules.

You can find the full results here.

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BBC Director-General insists “We’re the most trusted brand in the world,” despite controversy surrounding Gaza documentary

This morning, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee heard from Dr Samir Shah, Chair of the BBC, and the Director-General of the BBC, Tim Davie.

The hearing comes as the BBC has been engulfed in scandal, following its publication of the so-called documentary, ‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone’.

Rupa Huq, Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, appeared to doubt the BBC’s decision to remove the documentary and remarked: “There might be a danger of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.”

Dame Caroline Dinenage, Conservative MP for Gosport and Chair of the Committee, addressed Dr Shah regarding Ofcom’s announcement that it may intervene in the BBC’s investigation, remarking that “trust matters” and asked: “Can the BBC mark their own homework?”

She added: “A film like this has huge value but we have to be able to trust what we are seeing.”

Dr Samir Shah responded: “We have literally marked our own homework,” and noted that the BBC’s system of doing an investigation “is not in itself a bad thing” but admitted that “Ofcom’s position is right.” He also said: “We will get to the bottom of this and take appropriate actions.”

James Frith, Labour MP for Bury North, asked: “Will the scope of your inquiry confirm if the money paid for the documentary ended up with Hamas?” Mr Davie responded: “Yes, of course.” Mr Frith noted: “It’s fair to assume that if the family of a senior Hamas leader is paid, that that money goes into the orbit of Hamas.” Mr Davie insisted: “I’ve told you what I know.”

Damian Hinds, Conservative MP for East Hampshire, noted: “Given that Hamas are in administration in Gaza, presumably things that happen there have their say-so… therefore there must have been a whole series of questions. The question really is: Did you have questions that were unanswered or did you have questions that were answered incorrectly by the production company?” He continued, “Surely on the precautionary principle, until you had full comfort on those types of questions, the thing should not have been aired in the first place.”

Dr Shah admitted, “This is a really, really bad moment,” and agreed that the “mechanics of the filmmaking itself” needed to be investigated. He said that “There’s a dagger to the heart of the BBC’s claim to be impartial and to be trustworthy.”

He added: “We need to restore trust in the BBC.”

Paul Waugh, Labour MP for Rochdale, noted: “Surely it’s possible to edit this film so you remove the narrator – in other words, the point of contention – and you still allow the children’s voices to be heard by everyone, then the licence fee payer can see for themselves what the message is.”

Mr Davie said that although “there was absolutely legitimate journalism to be done here…We need to do the work and understand the questions and then make that decision.”

He continued: “This was a serious failing, but we have trust numbers that we’re very proud of. We’re the most trusted brand in the world.”

Ms Huq asked if the BBC would do a documentary using IDF bodycam footage, citing a similar documentary by Al Jazeera, which she said she hadn’t seen.

Mr Davie responded: “There’s not an area of scope we wouldn’t make a documentary. It’s a question of editorial controls.”

He added: “We report without fear or favour and we want to get to the truth.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “As expected, Tim Davie and Dr Samir Shah delivered the expected answers to the Committee. But no amount of spin can cover for either the scandal of this so-called documentary and the wider problem of bias at the BBC, or the outrageousness of the BBC marking its own homework with an internal review instead of an independent investigation.

“No other broadcaster would be permitted this latitude, and no other regulated industry would allow this. It bears restating: licence fee funds went to the family member of a senior member of a proscribed terrorist organisation. How can it possibly be business as usual at the BBC? Outside scrutiny must be allowed into the BBC’s clique to see what has been done with the public’s money. The licence fee must be suspended pending an independent investigation.”

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As our petition calling for a suspension of the licence fee grows, we will be protesting again outside the BBC this Thursday

In view of new developments relating to the BBC’s so-called documentary about Gaza that was tantamount to a Hamas propaganda film – including that licence fee funds did go to the family of a senior Hamas official, more on which below – we will be protesting again outside the BBC this Thursday.

  • When: 19:00, Thursday 6th March
  • Where: Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London W1A 1AA

There is no need to sign up. Placards will be provided.

We hope that you will join us.

Please also sign our petition calling for a suspension of the licence fee here, and read more below about why this is so important.

Last week, we put the BBC on notice

Thank you to everyone who joined our protest outside the BBC last week.

Together, we showed the BBC that its bias against Israel – which an overwhelming majority of British Jews believes fuels persecution of Jews – is intolerable, and that the prospect that licence fee monies went to Hamas was the last straw.

The crowd gathered outside Broadcasting House to call on the BBC to stop whitewashing terrorism and to hold our national broadcaster to account.

We were calling for answers:

Why did the Gaza film get aired?
Did money go to Hamas?

We needed transparency and accountability from the BBC.

First to speak was Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, who said: “The BBC has become a mouthpiece for terror. It cannot call terrorism by its name. The BBC has become a spokesperson for terrorists.”

Recent events have not occurred in a vacuum. For sixteen months, we have watched our national broadcaster provide ever more sympathetic coverage to a proscribed terrorist organisation.

Hence the need for a full inquiry into the BBC’s bias in its coverage of the Jewish state.

Next came David Collier, the investigative researcher who exposed the BBC in his investigation into the so-called documentary about life in Gaza.

“Last Monday night, the BBC aired a Hamas propaganda documentary. Four days later they took it down. But let us be clear about one key point: They did not take it down because it was raw Hamas propaganda. They did not take it down because it was full of distortion and lies. They did not even take it down because it featured continuity issues and children reading from their Hamas written scripts. All of those issues may be true – but the key point is this: The only reason the BBC took down its documentary is because they were caught and this time – they had no excuses to hide behind.”

Judging by the reaction, the crowd seemed to agree.

After a minute’s silence in memory of those slaughtered by Hamas on 7th October and in the sixteen months since, we then had the honour of hearing from Michael Marlowe.

Michael’s beloved son Jake was among the 1,200 murdered by the antisemitic terrorists that day.

“For decades, the BBC stood as the bastion of honest and trustworthy reporting. It was the world’s first port of call for global and national news, respected for its integrity and neutrality. But that BBC is long gone.”

Finally, the crowd heard from the broadcaster and comedian Josh Howie, who declared on stage that he will no longer be paying his license fee.

“Jews and non-Jews are here together to tell the BBC we’ve had enough. Together we declare: ‘No to a licence of hate’.”

It says something about the strength of feeling in the Jewish community that Josh – and he isn’t alone – is prepared to risk penalties by announcing his refusal to pay the licence fee.

We also asked protesters why they had come and what they thought of the BBC.

We also submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act asking whether any payments made by the BBC in relation to Gaza film went to Hamas or those associated with it.

It is time for transparency, and resignations.

The BBC must stop being allowed to mark its own homework. Currently the BBC reviews complaints about its coverage and appeals of those complaints, and only further appeals go to Ofcom. This is unique, as complaints regarding all other broadcasters go directly to Ofcom.

It is time to bring regulation of the BBC into line with other broadcasters.

Recent events have not occurred in a vacuum. As noted, for sixteen months, we have watched our national broadcaster provide ever more sympathetic coverage to a proscribed terrorist organisation, and that follows decades of biased coverage.

It is time for a full and independent inquiry into the BBC’s coverage of the Jewish state.

We are also very grateful to our friends in Sussex, who organised a local protest at BBC Sussex last week as well.

The protest and the wider scandal have been covered across the national press, our Chief Executive penned an op-ed for LBC and our spokespeople gave interviews to the broadcast media.

Subsequent developments

More revelations emerged about the documentary, including regarding other protagonists and cameramen, even as Gary Lineker, Miriam Margolyes and other usual suspects criticised the BBC for pulling the film.

It was also revealed that the BBC had mistranslated words like ‘jihad’ and ‘Jews’ in ways that downplayed violent antisemitism among Gazans.

By lying like this, the BBC is actually shielding Hamas and trying to brainwash audiences.

This is not impartial, and it’s not accurate. It is the BBC putting its thumb on the scales and breaching its editorial guidelines to cover for people who want Jews dead.

Interestingly, it also emerged that, in 2013, the BBC Trust dismissed complaints against the BBC for similarly translating the Arabic word for ‘Jew’ as ‘Israeli’, despite concerns that this whitewashed antisemitism. Among the trustees at the time of the ruling was apparently David Liddiment.

According to The Telegraph, Mr Liddiment was previously a founding member and creative director of All3Media. All3Media is the international distributor of – you guessed it – the ‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone’ so-called documentary at the heart of the BBC scandal over bias and terrorism.

This is why the BBC cannot be allowed to continue marking its own homework.

The Culture Secretary was pressed in Parliament about the scandal, and revealed that she had already sought assurances from BBC Director General Tim Davie that no money had gone to Hamas.

Days later, those assurances were still not forthcoming, which already said it all.

The bombshell

The BBC eventually admitted that licence fee funds were paid to the family of a senior Hamas official.

It has not yet been able to rule out that further payments to Hamas members were made as it continues to investigate where hundreds of thousands of pounds went.

The BBC released a statement that represented an exercise in desperate damage control, and shows why an internal review is no substitute for an independent investigation into this documentary and the wider bias at the BBC that allowed it to be made and aired.

Clearly those responsible must lose their jobs.

It is unconscionable that the British public should have to pay a licence fee to an organisation that gives that money to proscribed terrorists. It represents a shocking double standard in our law.

Pending an independent investigation, the licence fee must be suspended.

A criminal investigation?

The BBC’s apparent admission that licence fee funds went to the family of a senior Hamas official also clearly gives rise to concern about breach of terrorism financing laws.

That is why we are among those who have reported the BBC to Counter Terrorism Policing.

The Met Police told us: “We’re aware of a BBC documentary about Gaza and we have received a number of reports raising concerns. Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are currently assessing whether any police action is required in relation to this matter.”

We are grateful to the Met for giving this urgent attention, as it is clearly very significant and firmly within the public interest.

Ofcom weighs in

Now, Ofcom has weighed into the scandal, warning that it may open an investigation itself into the BBC.

Despite the BBC’s admission that licence fee funds went to a senior Hamas official’s family, amazingly it is still being allowed to mark its own homework with an internal review, rather than an independent investigation.

No other broadcaster would get away with this.

Ofcom’s intervention cannot come soon enough. It is time to do away altogether with the BBC’s unique and absurd right to regulate itself, and make Ofcom the first port of call for complaints about the BBC.

Our petition

We have launched a petition, calling for a suspension of the licence fee, pending a full, independent investigation.

It is utterly unconscionable that we should still be required to pay a fee that apparently may go to a proscribed terrorist organisation sworn to the destruction of the Jewish people.

A national treasure has become a national embarrassment.

You can sign the petition here.

It’s about time: Met imposes restrictions on Swiss Cottage anti-Israel protests

You may recall that we recently invited those local to Swiss Cottage to reply to the consultation regarding the weekly anti-Israel protests there.

Thank you to those who were able to do so.

Finally, after more than a year, the police have moved the weekly protests taking place in Swiss Cottage, an area with a significant Jewish population.

These protests have been taking place every week on Friday evenings. As the Jewish community has been ushering in Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, they have had to listen to calls for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state, support for Hamas and the 7th October attack, blood libels and more.

We welcome the move from the Met Police. What took so long?

Campaign Against Antisemitism lights London orange for the Bibas family

Over the past week, cities and landmarks around the world lit up orange in memory of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, who were brutally murdered by Hamas and have now been laid to rest.

Disappointingly, London did not light up a landmark.

We fixed that.

On Saturday night, Campaign Against Antisemitism lit up Trafalgar Square in Central London to honour the Bibas family, murdered by antisemitic terrorists.

May their memory be a blessing.

The BBC’s admission that licence fee money went to the family of a senior Hamas official is outrageous.

It must be the final straw for the Jewish community, and the final nail in the coffin for a licence fee that the Jewish community has been forced to pay to an institution whose bias has put the safety of British Jews at risk.

We must make our voices heard again. Please sign the petition, and please join us to protest outside the BBC this Thursday.

We look forward to seeing you then.

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CAA to protest at BBC on Thursday over payment to senior Hamas family

Campaign Against Antisemitism will be demonstrating outside BBC Broadcasting House at 19:00 on Thursday 6th March.

Over the past weeks, the BBC has been engulfed in scandal, following its publication of the so-called documentary, ‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone’.

Last week, the BBC shared an e-mail with staff and released statements regarding the progress of its internal review into the documentary. In the e-mail, it admitted to ‘serious flaws’ and confirmed that licence fee payers’ money was handed to the family of a senior Hamas official.

The payment was for the appearance of a boy in the film. Clearly the filmmakers knew who the boy’s family were because they paid them, but rather than the boy’s actual family appearing in the film, audiences were shown a fake family to hide the truth of his real family’s deep involvement with Hamas. The BBC says that it maintained full editorial control and responsibility for the film.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has called for an independent investigation and for a suspension of the licence fee pending the outcome of that investigation.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “A national treasure has become a national embarrassment. The BBC has now admitted that licence fee funds were paid to the family of a senior Hamas official. It has not yet been able to rule out that further payments to Hamas were made as it continues to investigate where hundreds of thousands of pounds went. It is unconscionable that the British public should have to pay a licence fee to an organisation that gives that money to proscribed terrorists. That is why we invite everyone to join us at 19:00 on Thursday outside the Broadcasting House. Enough is enough. We refuse to fund terrorists.”

CAA lights up Trafalgar Square orange for Bibas family
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CAA lights up London orange for Bibas family

After London, unlike other major cities, did not light up a landmark orange in memory of the Bibas family, we did so last night in Trafalgar Square.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism: “Over the past week, cities and landmarks around the world lit up orange in memory of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, who were brutally murdered by Hamas and have now been laid to rest. Disappointingly, London did not light up a landmark. We fixed that.

“Last night, Campaign Against Antisemitism lit up Trafalgar Square in Central London, to honor the Bibas family, murdered by antisemitic terrorists. May their memory be a blessing.”

You can see the full picture here: https://x.com/antisemitism/status/1896172740136108268

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CAA launches petition calling for suspension of TV licence fee

Campaign Against Antisemitism has launched a petition calling for the suspension of the TV licence fee, pending an independent inquiry into whether the BBC handed licence fee to Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation.

You can sign the petition at antisemitism.org/suspendthelicencefee.

Outrage has engulfed the BBC over its so-called documentary ‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone’, which is just the latest in a longstanding pattern of bias and brazen misreporting.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, has demanded that the BBC’s Director-General, Tim Davie, give her assurances that licence fee funds did not end up in the hands of terrorists.

Not only has he been unable to provide those assurances, but the BBC has now admitted that money went to the family of a senior Hamas official, and it is still investigating whether further licence fee funds came into terrorists’ hands.

The longer that this goes on, the more untenable Tim Davie’s position starts to look.

We have had enough of letting the BBC mark its own homework. We call for an independent investigation and for a suspension of the licence-fee pending the outcome of that investigation.

The investigation must look into the commissioning and production of this propaganda film, how much licence-fee money was handed to terrorists, and the BBC’s longstanding history of bias on this subject.

It is unconscionable that the British public should be forced to pay money to an institution that has apparently given money to a proscribed terrorist organisation, and whose biased broadcasting has become propaganda instead of journalism.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “A national treasure has become a national embarrassment. The BBC has now admitted that licence fee funds were paid to the family of a senior Hamas official. It has not yet been able to rule out that further payments to Hamas were made as it continues to investigate where hundreds of thousands of pounds went. The BBC’s statement is an exercise in desperate damage control, and shows why an internal review is no substitute for an independent investigation into this documentary and the wider bias at the BBC that allowed it to be made and aired. Clearly those responsible must lose their jobs.

“It is unconscionable that the British public should have to pay a licence fee to an organisation that gives that money to proscribed terrorists. It represents a shocking double standard in our law. Pending an independent investigation, the licence fee must be suspended.”

Sign the petition now at antisemitism.org/suspendthelicencefee.

CAA protest outside the BBC on 25th February 2025
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BBC appears to admit that licence fee funds went to senior Hamas family

The BBC, engulfed in scandal, has shared an e-mail with staff and released statements regarding the progress of its internal review into the so-called documentary about Gaza.

You can read the full e-mail and statements below.

The BBC’s admission of ‘serious flaws’ is an exercise in damage control. They now admit that licence fee payers’ money was handed to the family of a senior Hamas official. That payment was for the appearance of a boy in the film. Clearly the filmmakers knew who the boy’s family were because they paid them, but rather than the boy’s actual family appearing in the film, audiences were shown a fake family to hide the truth of his real family’s deep involvement with Hamas. The BBC says that they maintained full editorial control and responsibility for the film, so either that is true and the BBC is to blame for this lie and has only come clean because they were caught, or they actually did not have editorial control and are simply conducting damage limitation.

None of this even begins to explain the editorial decisions that are plain for all to see, such as the decision to refer to Hamas terrorists as an ‘army’, or to deliberately mistranslate ‘jihad against the Jews’ as ‘resistance against the Israelis’.

What is most telling of all is that the BBC is behaving as though this is a one-off problem, not a symptom of a wider rot within the organisation. They have paid money to a Hamas official’s family, which could have been discovered using Google, and simply labelled it as a ‘serious mistake’. That is a matter for resignations and police investigation. They are conducting their own internal review just of this programme, but an organisation like the BBC does not end up giving money to a senior Hamas official just by accident: it is part of a pervasive problem of bias enabled by a wilful blindness to its own deep flaws.

The BBC cannot be allowed to mark its own homework on a matter this serious. There must be an independent investigation into bias at the BBC. Pending the outcome of that investigation, the licence fee must be suspended. Hundreds of people are contacting us telling us that they refuse to pay the licence fee until they can be sure that the BBC is trustworthy.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “A national treasure has become a national embarrassment. The BBC has now admitted that licence fee funds were paid to the family of a senior Hamas official. It has not yet been able to rule out that further payments to Hamas were made as it continues to investigate where hundreds of thousands of pounds went. The BBC’s statement is an exercise in desperate damage control, and shows why an internal review is no substitute for an independent investigation into this documentary and the wider bias at the BBC that allowed it to be made and aired. Clearly those responsible must lose their jobs.

“It is unconscionable that the British public should have to pay a licence fee to an organisation that gives that money to proscribed terrorists. It represents a shocking double standard in our law. Pending an independent investigation, the licence fee must be suspended.”

These developments come after:

  • Gary Lineker, Miriam Margolyes and hundreds of others signed a letter criticising the BBC for pulling the so-called documentary;
  • Further revelations have come to light about mistranslations in the film that sanitise the antisemitic vitriol in Gaza;
  • Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told Parliament that she has sought assurances from the BBC but was still waiting on the results of the BBC’s internal review;
  • Campaign Against Antisemitism and others have reported the BBC to Counter Terrorism Policing, which is reviewing the case.

BBC e-mail and statements

Yesterday, Deborah Turness the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, shared the following e-mail and statement with staff.

Subject: A message about ‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone’

Dear all,

I’m writing in relation to the documentary ‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone’.

I’ve been working with a senior team over the past week to investigate the concerns surrounding the programme, and to prepare a report for the BBC Board which met earlier today. I’m sharing below a statement from the BBC and the BBC Board which will go out shortly.

I’d like to acknowledge the impact this episode has had on our reputation, and on the trust that you work hard to earn each and every day.

Since joining BBC News as CEO, my priority has been to drive transparency in our journalism to grow that trust, and these events damage the good work we have been doing together.

It’s important to say here that this is exactly the kind of journalism BBC News should be doing, and that we must continue to do. In turbulent times, we must find a way to go to difficult places to tell important stories. But of course, we have to get it right.

Finally, I would like to recognise that this is a difficult time, particularly for our hard working colleagues in the Current Affairs team, whose journalism is admired across the industry.

The BBC statement below contains information from our initial fact finding work and some details of the actions we are taking.

Thank you for your continued work and dedication.

Deborah Turness
CEO, BBC News and Current Affairs

BBC Statement on “Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone”:

BBC News has conducted an initial review on the programme “Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone”. Today the BBC Board was updated on that work. The review has identified serious flaws in the making of this programme. Some of these were made by the production company, and some by the BBC; all of them are unacceptable. BBC News takes full responsibility for these and the impact that these have had on the Corporation’s reputation. We apologise for this.

Nothing is more important than the trust that audiences have in our journalism. This incident has damaged that trust. While the intent of the documentary was aligned with our purpose – to tell the story of what is happening around the world, even in the most difficult and dangerous places – the processes and execution of this programme fell short of our expectations. Although the programme was made by an independent production company, who were commissioned to deliver a fully compliant documentary, the BBC has ultimate editorial responsibility for this programme as broadcast.

One of the core questions is around the family connections of the young boy who is the narrator of the film. During the production process, the independent production company was asked in writing a number of times by the BBC about any potential connections he and his family might have with Hamas. Since transmission, they have acknowledged that they knew that the boy’s father was a Deputy Agriculture Minister in the Hamas Government; they have also acknowledged that they never told the BBC this fact. It was then the BBC’s own failing that we did not uncover that fact and the documentary was aired.

Hoyo Films have told us that they paid the boy’s mother, via his sister’s bank account, a limited sum of money for the narration. While Hoyo Films have assured us that no payments were made to members of Hamas or its affiliates, either directly, in kind, or as a gift, the BBC is seeking additional assurance around the budget of the programme and will undertake a full audit of expenditure. We are requesting the relevant financial accounts of the production company in order to do that.

Given the BBC’s own failings, the Director-General has asked for complaints on this matter to be expedited to the Editorial Complaints Unit, which is separate from BBC News. Alongside this a full fact-finding review will be undertaken; the Director-General has asked Peter Johnston to lead this work.

Peter Johnston, the Director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews, is independent of BBC News and reports directly to the Director-General. He will consider all of the complaints and issues that have been raised. He will determine whether any editorial guidelines have been broken; rapidly address the complaints that have been made; and, enable the BBC to determine whether any disciplinary action is warranted in relation to shortcomings in the making of this programme. This will include issues around the use of language, translation and continuity that have also been raised with the BBC.

We have no plans to broadcast the programme again in its current form or return it to iPlayer and will make a further assessment once the work of Peter Johnston is complete.

Statement from the BBC Board:

“The BBC Board met today. The subject matter of the documentary was clearly a legitimate area to explore, but nothing is more important than trust and transparency in our journalism. While the Board appreciates that mistakes can be made, the mistakes here are significant and damaging to the BBC.

“The Board has required the Executive to report back at the earliest opportunity on the outcomes of the work the Director-General has commissioned.”

Crowd holds placards in protest outside the BBC
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Protesters tell the BBC: “Stop whitewashing terrorism”

This evening, protesters gathered at the Broadcasting House to demand that the BBC stops whitewashing terrorism.

The protest was organised by Campaign Against Antisemitism, following the broadcast of a documentary that was tantamount to a Hamas propaganda film.

The crowd was addressed by Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, who said: “The BBC has become a mouthpiece for terror. It cannot call terrorism by its name. The BBC has become a spokesperson for terrorists.”

We then heard from investigative researcher David Collier, who exposed the BBC in his investigation into the documentary, who said: “Last Monday night, the BBC aired a Hamas propaganda documentary. Four days later they took it down. But let us be clear about one key point. They did not take it down because it was raw Hamas propaganda. They did not take it down because it was full of distortion and lies. They did not even take it down because it featured continuity issues and children reading from their Hamas written scripts. All of those issues may be true – but the key point is this: The only reason the BBC took down its documentary is because they were caught and this time – they had no excuses to hide behind.”

Michael Marlowe, the father of Jake Marlowe, who was brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists during the 7th October attack, told the crowd: “For decades, the BBC stood as the bastion of honest and trustworthy reporting. It was the world’s first port of call for global and national news, respected for its integrity and neutrality. But that BBC is long gone.”

Broadcaster and comedian Josh Howie declared on stage that he would no longer be paying his license fee, saying: “Jews and and non-Jews are here together to tell the BBC we’ve had enough. Together we declare: ‘No to a licence of hate.’”

Those in attendance also observed a minute’s silence for those that were murdered on 7th October 2023 and hostages who were since murdered in Hamas captivity and those still being held.

What are we calling for?

  1. Licence-fee funds: We have submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act asking whether the BBC made payments in relation to its ‘Gaza How to Survive a War Zone’ so-called documentary, to whom and in what amounts. This is an opportunity for the BBC to come clean on whether licence fee funds have gone to Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation, or those associated with it. It is time for transparency, and resignations.
  2. Regulation: The BBC must stop being allowed to mark its own homework. Currently the BBC reviews complaints about its coverage and appeals of those complaints, and only further appeals go to Ofcom. This is unique, as complaints regarding all other broadcasters go directly to Ofcom. It is time to bring regulation of the BBC into line with other broadcasters.
  3. Independent inquiry: Recent events have not occurred in a vacuum. For sixteen months, we have watched our national broadcaster provide ever more sympathetic coverage to a proscribed terrorist organisation, and that follows decades of biased coverage. Our polling shows the overwhelming majority — 92% — of British Jews believe media bias against Israel fuels antisemitism, and look on the BBC’s coverage disfavorably (it performs the worst among broadcasters). We need a full and independent inquiry into the BBC’s coverage of the Jewish state.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The absolute scandal of this so-called documentary is the tip of the iceberg. We’ve shown how the BBC also literally copy and paste phrases from Hamas spokespeople and quote them as fact. The BBC have become spokespeople for terrorists. They might know that if they were prepared to acknowledge terrorism and call it by its name, but sixteen months since 7th October and they still can’t call Hamas what they are.

“We all came out this evening because it is time for transparency and accountability. We need to know if licence fee funds went to Hamas, we need to know how a Hamas propaganda programme was broadcast, we need resignations and we finally need an independent inquiry into BBC bias against the Jewish state. The problem is clear to everyone now – except, apparently, the BBC. That’s when you know there’s an institutional problem.”

Background

In the past week alone, the BBC has demonstrated time and again how it has become a mouthpiece for terrorists.

Broadcasting Hamas propaganda film

Last week, BBC Two broadcast a documentary called “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone”. It was directed by Yousef Hammash and Jamie Roberts and purported to follow the lives of four young people during the current Hamas-Israel war in the Strip.

The independent researcher David Collier investigated the protagonists and has alleged that one of the principal children featured in the film who also serves as the documentary’s narrator – Abdullah Al-Yazouri – is related to a senior Hamas official.

Al-Yazouri featured in a Channel 4 documentary last year, where he reportedly appeared under the name Abdullah Abu Shamala alongside a man claiming to be his father. That man, whom Mr Collier identified as Khalil Abushammla, is a former Director of anti-Israel NGO Al-Dameer, which allegedly has links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist group.

Al-Yazouri’s real father is allegedly Mr Khalil’s brother-in-law, Ayman Al-Yazouri, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture in the Hamas Government in Gaza.

This would hardly be the first time that Gazans have played roles for gullible Western media, which has failed to do due diligence or has played along for reasons of convenience or ideology.

Mr Collier’s research makes further allegations about these individuals.

The BBC has essentially published long-form propaganda for an antisemitic genocidal terror organisation with licence-fee funds.

These broadcasts have real-life consequences for British Jews, 92% of whom rate our national broadcaster’s coverage of matters of Jewish interest as unfavourable, according to our polling.

Providing a megaphone for Hamas claims

Days after allegations that our national broadcaster published Hamas propaganda, it finally offered a flimsy apology in which it stated that it will air the so-called documentary again but will “add some more detail to the film”.

Then it provided a stage for stomach-churning claims from the very same antisemitic genocidal group.

How about pointing out that the hostages — including a baby and a four-year-old whom the terrorists kidnapped — would still be alive had they not been taken from their home by Hamas in the first place?

Why does the BBC insist on treating Hamas as though it were some neutral party?

It is a proscribed terrorist organisation that has explicitly stated its goal is the annihilation of Jews and Israelis wherever they may be around the world.

How can the BBC claim that this article is provided “For context” without providing that context?

How can they tell their worldwide audience and the British public who pay their salaries that Hamas says “it would have preferred to have returned them alive” when Hamas’s goal is the murder of every Jew?

(This was before Israeli examinations appeared to suggest that these hostages were murdered in cold blood and not killed by an Israeli airstrike as Hamas had claimed.)

All that the BBC has done is provide a megaphone for Hamas’s bogus and insulting claims.

Coverage of the Hamas ‘handover’ ceremony

But it got worse still.

Here is how the BBC summarised the transfer of the four coffins of dead hostages, and the picture that it published of the backdrop of the cruel and twisted Hamas ‘handover’ ceremony.

What the BBC carefully excluded from the picture of smiling (now dead) hostages was the antisemitic portrayal of the Israeli Prime Minister as a blood-sucking vampire looming over the pictures of the hostages who were abducted by Hamas and killed in captivity.

The BBC summary failed in its coverage to say anything more than that the ceremony was similar to previous choreographed events.

For some reason, our public broadcaster opted not to mention that Gazan civilians reportedly participated in the ceremony and danced to celebratory music as the coffins of dead Jewish children lay before them.

The BBC also declined to report that the coffins were labelled “date of arrest: 7th October 2023”, that they were apparently locked with no key provided to the Israelis, and that they had to be checked for explosives, given Hamas’s history and its aspiration to murder as many Jews as it can.

This was before it was discovered by Israeli authorities that the fourth body was not that of Shiri Bibas or indeed of any hostage. After that discovery, things still did not improve.

The “mix-up”

In a post and in its news article, the BBC referred to Hamas’s failure to hand over the body of Shiri Bibas as a mere ‘mix-up’.

They did not put that phrase in inverted commas, instead portraying the assertion of a mix-up as a fact.

In reality, however, the phrase is a quote from a Hamas spokesperson – who claimed that the bodies of people killed in an Israeli airstrike were simply “mixed-up”, which was purportedly why Shiri Bibas’s body was confused with another.

But that was nonsense, as Israel later determined that Shiri and her infant child and baby were murdered in cold blood.

Still, it did not stop the BBC from parroting the Hamas propaganda verbatim and representing it as fact, rendering the broadcaster in effect literally a spokesperson for Hamas.

Further revelations

The so-called documentary has since also come under fire regarding a second child and other protagonists.

Furthermore, this week, fresh allegations have surfaced that one of the cameramen in the making of the film, Hatem Rawagh, celebrated Hamas’ brutal attack on social media.

On the day of the attack, one of the posts on his account reportedly read, “Whoever missed Oct 6 in Egypt … Oct 7 is happening in Palestine,” in an apparent reference to the Yom Kippur war in 1973.

Another post, which was published the following day on the account, showed a video of an Israeli soldier being shot by a terrorist with the caption: “You are going to come back to this video a million times.”

It is time for the BBC to stop whitewashing terrorism and serving as spokespeople for terrorists. There must be an independent investigation into the BBC’s bias in relation to its Middle East coverage.

Thank you to everyone who came out this evening to make your voices heard.

Image credit: Nathan Lilienfeld/Campaign Against Antisemitism

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High Court rules on meaning of Roger Waters’ statement about producer of our documentary, John Ware

The High Court in London has today ruled on the meaning of Roger Waters’ statement about John Ware, the producer of our documentary, The Dark Side of Roger Waters.

The renowned investigative journalist John Ware sued Mr Waters and the channel Al Jazeera for defamation after Mr Waters called Mr Ware a “lying, conniving Zionist mouthpiece” and accused Mr Ware of “cheerleading the genocide of Palestinians” during an interview on Al Jazeera.

The animus is believed to have been triggered by our documentary, The Dark Side of Roger Waters, which Mr Ware produced and presented. The documentary investigated past conduct by Mr Waters towards individual Jewish people and the Jewish community more generally, revelling previously unknown e-mails and interactions.

Mr Waters repudiated the documentary, but did not question the veracity of its findings.

The Hon. Mrs Justice Jennifer Eady DBE found that Mr Waters’ assertion that Mr Ware is a ’cheerleader of genocide’ was a statement of fact, as opposed to an honest opinion, which will make it harder for Mr Waters and Al Jazeera to defend.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism: “We welcome this judgment on the meaning of Roger Waters’ attack on John Ware, who presented and produced our documentary, The Dark Side of Roger Waters, which questioned Mr Waters’ history of inflammatory conduct towards Jewish people.

“The Judge held that accusing someone alleging antisemitism as being a ‘cheerleader for genocide’ is making a defamatory claim which he either has to put up or shut up about. We have every confidence that there are no bricks in this particular wall.

“Mr Waters said that his late mother told him to read around the subject; maybe he should start by reading the judgment.”

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Join us this Tuesday to protest outside the BBC

This Tuesday, we will be demonstrating outside BBC Broadcasting House, following the broadcast of a documentary that was tantamount to a Hamas propaganda film.

  • When: 19:00, Tuesday 25th February
  • Where: Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London W1A 1AA

There is no need to sign up. Placards will be provided.

We hope that you will join us.

You can read more about the BBC’s latest crimes against journalism below.

In the past week alone, the BBC has demonstrated time and again how it has become a mouthpiece for terrorists.

Broadcasting Hamas propaganda film

Last week, BBC Two broadcast a documentary called “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone”. It was directed by Yousef Hammash and Jamie Roberts and purported to follow the lives of four young people during the current Hamas-Israel war in the Strip.

The independent researcher David Collier investigated the protagonists and has alleged that one of the principal children featured in the film who also serves as the documentary’s narrator – Abdullah Al-Yazouri – is related to a senior Hamas official.

Al-Yazouri featured in a Channel 4 documentary last year, where he reportedly appeared under the name Abdullah Abu Shamala alongside a man claiming to be his father. That man, whom Mr Collier identified as Khalil Abushammla, is a former Director of anti-Israel NGO Al-Dameer, which allegedly has links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist group.

Al-Yazouri’s real father is allegedly Mr Khalil’s brother-in-law, Ayman Al-Yazouri, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture in the Hamas Government in Gaza.

This would hardly be the first time that Gazans have played roles for gullible Western media, which has failed to do due diligence or has played along for reasons of convenience or ideology.

Mr Collier’s research makes further allegations about these individuals.

The BBC has essentially published long-form propaganda for an antisemitic genocidal terror organisation with licence-fee funds.

These broadcasts have real-life consequences for British Jews, 92% of whom rate our national broadcaster’s coverage of matters of Jewish interest as unfavourable, according to our polling.

Providing a megaphone for Hamas claims

Days after allegations that our national broadcaster published Hamas propaganda, it finally offered a flimsy apology in which it stated that it will air the so-called documentary again but will “add some more detail to the film”.

Then it provided a stage for stomach-churning claims from the very same antisemitic genocidal group.

How about pointing out that the hostages — including a baby and a four-year-old whom the terrorists kidnapped — would still be alive had they not been taken from their home by Hamas in the first place?

Why does the BBC insist on treating Hamas as though it were some neutral party?

It is a proscribed terrorist organisation that has explicitly stated its goal is the annihilation of Jews and Israelis wherever they may be around the world.

How can the BBC claim that this article is provided “For context” without providing that context?

How can they tell their worldwide audience and the British public who pay their salaries that Hamas says “it would have preferred to have returned them alive” when Hamas’s goal is the murder of every Jew?

(This was before Israeli examinations appeared to suggest that these hostages were murdered in cold blood and not killed by an Israeli airstrike as Hamas had claimed.)

All that the BBC has done is provide a megaphone for Hamas’s bogus and insulting claims.

Coverage of the Hamas ‘handover’ ceremony

But it got worse still.

Here is how the BBC summarised the transfer of the four coffins of dead hostages, and the picture that it published of the backdrop of the cruel and twisted Hamas ‘handover’ ceremony.

What the BBC carefully excluded from the picture of smiling (now dead) hostages was the antisemitic portrayal of the Israeli Prime Minister as a blood-sucking vampire looming over the pictures of the hostages who were abducted by Hamas and killed in captivity.

The BBC summary failed in its coverage to say anything more than that the ceremony was similar to previous choreographed events.

For some reason, our public broadcaster opted not to mention that Gazan civilians reportedly participated in the ceremony and danced to celebratory music as the coffins of dead Jewish children lay before them.

The BBC also declined to report that the coffins were labelled “date of arrest: 7th October 2023”, that they were apparently locked with no key provided to the Israelis, and that they had to be checked for explosives, given Hamas’s history and its aspiration to murder as many Jews as it can.

This was before it was discovered by Israeli authorities that the fourth body was not that of Shiri Bibas or indeed of any hostage. After that discovery, things still did not improve.

The “mix-up”

In a post and in its news article, the BBC referred to Hamas’s failure to hand over the body of Shiri Bibas as a mere ‘mix-up’.

They did not put that phrase in inverted commas, instead portraying the assertion of a mix-up as a fact.

In reality, however, the phrase is a quote from a Hamas spokesperson – who claimed that the bodies of people killed in an Israeli airstrike were simply “mixed-up”, which was purportedly why Shiri Bibas’s body was confused with another.

But that was nonsense, as Israel later determined that Shiri and her infant child and baby were murdered in cold blood.

Still, it did not stop the BBC from parroting the Hamas propaganda verbatim and representing it as fact, rendering the broadcaster in effect literally a spokesperson for Hamas.

We must protest

The Culture Secretary declared that she intends to meet with the Director General and Chair of the BBC in the coming days to discuss the propaganda film.

Following an outcry, and since we announced the protest, the BBC has pulled the so-called documentary from iplayer, but without an apology, investigation or any sort of reckoning. This is not good enough.

Our protest must go ahead.

The BBC has no shame and Britain has had enough.

For over sixteen months, we have watched our national broadcaster provide ever more sympathetic coverage to a proscribed terrorist organisation, hiding behind claims of impartiality.

But there is nothing impartial about giving credibility to the claims of terrorists.

Providing a platform for terrorists’ propaganda, downplaying their crimes and continuing to refuse to call them terrorists is the BBC putting its thumb on the scale. It is extremely partial, and inaccurate. It is a breach of the BBC’s editorial guidelines and a betrayal of licence-fee payers.

The BBC has become a mouthpiece for terrorists.

That is why we are inviting everyone to join us at 19:00 on Tuesday outside Broadcasting House. Enough is enough.

It is time for the BBC to stop whitewashing terrorism and serving as spokespeople for terrorists. There must be an independent investigation into the BBC’s bias in relation to its Middle East coverage.

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday evening.

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CAA to protest at BBC on Tuesday following airing of Hamas propaganda film

Campaign Against Antisemitism will be demonstrating outside BBC Broadcasting House at 19:00 on Tuesday 25th February.

In the past week alone, the BBC has:

  • Published essentially a Hamas propaganda film, eventually offering a flimsy non-apology and defiantly stating it will air it again but will “add some more detail to the film” and then broadcast it again.
  • Provided a megaphone for Hamas’ bogus and insulting claims that the terror group did “everything in its power” to keep the hostages alive as it returned four bodies, including those of Ariel and Kfir Bibas, who were four years and nine months respectively at the time of their kidnapping.
  • Covered Hamas’ cruel and twisted ‘handover’ ceremony whilst carefully excluding from the article’s featured image Hamas’ antisemitic portrayal of the Israeli Prime Minister as a blood-sucking vampire looming over pictures of the smiling hostages. It also declined to report that the coffins were labelled “date of arrest: 7th October 2023”, that they were apparently locked with no key provided to the Israelis, and that they had to be checked for explosives, given Hamas’ history and its aspiration to murder as many Jews as it can.

The Culture Secretary intends to meet with the Director General and Chair of the BBC in the coming days to discuss these failures.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The BBC has no shame and Britain has had enough. For over sixteen months, we have watched our national broadcaster provide ever more sympathetic coverage to a proscribed terrorist organisation, hiding behind claims of impartiality. There is nothing impartial about giving credibility to the claims of terrorists. Providing a platform for terrorists’ propaganda, downplaying their crimes and continuing to refuse to call them terrorists is the BBC putting its thumb on the scale. It is extremely partial, and inaccurate. It is a breach of the BBC’s editorial guidelines and a betrayal of licence fee payers. That is why we are inviting everyone to join us at 19:00 on Tuesday outside the Broadcasting House. Enough is enough. It is time for the BBC to stop whitewashing terrorism. There must be an independent investigation into its bias in relation to its Middle East coverage.”

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The Holocaust: Not for sale

After a recent antisemitic tirade on the social media platform X by the musician and fashion designer Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, he launched a plain t-shirt emblazoned with a swastika – the only product for sale on his website, yeezy.com.

This is not a borderline case. There can be no debate about Ye: he clearly hates Jews.

This isn’t Ye’s first rampage against Jews. In 2022, Adidas was forced to end its partnership with him following our petition, which quickly gained over 180,000 signatures and helped the company to find the wherewithal to end its lucrative partnership.

Shopify has since shut down the store, but what are the repercussions in the world of entertainment when an antisemite tries to make a profit from the Holocaust?

Ye’s numerous, hate-filled posts included the declaration that he was a Nazi and support for Hitler. He also told his followers: “You have to put your Jews in their place and make them into your slaves.”

Whilst some have called out Ye for his repulsive behaviour, we need action, not just words.

The entertainment industry must stop working with him and hosting him at its events.

Taking a stand

In response, The Houmous Foundation has launched a website that mirrors the look and feel of Ye’s, with one important difference; instead of selling a t-shirt with a swastika, they are selling one with a Star of David. The Foundation is generously donating the profits of the sales to Campaign Against Antisemitism.

The t-shirts are available at not-yeezy.com.

As our Chief Executive, Gideon Falter, wrote for an article in LBC last week, “For the famously vocal world of entertainment, the hushed response to Ye declaring that he is a Nazi and that Jewish people should all be slaves is disturbing…It would be nice to see the eagerly virtue-signalling celebrities of the world wearing one — it might be easier since they seem to have trouble speaking out.”

It is shocking that anyone would want to make or wear an item of clothing that displays the symbol of those responsible for the industrial murder of six million innocent Jewish men, women and children.

Yet, this is the reality we face today.

From merchandise to artefacts

A Scottish auction house recently doubled down after pressure to cancel its sale of Nazi memorabilia last Wednesday.

McTear’s in Glasgow initially defended the sale, claiming: “It is important to note that these historical artefacts provide a tangible link to an important – albeit extremely dark– era in our history that should never be forgotten.”

As Stephen Silverman, our Director of Investigations and Enforcement, pointed out on BBC Reporting Scotland: “There is a place for items such as these and it is a museum or a Holocaust exhibition, where they can be displayed properly, responsibly and with the proper context.”

Following public outcry, McTear’s has now confirmed that it will no longer sell Third Reich items.

Labour: Out with the old

It’s not just businesses that are exploiting the Holocaust.

Recently, footage was published of Jeremy Corbyn comparing people in Gaza to survivors of concentration camps in 1945 in a blatant comparison of Israel to Nazis.

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is an example of antisemitism.

Back in 2018, when Mr Corbyn and his far-left faction of the then-Labour Party resisted the adoption of the Definition, we argued that it was because many of them believed that they had breached it in the past and would in the future if they expressed their real views. In the end, the pressure to adopt the Definition was too great because it was manifestly the right thing to do, particularly given the scandal of anti-Jewish racism under Mr Corbyn’s leadership.

Now, as a member of the new Alliance group and unshackled by the Definition or Labour’s rules, Mr Corbyn is once again able to say what he really thinks, and it isn’t pretty.

But he isn’t the only one crossing the line.

Andrew Gwynne, the MP for Gorton and Denton, was sacked from his position as Health Minister and suspended from Labour by Sir Keir Starmer after alleged WhatsApp messages were published.

In the exchange, Mr Gwynne allegedly described Jewish-American psychologist Marshall Rosenberg as sounding “too Jewish” and “too militaristic”. He also reportedly asked if Mr Rosenberg was in Mossad.

We commend the swift action taken by the Party against Mr Gwynne, but this incident highlights the urgency that is still needed in rooting out antisemitism.

We will be watching to see the outcome of the Party’s investigation.

This is just embarrassing

UN representative Francesca Albanese has a long history of inflammatory rhetoric about the Jewish community, but she has always denied antisemitism when faced with allegations.

In the latest chapter of Ms Albanese’s controversies, she was called out in an interview for appearing to endorse a social media post comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.

Her response? She outright denied that she made such a comparison, despite her response to the post being available on X for the world to see, adding that even if she did make such a comparison, it would not have been antisemitic.

Ms Albanese’s senior UN position continues to shame the organisation.

A case of extremism

A series of horrifying posts have been discovered on a social media account that appears to belong to Dr Rahmeh Aladwan, an orthopaedic doctor.

These posts would be appalling from anyone, let alone a doctor.

Healthcare professionals have a duty of care to ensure that all patients are looked after and treated equally, regardless of their background. Dr Aladwan’s social media activity, including a now-deleted video that mocks recently released hostages held by Hamas terrorists and encourages “Zios” to “come after” her, sends a clear message to her patients.

In a recent article, Sabrina Miller reported on several shocking social media posts allegedly shared by Dr Aladwan.

  • In a reel entitled ‘Resist’, alongside an upside down red triangle icon, she wrote: “We never condemn the Palestinians. We back their struggle, including armed struggle.” In recent months, the inverted red triangle and its emoji variant have been used by some anti-Israel activists to signal support for proscribed terrorist organisations such as Hamas, inspired by the appearance of the symbol in Hamas propaganda videos to indicate targets for attack.
  • Captioning a photo of a Hamas gunman: “A picture of AlQassam a day keeps the Z’s [Zionists] locked away.”
  • In reference to the antisemitic Amsterdam pogrom of November last year, she posted a hand-drawn graph with the words “f*** around” along one axis, and “find out” along the other. The caption reads: “You provoke. You pushed. You prodded. You play victim. You deserve to pay. You parasitic pariah. Settlers should feel welcome nowhere. And if they tried that crap in the UK, they’ll be met with resistance too. Seems justice is found on the streets.”

An individual who openly expresses views like these has no place in the medical profession. Such contemptible behaviour is incompatible with the values we expect of doctors and nurses.

We will be writing to the General Medical Council to investigate urgently.

Do you know this man?

We are offering £5,000 for information leading to a conviction after an alleged assault in Manchester.

On Monday 3rd February, an identifiably Jewish man was walking in Exchange Square in Central Manchester. At approximately 13:30, Greater Manchester Police received reports of an assault. The incident has been recorded as a hate crime.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has been supporting the victim. He told us that the alleged incident occurred on his way back from attending a prayer service.

“I was hurrying along checking my phone when I felt someone running up behind me,” he told us. “In the split second before, I gripped my phone tightly in case someone would try to grab it and did not have a chance to protect myself. I was then hit extremely forcefully with what felt like a bottle around the right side of my face, instantly shattering my glasses and knocking me off balance. I thought I could have been blinded in my right eye, put my hand to my eye and saw blood coming from the area.”

In a photo seen by us, the victim’s eye is swollen shut and severely bruised.

“My immediate reaction was to get away before being further attacked, and I ran across the road to a crowd of people shouting for help,” he continued. “A couple of bystanders pointed out who had just attacked me and where he was heading, whereupon I followed with one of the members of the public. The assailant then jumped onto a nearby tram. I had just called 999 and told them I had been attacked and was visibly Jewish, and that the suspect was on a specific tram that was going to head off shortly. They told me not to get on the tram and they would follow it.”

However, the victim was not convinced that anyone at Victoria – the next tram station – had been alerted. He said the assailant got off the tram at the next stop and fled the scene, which has apparently been substantiated by subsequent CCTV footage.

The victim continued: “At that point, I was literally stood around on my own, no support and just waiting for help to arrive. I couldn’t see well. Police turned up within ten minutes to see me and I was treated by a paramedic who also arrived at the scene and flushed my eye with saline to wash away any fragments.”

One member of the public did get on the tram but returned to the site a short while later. He recounted to the victim the alleged attacker had shouted that he was “a murderer” and that he was “responsible for the war in Gaza”.

The victim said: “I didn’t get a clear view of the attacker given my glasses were smashed and I was in a daze and could not recall what he was shouting clearly. I was taken to the police station and gave a statement that took a couple of hours, which was still given whilst I was reeling from the blow. I then went to get scans of my eye for damage, as advised by the paramedic.”

He was informed that he had abrasions in his eye. He had also begun noting black dots in his vision, which still remain today.

“The bruising spread all around my eye and I sustained cuts to my upper cheek and side of my face,” he added. “I’ve since been to the GP for nausea and dizziness and a second scan of the eye. I’m apprehensive walking around and now get nervous anyone could attack me at any time. I remain very traumatised by what happened despite the physical injuries healing slowly.”

The victim said that now, his main concern is that it has been nearly two weeks since the alleged incident and the suspect remains unidentified.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting incident number 001613 of 03/02/2025 or e-mail us at [email protected].

*See antisemitism.org/terms

500 days

Today marks 500 days since Hamas’ barbaric terrorist attack on Israel on 7th October 2023, in which it took over 250 hostages.

As we begin to see the release of the hostages, we are learning more and more about the unimaginable conditions in which they were held.

More than 70 of them are still being held captive in those conditions.

Bring them home.

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Witness appeal: CAA offers £5,000 reward for information leading to conviction after alleged assault in Manchester

Campaign Against Antisemitism is offering £5,000 for information leading to a conviction after an alleged assault in Manchester.

On Monday 3rd February, an identifiably Jewish man was walking in Exchange Square in Central Manchester. At approximately 13:30, Greater Manchester Police received reports of an assault. The incident has been recorded as a hate crime.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has been supporting the victim. He told us that the alleged incident occurred on his way back from attending a prayer service.

“I was hurrying along checking my phone when I felt someone running up behind me,” he told us. “In the split second before, I gripped my phone tightly in case someone would try to grab it and did not have a chance to protect myself. I was then hit extremely forcefully with what felt like a bottle around the right side of my face, instantly shattering my glasses and knocking me off balance. I thought I could have been blinded in my right eye, put my hand to my eye and saw blood coming from the area.”

In a photo seen by Campaign Against Antisemitism, the victim’s eye is swollen shut and severely bruised.

“My immediate reaction was to get away before being further attacked, and I ran across the road to a crowd of people shouting for help,” he continued. “A couple of bystanders pointed out who had just attacked me and where he was heading, whereupon I followed with one of the members of the public. The assailant then jumped onto a nearby tram. I had just called 999 and told them I had been attacked and was visibly Jewish, and that the suspect was on a specific tram that was going to head off shortly. They told me not to get on the tram and they would follow it.”

However, the victim was not convinced that anyone at Victoria – the next tram station – had been alerted. He said the assailant got off the tram at the next stop and fled the scene, which has apparently been substantiated by subsequent CCTV footage.

The victim continued: “At that point, I was literally stood around on my own, no support and just waiting for help to arrive. I couldn’t see well. Police turned up within ten minutes to see me and I was treated by a paramedic who also arrived at the scene and flushed my eye with saline to wash away any fragments.”

One member of the public did get on the tram but returned to the site a short while later. He recounted to the victim the alleged attacker had shouted that he was “a murderer” and that he was “responsible for the war in Gaza”.

The victim said: “I didn’t get a clear view of the attacker given my glasses were smashed and I was in a daze and could not recall what he was shouting clearly. I was taken to the police station and gave a statement that took a couple of hours, which was still given whilst I was reeling from the blow. I then went to get scans of my eye for damage, as advised by the paramedic.”

He was informed that he had abrasions on his eye. He had also begun noting black dots in his vision, which still remain today.

“The bruising spread all around my eye and I sustained cuts to my upper cheek and side of my face,” he added. “I’ve since been to the GP for nausea and dizziness and a second scan of the eye. I’m apprehensive walking around and now get nervous anyone could attack me at any time. I remain very traumatised by what happened despite the physical injuries healing slowly.”

The victim said that now, his main concern is that it has been nearly two weeks since the alleged incident and the suspect remains unidentified.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting incident number 001613 of 03/02/2025 or e-mail us at [email protected].

*See antisemitism.org/terms

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s analysis of Home Office statistics shows that an average of just under nine hate crimes are directed at Jews every single day in England and Wales, with Jews more than twelve times likelier to be targets of hate crimes than any other faith group.

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“Everything about your existance is evil”: CAA writes to Home Office and Charity Commission over inflammatory speaker

Campaign Against Antisemitism is writing to the Home Office and the Charity Commission regarding an imam who is reported to have made a series of incendiary comments about Jews and Israel and is scheduled to speak at an upcoming charity event.

The event, hosted by the charity One Ummah, is part of a five-city tour titled ‘Together as One’, with its first stop at The Atrium in London on Wednesday.

Several video clips of Mufti Muhammad Ibn Muneer, a New York-based imam, making comments about Jews have been published online by Memri.

In one video from March 2024, he is heard saying: “Every single opportunity they get to kill someone, they kill someone. Every single opportunity. And they have the nerve to have a supposed Star of David, and supposedly attribute themselves to David. David has nothing to do with you. Solomon has nothing to do with you.”

Another video from 2018 shows him saying: “You make a statement or a comment about this, about that, about the Christians, about the Jews. What do they do? Huh? They get [sic] a problem. ‘We have to edit the video, Sheikh.’ ‘We have to make the video private, Sheikh, because you mentioned that the Jews are those who earned Allah’s wrath.’ ‘You said that the Jews are those who earned Allah’s wrath and they are jealous – we can’t publish the video.’”

In another from December 2024, he appears to say: “[For Israel], it’s much more than just conquering. It’s much more than just killing and annihilating. But [Israel says]: ‘We have to not only cleanse, but we now have to reinvent our identity and the identity of this land, and of this country, and of its geography.’”

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism, e.g. blood libel, to characterise Israel or Israelis” is an example of antisemitism.

Mohamed Hoblos, an Australia-based preacher, is also due to speak at the events. Mr Hoblos is reported to have shown support for Hamas, a proscribed antisemitic genocidal terror group, and was banned from the Netherlands and Germany due to concerns over extremism.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The rhetoric from some of these speakers is horrifying. There must be no place for religious extremism in Britain, and that principle is even more urgent at a time of skyrocketing antisemitism. Religious extremists should not be allowed to enter the country, let alone be hosted by a charity. We will be writing to the Charity Commission and the Home Office.”

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Foundation fights back against Ye with not-yeezy.com

After an antisemitic tirade on X last week, Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, launched a plain t-shirt emblazoned with a swastika – the only product for sale on his website, yeezy.com. Shopify has since shut down the store.

Ye’s posts included the declaration that he was a Nazi and support for Hitler. He also told his followers: “You have to put your Jews in their place and make them into your slaves.”

The Houmous Foundation has now launched a plain Star of David t-shirt in response to Ye’s swastika t-shirt. The Foundation is generously donating the profits of the sales to Campaign Against Antisemitism.

The t-shirts are available at not-yeezy.com.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “It is shocking that anyone would want to make or wear an item of clothing that displays the symbol of those who were responsible for the industrial murder of six million innocent Jewish men, women and children. Yet this is the reality we face today.

“We would like to thank The Houmous Foundation, which created this striking Star of David t-shirt after Shopify removed Ye’s repugnant design. The Foundation is donating the profits to help us fight antisemitism. We encourage people to wear their Star of David t-shirts with pride as a symbol of resilience against surging Jew-hatred.”

Aryell Moussaioff, Founder of the Houmous Foundation, said: “The best way to combat hate is with love, education and a healthy dose of Jewish humour. We’ve replaced Kanye’s HH-01 (Heil Hitler) with Chai18, which represents life. By wearing this t-shirt, you’re not only making a powerful statement against hate but also directly contributing to the vital work of Campaign Against Antisemitism. It is our hope that we can inspire people around the world to stand up against hate and promote inclusion and tolerance.”

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New report shows alarming increase in anti-Zionist antisemitic incidents

A new report shows an alarming increase in the use of anti-Zionist rhetoric in antisemitic incidents in the UK.

According to the report by CST, 1,533 out of a total of 3,528 reported incidents in 2024 included explicitly anti-Zionist sentiment alongside anti-Jewish rhetoric or targeting. This number accounts for 43% of reported incidents, up from 31% in 2023.

Additionally, language relating to the Israel-Hamas conflict was reported in 52% of cases, a significant rise from 43% in 2023 and 15% in 2022.

The report outlined a range of disturbing incidents, including 2,892 cases of abusive behaviour, 201 incidents of assault, 250 threats, 27 cases of mass-produced antisemitic literature and 157 instances of damage and desecration. Alarmingly, for the second year in a row, almost a fifth – 16% – of the recorded incidents involved perpetrators under the age of eighteen, indicating the critical need for awareness and preventive measures to stop this trend.

Notably, the report also found that in 22% of reported incidents, children were among the victims.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The CST’s figures reveal a disturbing trend in the role of ‘anti-Zionist’ rhetoric in antisemitism. When 43% of reported antisemitic incidents exhibit anti-Zionist sentiment, it is evident that ‘Zionist’ has become a common proxy word for ‘Jew’. Those who deny this phenomenon are failing to understand contemporary manifestations of antisemitism and are part of the problem. Our police and universities have been failing to stand up to surging anti-Jewish hatred for far too long. It is time to act against hate, before it’s too late.”

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Palestine Solidarity Campaign exposed

It has now been revealed that permission for the first anti-Israel protest was sought already on 7th October 2023, while Hamas was still slaughtering Jews in southern Israel.

The permission was requested by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).

Past senior figures in the group, who have also been involved in the marches over the past year, have previously met with Hamas leaders. A past investigation by Campaign Against Antisemitism, titled Bigots for Palestine, found that the PSC was riddled with bigotry.

Anti-Israel marches since the Hamas massacre sixteen months ago have cost the UK taxpayer around £55 million, accounting for over 70,000 police officer shifts. These breathtaking figures are for London alone, and do not account for the protests that have taken place in city centres around the country, usually on weekends. Many of these shifts have been filled by officers being drafted from elsewhere in the country, depriving other regions of personnel.

At a time when the rate of actually solving crimes in Britain is frighteningly low, the Met Police has prioritised securing protests organised by a group that rushed to action on 7th October.

Recently, the Met Commissioner has warned that his force faces “eye-watering cuts” to services unless funding is increased. Perhaps he should have thought of that before failing for over a year to place meaningful restrictions on these marches despite admitting that they posed a threat to Jewish communities. Police chiefs around the country have also warned that thousands of officers face losing their jobs because of shortfalls in funds.

So was it really worth tens of millions of pounds to police regular anti-Israel marches by a group that rushed to activism while Jews were being slaughtered?

Enough is enough. It is finally time for trade unions and politicians to disaffiliate and withdraw their support from the PSC.

Man who wrote “Hitler has been proved right” pleads guilty and is sentenced following CAA private prosecution

Alun Coleman, 71, who published a comment on social media which read, “Hitler has been proved [sic] right,” was sentenced at court following a private prosecution by Campaign Against Antisemitism that was taken over by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Mr Coleman, of Gainsborough, was sentenced at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court in October 2024, having pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to section 127(1)(a) and (3) of the Communications Act 2003.

The offence related to a Facebook comment that read: “Hitler has been proved right.” The comment was in response to another user who expressed support for the State of Israel shortly after Hamas’ barbaric terrorist attack in Israel on 7th October 2023.

The case began as a private prosecution by Campaign Against Antisemitism after the Metropolitan Police failed to identify Mr Coleman during its investigation. The Met therefore decided not to refer the case to the CPS, claiming that there was “not a sufficiently strong evidential case” to pursue it.

It later emerged that Mr Coleman was easily identifiable, given the distinct spelling of his first name and the fact that his full name was displayed on his Facebook account.

Campaign Against Antisemitism applied for a summons, which was granted by the Magistrates’ Court. The case was then referred to the CPS, which decided to take over the prosecution.

Mr Coleman was ordered by the Court to pay a fine, a victim surcharge and prosecution costs.

Mr Coleman’s sentencing marks a victory against those who feel that they can spew Jew-hatred online. When antisemitism crosses the criminal threshold and the authorities fail to deliver justice, we will fight to secure justice ourselves, just as we have done here.

It should not have been necessary for us to bring a private prosecution, but the failure of the Metropolitan Police to properly investigate this case left us with no alternative. The CPS, to its credit, was only too happy to take over the case and would have done so sooner had the police referred it.

Those who target Jews should know that ruinous consequences will await them and that propagating hateful rhetoric online does not protect them from the law.

Elsewhere, a 29-year-old man has admitted to writing antisemitic posts and professing support for proscribed terror groups Hamas and Hizballah.

Zakir Hussain pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey last week to a total of eleven charges; four of expressing support for proscribed organisations and seven of stirring up racial hatred.

He is said to have referred to 7th October 2023 – the day that Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, murdering some 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostage – as a “beautiful day”.

Other comments reportedly included: “We are hunting them for fun in the UK” and “I’m in London any Jews out there come out and stand up for your religion.”

He is due to be sentenced in March.

How has antisemitism shaped English literature?

From Chaucer to Shakespeare, Dickens to Dahl, how has antisemitism shaped English literature?

Our short six-part series chronicling the history of antisemitism in English literature is now available.

In this podcast, we explore the anti-Jewish tropes perpetuated by centuries of literary misrepresentation. Beginning with medieval poetry and concluding with contemporary plays, the series offers a chronological overview, inclusive of social as well as literary context. From Dickens to Dahl, there’s a lot to learn!

You can stream the Antisemitism in English Literature series now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and other major platforms.

Know a legal mind sharp enough to fight antisemitism?

We are seeking a General Counsel, and we are offering a £2,000 referral fee to anyone who refers an applicant for the role who successfully completes their probationary period.

To qualify for the referral fee, please ask the applicant to mention that you referred them to us when they send us their CV and cover letter.

Find out more here.

Eight in ten British Jews think that the police do not do enough to protect them, and only 5% have confidence in Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley.

When the police authorise protests by the PSC that are requested at the same time as an antisemitic terror group is butchering Jewish people, and the police fail to properly investigate a case of antisemitism online leaving Campaign Against Antisemitism to do so, you can see why.

There have been too many instances over the past sixteen months when the police have failed the Jewish community. We will continue to do whatever we can to hold them to account and fill the gap.

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Man who wrote “Hitler has been proved right” pleads guilty and is sentenced following CAA private prosecution

Alun Coleman, 71, who published a comment on social media which read, “Hitler has been proved [sic] right,” was sentenced at court following a private prosecution by Campaign Against Antisemitism that was taken over by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Mr Coleman, of Gainsborough, was sentenced at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on 11th October 2024, having pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to section 127(1)(a) and (3) of the Communications Act 2003.

The case began as a private prosecution by Campaign Against Antisemitism after the Metropolitan Police failed to identify Mr Coleman during its investigation. The Met therefore decided not to refer the case to the CPS, claiming that there was “not a sufficiently strong evidential case” to pursue it.

It later emerged that Mr Coleman was easily identifiable, given the distinct spelling of his first name and the fact that his full name was displayed on his Facebook account.

Campaign Against Antisemitism applied for a summons, which was granted by the Magistrates’ Court. The case was then referred to the CPS, which decided to take over the prosecution.

Mr Coleman was ordered by the Court to pay a fine, a victim surcharge and prosecution costs.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Alun Coleman’s sentencing marks a victory against those who feel that they can spew Jew-hatred online. When antisemitism crosses the criminal threshold and the authorities fail to deliver justice, we will fight to secure justice ourselves, just as we have done here.

“It should not have been necessary for us to bring a private prosecution, but the failure of the Metropolitan Police to properly investigate this case left us with no alternative. The CPS, to its credit, was only too happy to take over the case and would have done so sooner had the police referred it.

“Those who target Jews should know that ruinous consequences will await them and that propagating hateful rhetoric online does not protect them from the law.”

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Holocaust inverted

Who are the victims of the Holocaust, and who are the perpetuators?

The victims

For some years now, this question has been yet another front in the battle over antisemitism and Jewish identity – and who gets to define them.

Holocaust Memorial Day last week featured another series of skirmishes on this terrain.

Last week, we observed how Good Morning Britain ‘forgot’ to mention that the principal victims of the Holocaust were Jews.

Our post online went viral and the story was covered across national papers, including the Mail, Sun, Metro, Express and Telegraph, as well as GB News and numerous local and international news outlets, and the attention forced ITV to issue an apology, albeit a weak one.

GMB was not the only party to this obfuscation.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, also omitted a certain one-syllable word in her Holocaust commemoration, writing online: “Tonight, I’m lighting a candle to remember all those who were murdered just for being who they were, and to stand against prejudice and hatred today. Never again.”

The irony of this sort of ‘forgetfulness’ on a day of remembrance is not lost on us. Holocaust Memorial Day is first and foremost a day to memorialise the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered by gas, bullet and other means by the Nazis and their collaborators. Its principal lesson is the need to bravely combat antisemitism whenever it arises, including in our own time. That is the real meaning of Never Again.

Given that Britain is currently experiencing the worst antisemitism in living memory, that lesson is more important than ever. Why, then, does our society keep failing to learn it?

The perpetrators

This ‘de-Judification’ of Holocaust remembrance is the first step on the road to Holocaust inversion.

The destination is the accusation that Jews are committing a Holocaust of their own.

We have of course seen and heard such accusations on the streets of London and other cities in Britain and around the world for over a year now. As a society, we have sadly become accustomed to naked antisemitism in our urban centres and the utter indifference of the authorities – the same institutions, civil servants and politicians who rush to organise and attend Holocaust Memorial Day events.

But this year we have also seen the highjacking of Holocaust Memorial Day ceremonies.

In Leicester, for example, an event funded in part by the county and city councils was addressed by a speaker who compared the war against Hamas to the genocide of the Jews at the hands of the Nazis, reportedly provoking Jewish audience-members to walk out.

Meanwhile, in Lowestoft, representatives of the Jewish community were reportedly sidelined at the larger HMD event, where a local councillor mentioned the war in Gaza in his remarks, leaving local Jewish people in disgust.

Worse yet, over in Ireland a Jewish woman was manhandled as she was thrown out of an HMD event, joining other Jews protesting the references to Gaza made by President Michael Higgins, whose very presence at the event had been opposed by the Jewish community. In contrast to the Irish President’s abominable abuse of a commemorative event, King Charles visited Auschwitz for the 80th anniversary of the liberation, capping a long career of support for Holocaust survivors and education.

Meanwhile, in the European Parliament, a far-right Polish politician, Grzegorz Braun, disrupted a moment of silence in memory of Holocaust victims by shouting: “Let’s pray for the victims of the genocide in Gaza!” He had previously courted controversy in the Polish Parliament in 2023 when he extinguished candles on a menorah.

But sometimes this inversion is more subtle.

When, on News Hour with Mark Austin on Sky News, the rolling coverage of Holocaust Memorial Day and the ceremony at Auschwitz was immediately followed by reporting on Gaza, at least twice, was that just a coincidence, or was it the sort of disgraceful editorialising that we have come to expect from Sky?

After all, a mere 6% of British Jews feel that Sky’s coverage in relation to matters of Jewish interest is favourable, and 61% consider it unfavourable. Is it any wonder why?

What about when a Holocaust exhibition is deemed “too political” for Westminster Hall in Parliament, while a stall by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) – one of the organisers behind London’s anti-Israel marches – is apparently fine for the same venue. The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, has opened an investigation into how permission was refused for the Holocaust exhibition.

It is this trend that the International Definition of Antisemitism has in mind when it observes that comparing Israel to Nazis is antisemitic.

When appropriate, we are calling these incidents out, and we are producing materials to challenge this insidious narrative. Otherwise Britain will forget the true lessons of the Holocaust.

Trainee pharmacist sentenced after action by CAA

A trainee pharmacist was recently sentenced in court for a message that he sent on social media to UCL’s Israel student society, after Campaign Against Antisemitism worked with the society to report the incident to the police and ensure that action was taken.

Mohammad Al Accad, 24, also known as Suhail, pleaded guilty to sending a grossly offensive communication at Manchester Magistrates’ Court. The charge related to a message that he sent to the UCL Israel Society which read: “F*** you and your people, hope we kill hundreds more in the coming days.”

The message was sent on 7th October 2023 in response to a statement published by the Society condemning Hamas’ barbaric attacks in Israel on the same day. During the attacks, terrorists murdered some 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages.

We reported the contents of the message to the police after speaking with the victim. The police offered to facilitate an apology from Mr Al Accad to the victim in lieu of a prosecution, which was rejected. We also reported Mr Al Accad to the General Pharmaceutical Council, which regulates pharmacists.

Mr Al Accad was identified by Campaign Against Antisemitism and arrested following a police investigation. During his police interview, he admitted to sending the message, saying that he had done so in reaction to recent events.

Despite his admission, the defendant initially claimed that his message was not grossly offensive.

Mr Al Accad was ordered to pay a fine of £675, which was uplifted from a Band B fine to a Band C fine due to the racially/religiously aggravated nature of the offence. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £270 and £85 towards prosecution costs.

Mohammad Al Accad’s sentencing marks a victory against those who feel that they can target Jewish students with antisemitic hatred. When antisemitism crosses the criminal threshold, we will do whatever it takes to secure justice. Let this verdict send a clear message to those who target Jews. Ruinous consequences await them.

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on confidence on 0330 822 0321 or e-mail [email protected].

Do British people care about Jewish fears?

Last week, we published ground-breaking polling of the Jewish community highlighting the concerns of British Jews about their future, the criminal justice system, figure like Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, the media, universities and more.

Some of the findings include:

  • Less than half of British Jews (43%) feel welcome in the UK.
  • An alarming eight in ten British Jews think that the police do not do enough to protect them; and only 16% of British Jews are confident that if they reported an antisemitic crime, it would be prosecuted if there was strong enough evidence.
  • British Jews consider Islamists to be the most serious threat (95%), but more than nine in ten British Jews do not believe that the authorities do enough to protect the Jewish community from them.
  • Nearly seven in ten British Jews – 69% – consider coverage by The Guardian of matters of Jewish interest to be unfavourable.
  • Nine in ten British Jews said that if anybody in their family were choosing a university, antisemitism would be a factor in their choice.
  • A minuscule 2% of British Jews consider the fiercely anti-Zionist Neturei Karta sect to be representative of their views on Israel.

The full results can be read here.

Subsequently, we decided to ask ordinary British people what they thought about some of our findings.

Channel 4’s “European Jews are lying scumbags” participant

If you turn on Channel 4 this evening, you will see Go Back To Where You Came From, a new reality television programme that features four people with anti-immigration views and two people who are pro-immigration, travelling migrant routes from Somalia and Syria to the UK.

Among the participants is Bushra Shaikh, an ‘anti-racism’ activist (naturally) and former contestant on The Apprentice, who is on the pro-immigration side on the show.

A glimpse at her social media activity, however, reveals that Ms Shaikh does not mince words when it comes it Jews:

  • “European Jews changed their names to hide their origins in order to claim supremacy over Palestinian Arab lands. These people are the biggest charlatans on this planet. Bunch of lying scumbags.”
  • “One state solution. Palestine. And send this European problem back to f***ing Europe.”
  • “You can be super anti Muslim, you can talk about Muslims but as soon as you talk about Jews, you get cancelled. Why are they so protected?”
  • “Doesn’t the Talmud teach you ‘only the Jew is human and the rest of us are Goyims.’ So I believe Jews are taught to hate everyone. Nice try though.”
  • “I said Jews, now ‘they’re’ after me. But thank you to everyone, including the pro-Palestine, anti Netanyahu Jewish community that have reached out with support. Humanity will win [sic].”
  • “I’m sorry but why are people losing jobs and more for even mentioning Israel and Zionism. We can talk about Christians, Hindus and Muslims but the moment Jew is mentioned-prepare to have your career ruined.”
  • “I’m sorry but there are not enough Jewish people/Israelis speaking up against the massacre in Gaza. And that’s telling the world they are supporters of genocide. See how that works.”
  • “Axel Rudakubana allegedly downloaded Al Qaeda documents. Al Qaeda funds have known links to Israel. Israel helped kill British kids in Southport. Israel kills kids in Palestine. Israel kills kids in Lebanon. Israel kills kids in Syria. Now the UK.”

When we brought this social media activity to Channel 4’s attention, they told us: “Bushra is a contributor on Go Back to Where You Came From, and is one of the six opinionated individuals who, throughout the series, discuss immigration and have their differing viewpoints challenged. The series will be compliant with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code. Channel 4 are not responsible for contributors’ personal social media accounts.”

Channel 4’s agenda here is pretty clear: pit anti-immigration xenophobes against virtuous pro-immigration activists. But if Channel 4 wants to show the unvarnished views of one side, why not do the same for the other? Channel 4 is sanitising Bushra Shaikh to make her more sympathetic, instead of revealing her as the hypocrite that she is, speaking in favour of immigration while insulting “European Jews”.

Channel 4’s insistence that Ms Shaikh remains in the programme while hiding her real opinions from viewers is telling. Portraying those with antisemitic views as virtuous while hiding their antisemitism is the exact opposite of what we should be doing: exposing and ostracising.

We have called for a boycott of the show.

Wiki-poison

When we want to know something, we turn to Wikipedia.

It is the first port of call for information on any topic, especially in the English language but in many other languages besides.

Anyone can become an editor on Wikipedia, although some topics are restricted to those with a record of neutral and responsible editing across the online encyclopaedia.

But as a collaborative and largely non-hierarchical endeavour, one sometimes wonders who is policing what gets written on Wikipedia, and can you really be sure that it is accurate?

When it comes to the Jewish state and matters relating to the Jewish community, many of us will know that what we read is not always rooted in fact; and while one of the ‘five pillars’ of Wikipedia — its guiding principles — states that “Wikipedia is written from a neutral point of view,” that is too often not the case.

We have long been calling out Wikipedia for failing to implement their own rules against obsessive anti-Israel editors who hijack entries relating to matters of Jewish concern.

It was therefore very welcome news when it was recently announced that bad-faith contributors are finally facing disciplinary action by the Wikipedia arbitration board, including topic bans that would prevent them from editing articles relating to the Jewish state.

The problem is not just on English Wikipedia. There has also been reporting in France about Wikipedia editors trying to cooperative in an effort to manipulate content on the website for the worse.

At Campaign Against Antisemitism, Wikipedia is an issue that we take very seriously, given how many people across the world rely on it for what they believe is authoritative information. We will continue to do whatever we can to ensure that Wikipedia lives up to its promise of accuracy and neutrality.

People sometimes ask us, in their more despairing moments, whether what we do makes a difference. After all, we all know that antisemitism is not going to disappear, and battling this hatred can sometimes feel Sisyphean, especially over the past sixteen months.

But when one of our biggest television channels is forced to issue an on-air apology for forgetting that Jews were the victims of the Holocaust, because of a story read by multitudes in newspapers and online, it makes a difference.

And when a trainee pharmacist and his family, friends and community learn that there are severe consequences to trolling Jews, and Jewish students know that someone is there to help them, it makes a difference.

We may not win every battle, but we will not surrender the field; and those battles that we do win help us advance, however gradually, to a better future for British Jews.

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Do British Jews believe that they have a future?

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day, but as we reflect on historic antisemitism, as a society we also have to ask ourselves: why are we doing so little about antisemitism right here, right now?

The truth is that Britain and the authorities are failing the Jewish community.

New polling of the Jewish community that we have published today bears this out.

Being Jewish in Britain

  • Only one-third (34%) of British Jews believe that Jews have a long-term future in the UK.
  • Half of the Jewish community has considered leaving Britain in the past two years due to antisemitism. Among 18-24-year-olds, it is two-thirds (67%). The main reason is the surge in antisemitism since 7th October 2023, cited by 76% of respondents.
  • Less than half of British Jews (43%) feel welcome in the UK. Almost half of 18-24-year-old Jews (47%), conversely, do not feel welcome.
  • A majority of British Jews (58%) hide their Judaism due to antisemitism.

Extremism

  • British Jews consider Islamists to be the most serious threat (95%) compared to the far-right (67%) and the far-left (91%).
  • More than nine in ten British Jews do not believe that the authorities do enough to protect the Jewish community from Islamists.

Policing and prosecutions

  • Less than one-tenth of British Jews believe that the authorities are doing enough to address and punish antisemitism; 84% believe that they are not.
  • In Scotland, nearly one-fifth of Jews would not bother reporting an antisemitic hate crime to the police, with almost two-thirds not confident that it would be prosecuted.
  • Only 16% of British Jews are confident that if they reported an antisemitic crime, it would be prosecuted if there was strong enough evidence. Conversely, 62% are not confident, rising to 64% in London – the highest level geographically.
  • An alarming eight in ten British Jews think that the police do not do enough to protect them.
  • A minuscule ten percent of British Jews think that the CPS does enough to protect them, and only 13% think that of the courts.
  • Three-quarters of British Jews are dissatisfied with how their local police force has been policing anti-Israel marches in their local cities. Only one-tenth are satisfied. 
  • Just 5% of British Jews have confidence in Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, and six in ten believe that he should not be in post.

Politics

  • The vast majority – 85% – of British Jews are dissatisfied with London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s performance in relation to the Jewish community since 7th October 2023. Fewer than one in ten (9%) are satisfied.
  • Regarding Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, one-third of British Jews are dissatisfied with his performance in relation to the Jewish community, while only 12% are satisfied. In Northern England the satisfaction is higher at 30%, but still less than one-third; dissatisfaction is also higher, at almost half (49%).
  • Nearly three-quarters – 72% – of British Jews think that the Green Party is too tolerant of antisemitism among their MPs, MEPs, councillors, members and supporters. This is closely followed by the Labour Party with 71%. This is the highest figure ever recorded for the Greens, and it is the first time that another party has overtaken Labour in our polling. For their first time, a third party has also crossed the majority threshold: the SNP, at 52%.
  • The figures for the other parties are 42% for Sinn Féin; 40% for the Liberal Democrats; 26% for Plaid Cymru; 22% for the Conservatives; 22% for UKIP; 21% for the Democratic Unionist Party; and 19% for the Reform Party. 
  • 72% of Scottish Jews feel that the Scottish National Party is too tolerant of antisemitism. 

Arts and Media

  • 92% of British Jews think that media bias against Israel fuels persecution of Jews in Britain.
  • Among broadcasters, the BBC scored the worst in terms of its coverage of matters of Jewish interest, with 92% of British Jews rating its coverage as unfavourable.
  • Among newspapers, The Guardian scored the worst on the same metric, with nearly seven in ten – 69% – of British Jews describing its coverage as unfavourable.
  • More than four-fifths (84%) of British Jews agree that boycotts of Israeli artists, academics or businesses selling Israeli products constitute intimidation. This finding is particularly pertinent given the incidence of boycotts over the past year.

Proscriptions

  • Nearly all British Jews – a resounding 98% – back our calls to proscribe all groups that were involved in the 7th October 2023 attack in Israel under terrorism legislation.
  • 94% of British Jews back our calls to proscribe the Houthis and 93% to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The latter was promised by the Government prior to the General Election but has not been delivered.
  • More than four-fifths (85%) of British Jews think that the British Government should proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group. 

Universities and education

  • Only 3% of British Jews are confident that if a Jewish student reported an antisemitic incident on campus, the university’s administration would take appropriate action. Among young Jews it is 6%.
  • 90% of young British Jews blame students for the increase in reported antisemitic incidents on UK campuses.
  • Nine in ten British Jews said that if anybody in their family were choosing a university, antisemitism would be a factor in their choice.
  • Nearly nine in ten – 88% – British Jews said that if anybody in their family were choosing a school, antisemitism would be a factor in their choice. 

Rhetoric

  • 95% of British Jews consider the chant ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free’ to be an antisemitic call to destroy the Jewish state. Only 2% do not. 
  • A minuscule 2% of British Jews consider the fiercely anti-Zionist Neturei Karta sect to be representative of their views on Israel.

Representation

  • 86% of British Jews believe that Campaign Against Antisemitism is representative of their views on antisemitism. More than half strongly believe that.

Full results of the survey can be accessed here and the methodology here.

These figures paint a sobering picture of the lives of British Jews and their future.

British Jews have lost trust in the criminal justice system in general, which they do not feel is protecting them, and in the Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley in particular, after he has presided over the worst surge in antisemitism in living memory, opting for excuses over action and gaslighting those who call him out.

From politics to the BBC to universities, the Jewish community sees betrayal across our civil and cultural institutions.

The cumulative result is that less than half of British Jews feel welcome in the UK. Antisemitism has become our nation’s great shame, and time is running out.

Never again is now

Holocaust Memorial Day is supposed to be an occasion to remember the victims of Nazi antisemitism and rededicate ourselves, as a society, to the fight against Jew-hate.

Despite this, many of us began the day with ITV’s Good Morning Britain’s shocking omission of Jews from the statement: “Six million people were killed in concentration camps during the Second World War, as well as millions of others because they were Polish, disabled, gay, or belonged to another ethnic group.”

This dire reporting is not only factually incorrect but erases Jews from a genocide in which six million Jewish men, women and children were slaughtered specifically because they were Jews.

If this is intended to pay respect to the victims of Holocaust Memorial Day, it has failed abysmally and ignores the true nature of this horrific event.

Not only is antisemitism at startlingly high levels right now, but Holocaust Memorial Day in particular has become yet another front in the war against the Jews and the slander of the Jewish state.

The moral inversion – whereby the Jews, who were victims of genocide, are now falsely portrayed as perpetrators of genocide – is thoroughly underway.

It is not for naught that the International (IHRA) Definition of Antisemitism lists “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” as an example of antisemitism.

Over the past week, we have sought to counter this insidious narrative in the media, online and on our streets, and this campaign will continue over the coming days. We have also been involved in events in London and Manchester.

You can read our Chief Executive Gideon Falter’s comment piece in the Daily Express on why ‘Never again’ is now here.

We also went out in London to ask people if they would take some time out of their day to learn about some of the victims of the Holocaust and light a candle in honour of their memory. You can watch the full video here.

Fallout from last week’s anti-Israel protest continues

We have posted more video footage from last week’s anti-Israel protest, where participants allegedly tried to march in breach of modest restrictions imposed by the Met Police.

With signage and rhetoric like this, is it any wonder why British Jews stay away from city centres when these demonstrations are taking place?

We are particularly interested in any information in relation to the man in this footage.

If you have any information, please e-mail us in confidence at [email protected].

Furthermore, we caught footage of a man who appeared to be a steward at the event wearing a high-vis jacket with the phrase “We don’t hate Jews.” Some might say they doth protest too much.

Jeremy Corbyn MP, who was interviewed by police under caution, complained online that the Met’s description of events was not accurate at all, and that he “was part of a delegation of speakers, who wished to peacefully carry and lay flowers in memory of children in Gaza who had been killed. This was facilitated by the police. We did not force our way through.”

In response, we released further footage showing his own brother, Piers, telling the police “We’re not here to make things easier for you.”

Piers Corbyn has been arrested and charged in relation to his conduct that day.

Then, on Wednesday, demonstrators rallied outside Scotland Yard to protest against the Met Police’s imposition of restrictions on last weekend’s march and its enforcement of those conditions.

One shouted through a megaphone, about the police: “Like obedient sheep, you obey Israel.”

We have a considerable amount of footage from last week’s anti-Israel protes, including of the organisers, and we have offered our assistance to the police in this matter.

Let Your Star Shine!

Thank you to everyone who has been participating in our “Let Your Star Shine” campaign by sending us your selfies with your beautiful Stars of David!

You may recall that last week we released a video featuring numerous Jewish influencers promoting together with us a campaign to encourage Jewish people to honour the memory of Holocaust victims by proudly displaying their Stars of David.

The video has gone viral, so much so that Google’s AI even signposts it to searchers.

The result is that we have people from all over the world taking part by sending us selfies, from the UK to the US, Mexico, Argentina and beyond. Keep them coming!

If you would like to take part, send your selfies to [email protected] with the subject line: “Let Your Star Shine”.

Do you live in or regularly pass through Swiss Cottage?

For those who live near or pass by Swiss Cottage, the police are asking for the views of the Jewish community on the impact of the weekly protests on Fridays between 17:30 and 18:30 at the end of Eton Avenue next to Swiss Cottage Station.

They are finally considering instructing that it be moved.

Please consider e-mailing [email protected], including thinking about the following questions which might be helpful.

(Please do not copy and paste the questions – please compose an e-mail that incorporates your thoughts on them instead.)

  • Are you a local resident/Jewish Londoner?
  • Does the protest cause serious disruption; fear and concern; fear and intimidation; unacceptable disruption; distress and alarm; or harassment?
  • Have there been antisemitic signs, slogans or speeches?
  • Does the protest create a hostile/intimidating environment particularly on Shabbat, a Jewish holy day?
  • How does it make you feel on your way to synagogue/Swiss Cottage Underground Station?
  • How does it make you feel when walking to see family/friends for Shabbat dinner?
  • Have you had to change your usual route to/from somewhere?
  • Have you found it very noisy/disruptive?
  • What impact do you think this has on communal tensions?

We are aware of the impact that these protests are having on locals and wished to bring this consultation to wider attention.

In footage from last Friday at Swiss Cottage, a man can be seen shouting: “Don’t think because you are a Jew you are better than the whole world. You are the scum of the world.” In the video, a Met officer appears to witness this shocking interaction but take no action.

If you were involved in this incident and wish to speak with us, please e-mail [email protected].

This Holocaust Memorial Day, we are faced with the challenge of commemorating historic antisemitism while confronting the scourge of anti-Jewish racism in our own time.

The scale may be different, but it is the same ancient hatred.

It is difficult to believe that the world has learned anything.

But now we have tools to fight back, and at Campaign Against Antisemitism today we are rededicating ourselves to continue to lead that fight for a better future for British Jews.

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New polling shows Britain’s failure to protect its Jews

New polling of British Jews by Campaign Against Antisemitism has revealed a number of alarming insights.

The study covers how secure British Jews feel, their views on the criminal justice system and Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, where they believe threats are, their assessment of political parties and the Mayors of London and Manchester on antisemitism, their views on the BBC and universities, and more.

Being Jewish in Britain

  • Only one-third (34%) of British Jews believe that Jews have a long-term future in the UK.
  • Half of the Jewish community has considered leaving Britain in the past two years due to antisemitism. Among 18-24-year-olds, it is two-thirds (67%). The main reason is the surge in antisemitism since 7th October 2023, cited by 76% of respondents.
  • Less than half of British Jews (43%) feel welcome in the UK. Almost half of 18-24-year-old Jews (47%), conversely, do not feel welcome.
  • A majority of British Jews (58%) hide their Judaism due to antisemitism.

Extremism

  • British Jews consider Islamists to be the most serious threat (95%) compared to the far-right (67%) and the far-left (91%).
  • More than nine in ten British Jews do not believe that the authorities do enough to protect the Jewish community from Islamists.

Policing and prosecutions

  • Less than one-tenth of British Jews believe that the authorities are doing enough to address and punish antisemitism; 84% believe that they are not.
  • In Scotland, nearly one-fifth of Jews would not bother reporting an antisemitic hate crime to the police, with almost two-thirds not confident that it would be prosecuted.
  • Only 16% of British Jews are confident that if they reported an antisemitic crime, it would be prosecuted if there was strong enough evidence. Conversely, 62% are not confident, rising to 64% in London – the highest level geographically.
  • An alarming eight in ten British Jews think that the police do not do enough to protect them.
  • A minuscule ten percent of British Jews think that the CPS does enough to protect them, and only 13% think that of the courts.
  • Three-quarters of British Jews are dissatisfied with how their local police force has been policing anti-Israel marches in their local cities. Only one-tenth are satisfied. 
  • Just 5% of British Jews have confidence in Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, and six in ten believe that he should not be in post.

Politics

  • The vast majority – 85% – of British Jews are dissatisfied with London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s performance in relation to the Jewish community since 7th October 2023. Fewer than one in ten (9%) are satisfied.
  • Regarding Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, one-third of British Jews are dissatisfied with his performance in relation to the Jewish community, while only 12% are satisfied. In Northern England the satisfaction is higher at 30%, but still less than one-third; dissatisfaction is also higher, at almost half (49%).
  • Nearly three-quarters – 72% – of British Jews think that the Green Party is too tolerant of antisemitism among their MPs, MEPs, councillors, members and supporters. This is closely followed by the Labour Party with 71%. This is the highest figure ever recorded for the Greens, and it is the first time that another party has overtaken Labour in our polling. For their first time, a third party has also crossed the majority threshold: the SNP, at 52%.
  • The figures for the other parties are 42% for Sinn Féin; 40% for the Liberal Democrats; 26% for Plaid Cymru; 22% for the Conservatives; 22% for UKIP; 21% for the Democratic Unionist Party; and 19% for the Reform Party. 
  • 72% of Scottish Jews feel that the Scottish National Party is too tolerant of antisemitism.

Arts and Media

  • 92% of British Jews think that media bias against Israel fuels persecution of Jews in Britain.
  • Among broadcasters, the BBC scored the worst in terms of its coverage of matters of Jewish interest, with 92% of British Jews rating its coverage as unfavourable.
  • Among newspapers, The Guardian scored the worst on the same metric, with nearly seven in ten – 69% – of British Jews describing its coverage as unfavourable.
  • More than four-fifths (84%) of British Jews agree that boycotts of Israeli artists, academics or businesses selling Israeli products constitute intimidation. This finding is particularly pertinent given the incidence of boycotts over the past year.

Proscriptions

  • Nearly all British Jews – a resounding 98% – back our calls to proscribe all groups that were involved in the 7th October 2023 attack in Israel under terrorism legislation.
  • 94% of British Jews back our calls to proscribe the Houthis and 93% to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The latter was promised by the Government prior to the General Election but has not been delivered.
  • More than four-fifths (85%) of British Jews think that the British Government should proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group. 

Universities and education

  • Only 3% of British Jews are confident that if a Jewish student reported an antisemitic incident on campus, the university’s administration would take appropriate action. Among young Jews it is 6%.
  • 90% of young British Jews blame students for the increase in reported antisemitic incidents on UK campuses.
  • Nine in ten British Jews said that if anybody in their family were choosing a university, antisemitism would be a factor in their choice.
  • Nearly nine in ten – 88% – British Jews said that if anybody in their family were choosing a school, antisemitism would be a factor in their choice. 

Rhetoric

  • 95% of British Jews consider the chant ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free’ to be an antisemitic call to destroy the Jewish state. Only 2% do not. 
  • A minuscule 2% of British Jews consider the fiercely anti-Zionist Neturei Karta sect to be representative of their views on Israel.

Representation

  • 86% of British Jews believe that Campaign Against Antisemitism is representative of their views on antisemitism. More than half strongly believe that.

Full results of the survey can be accessed here.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “As we reflect today on historic antisemitism, as a society we also have to ask ourselves: why are we doing so little about antisemitism right here, right now? The truth is that Britain and the authorities are failing the Jewish community. These figures paint a sobering picture of the lives of British Jews and their future.

“British Jews have lost trust in the criminal justice system in general, which they do not feel is protecting them, and in the Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley in particular, after he has presided over the worst surge in antisemitism in living memory, opting for excuses over action and gaslighting those who call him out. It is time for arrests and a ban on the anti-Israel marches.

“From politics to the BBC to universities, the Jewish community sees betrayal across our civil and cultural institutions. The cumulative result is that less than half of British Jews feel welcome in the UK. Antisemitism has become our nation’s great shame, and time is running out.”

Fieldwork

Fieldwork was conducted between 3rd and 11th June 2024. In total, 4,078 responses were obtained.

Methodology

Our surveys of British Jews were modelled on the National Jewish Community Survey (NJCS) conducted by the Institute for Jewish Policy research. In common with the NJCS, the samples were self-selecting, and respondents were required to self-identify as Jewish and confirm that they lived in the United Kingdom. Like the NJCS, they were contacted primarily through ‘seed’ organisations, including religious bodies, Jewish online networks (including targeted advertising on social networks), and community welfare organisations, among others. In common with the NJCS, the seed organisations were used to initiate a ‘snowballing’ process which, in effect, created a non-probability convenience sample. It was not possible to use a random probability sampling approach for this study because a suitable sampling frame for the Jewish population is not available in the UK. Fieldwork was conducted between 3rd and 11th June 2024. In total, 4,078 responses were obtained. As is the case with the NJCS, the number of unique respondents contacted cannot be determined due to the likely overlap between different ‘seed’ organisations’ supporter bases, thus we cannot estimate the survey response rate.

A key issue with an online survey is to ensure that respondents are not counted twice. To avoid this and other abuses that might affect the survey’s integrity, several measures were implemented. These included: carefully monitoring responses for unusual trends during the fieldwork phase, and assessing the completed dataset for the presence of extreme or unrealistic values (i.e. outlier diagnostics) and for the presence of unlikely combinations of values across variables (i.e. logical checks).Additionally, cookies were used to avoid respondents completing the survey more than once. Finally, respondents’ IP addresses were logged so that if a respondent deleted their cookies, multiple responses from the same IP address could still be identified. As a result, duplicate responses were kept to a minimum and ultimately, removed from the sample.

Our survey is modelled on best practice established by NJCS. All surveys have their shortcomings, and ours shares the shortcomings of NJCS. Even surveys that are based on probability sampling are typically affected by high levels of non- response. Surveys of populations lacking sampling frames, such as this one, are particularly challenging, as is establishing their representativeness. Nevertheless, because we have extremely high-quality baseline statistics available in the UK, it is possible to both accurately weight the data and make reasonable assumptions about where they may depart from the ‘true’ picture. In general, the survey samples reflect the diverse character of Jewish respondents in the UK across geographical, demographic and religious variables. Where the sample does depart from baseline characteristics, responses were weighted for location, gender, age and religious affiliation. Population estimates were based on responses to the 2021 Census in England and Wales and the 2022 Census in Scotland where that data is available, and otherwise on responses to the 2011 Census, and size estimates with regard to religious denominations were based on the NCJS 2013. The weights were calculated using random iterative method weighting by an external consultant.

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Trainee pharmacist sentenced after writing “hope we kill hundreds more of you” to Israel student society following action by CAA

A trainee pharmacist was sentenced in court yesterday for a message he sent on social media to a university’s Israel student society.

Mohammad Al Accad, 24, also known as Suhail, pleaded guilty to sending a grossly offensive communication at Manchester Magistrates’ Court. The charge related to a message that he sent to the Israel Society at University College London which read: “F*** you and your people, hope we kill hundreds more in the coming days.”

The message was sent on 7th October 2023 in response to a statement published by the society condemning Hamas’ barbaric attacks in Israel on the same day. During the attacks, terrorists murdered some 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages.

Campaign Against Antisemitism reported the contents of the message to the police, Prevent and Mr Accad’s employer after speaking with the victim.

The police offered to facilitate an apology from Mr Al Accad to the victim in lieu of a prosecution, which was rejected.

We also reported the defendant to the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Mr Al Accad was identified by Campaign Against Antisemitism and arrested following a police investigation. During his police interview, he admitted to sending the message, saying he had done so in reaction to recent events.

Despite his admission, the defendant initially claimed that his message was not grossly offensive.

Mr Al Accad was ordered to pay a fine of £675, which was uplifted from a Band B fine to a Band C fine due to the racially/religiously aggravated nature of the offence. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £270 and £85 towards prosecution costs.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Mohammad Al Accad’s sentencing marks a victory against those who feel that they can target Jewish students with antisemitic hatred. When antisemitism crosses the criminal threshold, we will do whatever it takes to secure justice. Let this verdict send a clear message to those who target Jews. Ruinous consequences await them.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s analysis of Home Office statistics shows that an average of just under nine hate crimes are directed at Jews every single day in England and Wales, with Jews more than twelve times likelier to be targets of hate crimes than any other faith group.

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].

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London in chaos as the Met finally takes on the marches

Saturday was a dark day for London.

Not only did we see the usual antisemitic bile and open support for Jew-hating terrorist organisations to which our nation’s capital has become accustomed, but extremists repeatedly breached the modest restrictions imposed by the police on the anti-Israel protest. Frontline officers acquitted themselves superbly in the face of extremely challenging circumstances, making numerous arrests across central London, but why had they been put in such a dangerous position by their superiors?

Over the course of the preceding days, the Met Police and Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) argued online and in meetings about the route of Saturday’s regular anti-Israel march. The fact that the marches invariably feature antisemitic rhetoric and sympathy for terrorism have sadly not prevented them from becoming a weekly staple of London life.

The PSC wanted to march from near Broadcasting House to Whitehall, as per their usual route. For once, the Met Police decided to impose restrictions on their march under section 12 of the Public Order Act, insisting that the march could not assemble near Broadcasting House due to its proximity to London’s Central Synagogue, which has borne the brunt of these intimidatory marches for over a year.

The PSC defiantly declared that the march would assemble at Whitehall and end at Broadcasting House. The Met said that this was unacceptable and directed that the march should form up at Russell Square instead and then head to Whitehall. The PSC then decided that it will assemble at Whitehall and indicated that the march will likely now become a static protest, but appeared to leave the door open to marching.

Indeed the PSC spent all of last week posting online with the hashtag #WeWillMarch.

When Saturday came, chaos ensued. The police arrested some 77 individuals, some 66 of whom in relation to breaches of the modest conditions that the police had imposed, in what the Met described as “a coordinated effort to breach Public Order Act conditions and cause serious disruption to Londoners.” Other arrests related to alleged support for proscribed terrorist organisations and other offences, which of course are by now to be expected on the streets of London.

So far, some twelve people have been charged with Public Order offences, including the chief steward of the protest, as well as PSC Director Ben Jamal and Piers Corbyn, while Jeremy Corbyn MP and John McDonnell MP, who ran in the 2019 General Election to become Prime Minister and Chancellor of Exchequer respectively, have been interviewed by the police under caution.

These charges came after we called on the Met to arrest the organisers of these protests.

The Met’s Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, is learning what happens when you bend over backwards to accommodate extremists for fifteen months and then dare to impose a minor restriction. For over a year we have called for these marches to be banned; we reiterated that call on Friday when it was clear that the police would not be able to control the situation. In the event, police authorised a static protest for activists who repeatedly declared, ‘#WeWillMarch’. The result was chaos in London.

What happened on Saturday was not a case of a few bad apples. It is time that the organisers of the protest, several of whom appeared to be involved in trying to break the police lines and defy the conditions, finally be prosecuted and their organisations’ future marches be contained as static rallies.

Anything short of that would broadcast the message that the police have lost control of law and order in our nation’s capital, or, worse still, that some people are above the law, and some forms of extremism are acceptable.

Our Demonstrations and Events Monitoring Unit was on the ground capturing evidence that day. We have a considerable amount of footage from the march, including of the organisers, and we have offered our assistance to the police in this matter. Our analysis has been quoted across the media, from the BBC and Metro to the Independent and The Times.

We will be monitoring whether the arrests lead to charges and the charges to prosecutions, and if necessary we will intervene wherever we can to ensure that justice is done.

Calls to boycott Holocaust Memorial Day

For some weeks now, there have been calls for a boycott of Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD), which takes place next Monday, 27th January.

Coming after a year of constant antisemitic comparisons of Israel to Nazis and baseless allegations of genocide against the Jewish state, it is not surprising but still despicable that some now seek to deprive the Jewish community and its friends of a day to remember the millions of Jews murdered in an actual genocide.

The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has reportedly written to 460 town halls and educational institutions calling on them to boycott official HMD events following organisers’ refusal to include references to Gaza in commemorations.

The IHRC is best known for its pro-Hizballah “Al-Quds Day” parades under IHRC-badged placards that read “We are all Hizballah,” and this past summer it reportedly claimed that “Zionist financiers abroad” were to blame for “enabling” the Southport riots. The Chair of the organisation allegedly participated in a vigil in 2020 for the leader of the Iranian IRGC terror group Qassem Soleimani, reportedly saying at the event: “We hope and we pray and we work hard to make sure that there will be many many more Qassem Soleimanis. We aspire to become like him.”

The IHRC is a registered charity. While it may no longer be able to bring itself into any further disrepute, its conduct does still continue to adversely impact the charitable sector as a whole.

In a similar vein, others are planning to hold a Genocide Memorial Vigil in Parliament Square on Saturday, two days before HMD, in what appears to be an unsubtle protest against HMD’s focus on the Holocaust.

It is extraordinary just how intolerable some people find the notion that Jewish people can be victims.

Let your star shine!

On 27th January, the world will commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day and mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

There are so many ways in which we can honour the victims. One of the best ways is to be a proud Jew.

This year, we’re launching our “Let Your Star Shine” campaign. We’re encouraging Jews to confidently wear their Stars of David for the whole world to see, demonstrating their Jewish pride and unwavering opposition to the rising tide of antisemitism.

Send us your selfies where you’re proudly wearing your Stars of David and we will repost them on our social media channels.

All images should be sent to [email protected] with the subject line: “Let Your Star Shine”.

A big thank you to everyone who participated in this video: food writer and chef, Alissa Timoshkina; artist Avraham Vofsi; chef and activist Ben Rebuck; comedian Elon Gold; Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Elie K; actor Jonah Platt; comedian Josh Howie; comedian Judy Gold; entrepreneur Karen Cinnamon; rapper Kosha Dillz; journalist Nicole Lampert; actor Tracy-Ann Oberman; musician Westside Gravy and comedian Zach Margolin.

Antisemitism on dating apps

Antisemites must not be welcome on dating apps.

We are hearing from people who are experiencing antisemitism on these platforms.

If this applies to you, we want to know.

Please e-mail us confidentially at [email protected] with the subject line “Dating apps”.

How has antisemitism shaped English literature?

From Chaucer to Shakespeare, Dickens to Dahl, how has antisemitism shaped English literature?

Our short six-part series chronicling the history of antisemitism in English literature is now available.

In this podcast, we explore the anti-Jewish tropes perpetuated by centuries of literary misrepresentation. Beginning with medieval poetry and concluding with contemporary plays, the series offers a chronological overview, inclusive of social as well as literary context. From Dickens to Dahl, there’s a lot to learn!

You can stream the Antisemitism in English Literature series now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and other major platforms.

Kfir and Emily

This past Saturday, Kfir Bibas turned two years old.

He has spent the majority of his life in Hamas captivity.

We continue to pray for his safe return, along with his brother Ariel and his parents Yarden and Shiri, and all the other hostages who were barbarically abducted by Hamas, an antisemitic genocidal terrorist organisation, and have been held for well over a year.

The ceasefire due to come into force on Sunday was delayed having already been breached by Hamas, which failed to provide the names of the first hostages to be released in the prescribed time frame. To the last, Hamas’ psychological terror continued.

A few hours later, Emily Damari, a British-Israeli national who was brutally kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on 7th October 2023, was freed, along with two other hostages, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher.

Emily can now do something that she has not been able to do in fifteen months: embrace her mother, Mandy, who has been tirelessly working to bring her home.

We joined so many others across the world to call for her release over the past fifteen months. Yesterday, it finally happened.

We are on the right side of history; those who shamefully spread lies to humanise and defend murderous Hamas terrorists, including on the streets of Britain, are on the other.

We pray for the safe return of all of the other hostages, and that this weekend was the last birthday that baby Kfir spends in Hamas’ clutches.

This has been a bittersweet weekend.

There was chaos in London, but the Met has finally taken action against the marches and their organisers.

Frontline police officers conducted themselves superbly in trying conditions, but now it is the failed leadership of the Met that is taking an undeserved victory lap.

Meanwhile, hostages have begun to be released from Gaza but in difficult circumstances and on Hamas’s timeline. Still, after fifteen months of agony, we must take all the good news that we can get.

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Jewish celebrities participate in “Let Your Star Shine” campaign

On 27th January, the world will commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day and mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

This year, we’re launching our “Let Your Star Shine” campaign. We’re encouraging Jews to confidently wear their Stars of David for the whole world to see, demonstrating their Jewish pride and unwavering opposition to the rising tide of antisemitism.

Featuring:

  • Food Writer and Chef Alissa Timoshkina
  • Artist Avraham Vofsi
  • Chef and Activist Ben Rebuck
  • Comedian Elon Gold
  • Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Elie K.
  • Actor Jonah Platt
  • Comedian Josh Howie
  • Comedian Judy Gold
  • Entrepreneur Karen Cinnamon
  • Rapper Kosha Dillz
  • Journalist Nicole Lampert
  • Actor Tracy-Ann Oberman
  • Musician Westside Gravy
  • Comedian Zach Margolin

We are inviting people to send selfies of themselves proudly wearing their Stars of David to [email protected], which we will then repost on social media.

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The Met must ban the march

For the last several days, the Met Police and Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) have been arguing about the route of this Saturday’s anti-Israel march. These marches invariably feature antisemitic rhetoric and sympathy for terrorism and have become a weekly staple of London life.

The PSC wanted to march from near Broadcasting House to Whitehall, as per their usual route. For once, the Met Police decided to impose restrictions on their march under section 12 of the Public Order Act, insisting that the march could not assemble near Broadcasting House due to its proximity to London’s Central Synagogue, which has borne the brunt of these intimidatory marches for over a year.

The PSC defiantly declared that the march would assemble at Whitehall and end at Broadcasting House. The Met said that this was unacceptable and directed that the march should form up at Russell Square and then head to Whitehall. The PSC has now decided that it will assemble at Whitehall and has indicated that the march will likely now become a static protest, but it appears to be leaving the door open to marching.

Indeed the PSC has been posting all week using the hashtag #WeWillMarch.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: As the Jewish community prepares to go offline for Shabbat and ordinary Londoners want to make weekend plans in central London, there is still insufficient clarity about whether and where this week’s anti-Israel march — along with the habitual displays of antisemitism and sympathy for terrorism — will take place.

“The Met has finally discovered the consequence of fifteen months of pandering to this mob that has taken over London’s streets week after week with impunity. Like a child grown accustomed to getting their way over and over again, the slightest limitation provokes a tantrum. But the current prospect of a chaotic and unauthorised march taking place at the last minute is unacceptable. Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley must apply to the Home Secretary to ban any march under section 13 of the Public Order Act. It is about time that the Met remembers that it is here for all Londoners, not just an extremist minority.

“A ban is long overdue. By trying to impose restrictions this week, the Met has finally acknowledged what we all know: these marches pose a threat to the safety of Jewish people and communal institutions, such as synagogues. It is shameful that the Met has refused to act on that threat all this time, and is mustering a show of strength only now that it appears that the war might be ending. The least that it can do is see this tokenistic gesture through and finally limit these marches to static protests, as we have been urging for over a year.”

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Met Police must not bow to pressure from organisers of march this Saturday

An attempt is being made to stir controversy around the fact that the Metropolitan Police Service has decided to impose basic conditions on the latest Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) march. This now includes a Parliamentary Early Day Motion sponsored by John McDonnell MP.

The Met has not banned the PSC march this Saturday. It has simply said that the marchers cannot assemble or conclude right around the corner to a major central London synagogue if the march is to take place on a Saturday right as Shabbat services end.

Almost one year ago, we posted about how Jewish parents and children were afraid to walk home from their synagogue at the end of Shabbat services because of one of the weekly PSC marches taking place nearby. Police had to stand by the entrances to the synagogue and were stationed around the area. The fear was palpable, and understandably so, given what has happened on these marches before.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The Met is being told by the PSC that their march has to be on a Saturday, it has to be just after Shabbat services, and it has to form up or conclude around the corner to a major central London synagogue.

“In making that absurd argument, the Jewish community is being gaslit by the organisers of the march and their allies, who claim to be incredulous that Jews might be intimidated by people marching the streets, demanding ‘intifada’ and the like, as they usually do. To help make their point, they are parading a handful of Jews who say that they support the marches, but this is a well worn tactic that uses a few token Jews in an attempt to override the legitimate concerns of the actual mainstream Jewish community. It is transparently deceitful and shows utter disdain for British Jews.

“These are London’s streets, and they must be made safe again for all Londoners, including Jews. These marchers have had the run of the capital for far too long.

“The Met is absolutely right to insist on using its powers under the Public Order Act to prevent demonstrators from marching in the vicinity of a local synagogue this Saturday. Our only complaint is that these measures are still too limited, and come after more than a year of our streets resounding to chants exhorting violence while thousands of people happily walk alongside antisemitic and extremist placards. The Met has finally drawn a line in the sand — it is the bare minimum and it must stand by it. In doing so, the Met has the full support of the Jewish community, including us at Campaign Against Antisemitism. We will be watching closely to see how the day is policed.”

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Is this year shaping up to be any different?

A lot of British Jews and our friends — and those who care about the social fabric in Britain — have been wondering whether 2025 is going to turn the page on more than a year of the worst antisemitism and extremism that our country has seen in living memory.

Over the holiday period and heading into the new year, we at Campaign Against Antisemitism have been just as busy as ever.

Much as we would like to provide reassurance on the direction of travel for antisemitism and the Jewish community over the coming year, it is still too early to tell.

However, among the persistent bad news, there have recently been some positive developments.

Are the Met Police finally changing course?

Our Demonstration and Events Monitoring Unit continues to monitor anti-Israel rallies across the country, and we continue to see antisemitic or terrorist-sympathising signage and rhetoric at these protests, such as a sign at a demonstration in Leeds featuring the inverted red triangle symbol. This symbol has been used by some anti-Israel activists to signal support for proscribed terrorist organisations such as Hamas, inspired by the appearance of the symbol in Hamas propaganda videos to indicate targets for attack.

While we have all become used to such expressions of support for Hamas and the murder of Israeli Jews on our streets, we will continue to call them out and take action, so that our society does not allow this conduct to become normalised.

But down in London, the Met has for once heeded calls by the Jewish community to divert the next big Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) march — which, if it’s anything like previous protests, will also feature plenty of antisemitism — away from local synagogues holding weekly Shabbat morning services.

Naturally, the PSC and its supporters are furious; the very idea of accommodating Jewish concerns – whether or not the organisers consider them to be founded or not – is apparently unacceptable to them.

The Met has stuck to its proverbial guns, however, and imposed restrictions under the Public Order Act, prohibiting the march from assembling near Broadcasting House because of the close proximity of a synagogue that has been significantly affected by the almost-weekly demonstrations.

The Met has finally stood up to the bullies. This is the bare minimum that should be expected, and it is outrageous that it has taken over a year to see this sort of action, in spite of calls by us and others for a change in policing policy. Still, at least it’s a start.

Naturally, the PSC is refusing to comply. So the question is — as ever — how the march will be policed on the day, and how strictly the Met’s conditions will be enforced. Will those who brandish antisemitic signs and chant antisemitic chants be dealt with?

We will be watching.

There have also been arrests here and there, such as an individual who protested a public Menorah lighting by Chabad in Islington, North London during Chanukah.

Good news in the courts

In the courts too, there has been good news.

A man who published antisemitic posts online, including one that called to “eradicate every Zionist,” was sentenced to twelve months in prison.

Mohammed Nafees Ahmed, 32, of Tipton, was sentenced at the Old Bailey for eight offences of supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation. The offences related to several posts from his X account, including one that read, “Your fool, long live Palestine long live hamas [sic],” in response to then-Foreign Secretary James Cleverly’s condemnation of attacks carried out by the terrorist group in Israel on 7th October 2023.

Another post, published only four days after the attacks, read: “Wipe them off the map. Death to Israel and America.” Other posts celebrated Israeli soldiers being killed. In response to a post by Sir Keir Starmer celebrating Chanukah in December 2023, he wrote, “You Zionist, your time will come,” accompanied by an emoji of a knife.

Meanwhile, two individuals convicted of expressing support for Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation, have had their pre-trial appeals dismissed by the Court of Appeals.

The three judges, headed by the Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, upheld the convictions delivered by crown courts in two separate cases. In their judgment, the justices underscored that a defendant’s knowledge of whether an organisation is proscribed does not need to be proved by the prosecution to make out an offence under terror legislation.

On the far-right, a Lancashire taxi driver responsible for setting up “Southport Wake Up”, a far-right Telegram channel that was used to instigate and organise the summer riots last year and who has a history of engaging with neo-Nazi ideology, was sentenced to seven and half years’ imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court following a guilty plea to charges of encouraging violent disorder and carrying a knife.

Messages in the Telegram channel that Andrew McIntyre, 39, set up included “support neither brown nor Jew,” while another described Hitler as “the only politician since Roman times to truly care for his people”. In the same message, the user wrote: “The Jewish people fabricated the Holocaust…Today, Jewish media, NGOs, finance, business, entertainment and a huge overrepresentation in government, are doing the same all over Europe. The fight will be long brothers, but we will succeed. Never capitulate.”

Mr McIntyre was found to have sent a message in the channel urging people to target mosques and synagogues and referred to “k*ke ideology”. It was also revealed that days after rioters had attacked hotels housing migrants and asylum seekers, he shared a video of the Christchurch mosque attack in 2019 with the caption: “WHITE LEGEND. F*** ISLAM, F*** JEWS.”

It is vital that all types of extremism are confronted with the same vigour and treatment by our judicial system.

A mixed bag in the media

The BBC has apologised for an atrocious interview with Rabbi Gideon Sylvester. This was one of the starkest examples of anti-Jewish BBC bias that we have ever encountered.

When you invite a Rabbi to discuss Chanukah in wartime, the bare minimum is to ask questions about Chanukah. Instead, Rabbi Sylvester was subjected to an aggressive interrogation about Israel accompanied by images of war before being cut off in mid-sentence, in glaring contrast to the respectful and sympathetic treatment of the Imam and Reverend interviewed earlier in the day. Not a single question about Chanukah or Jewish suffering in the region right now. Absolutely despicable. The only silver lining is that Rabbi Sylvester acquitted himself very well in the circumstances.

It is yet further evidence that the BBC abandoned the principles of fair journalism a long time ago. The BBC’s quiet apology to the rabbi is only a start. This was a collective effort — producers, editors, anchors, and researchers all demonstrating an unspoken prejudice that this is how Jews or anyone connected with the Jewish state should be treated, in contrast to the respectful treatment of anyone who criticises the Jewish state.

When will our national broadcaster explain to British Jews and the wider public how it is going to address its internal rot?

The apology was an outlier, however.

More typical of the BBC is this headline, which unequivocally declares that journalists in Gaza have been killed by Israel. But buried in the body of the article is the rather significant line: “The BBC has not been able to verify claims made by either side.” So the BBC is effectively reporting something as fact that it itself admits may not be a fact.

Unsurprisingly, this maybe-fact portrays the Jewish state negatively.

Our polling consistently shows that overwhelming proportions of British Jews believe that media bias against Israel fuels antisemitism. Not that the BBC will let that come in the way of bad journalism.

Over on LBC, a summary of Matthew Wright’s line of questioning towards towards his guest, The JC Editor Jake Wallis Simons:

‘You’re a “Jewish man”: tell us the “Jewish figure” for how many children the Jews have killed in Gaza.

‘Now let’s turn to discuss antisemitism in the UK and what we can do about it.’

With interviews like that, it’s a total mystery!

Three retailers take action

Three retailers have taken action following contact from Campaign Against Antisemitism.

Customers had been complaining for days to the local Pret A Manger in St John’s Wood to remove antisemitic graffiti reading “Zionists are child killers” from the public toilet door, but only after we contacted the branch the graffiti was finally removed.

It should have happened faster and should not have required our intervention over and above the dozens of complaints that the branch received, but ultimately the offensive vandalism was rightly addressed.

After being alerted by customers, we also contacted the Camden branch of clothing outlet Urban Outfitters about graffiti reading “F*** Zionism” in one of the changing rooms, following which the graffiti was scribbled out.

These are obviously only two examples of graffiti that we have all seen repeatedly over the past fifteen months. It is appalling that rhetoric of this sort has become so visibly widespread.

Estarli agreed to remove from its social media platforms footage of a BDS Israel boycott sticker displayed on a bicycle in one of its video advertisements after we alerted the e-bike maker to its inclusion.

The retailer wrote to us saying: “We are very sorry if we have caused any offence. We hold no prejudices and when we film with customers we do not know how they have personalised their bikes and we do not stage what they wear or have on their bikes. We were not aware of this sticker when we filmed nor when we made the video. We will now remove it from any content it appears in and we will be more vigilant in the future. Sorry again.”

Leaving aside the role of particular Estarli in this case, the notion that a sticker like this is prevalent enough that it features in apparently randomly filmed scenes underscores just how normalised the anti-Israel rhetoric has become, and thus why it has such an impact on British Jews.

If you become aware of antisemitic graffiti or inflammatory political messages at commercial premises or in promotional material, please e-mail us at [email protected].

World Bowls Tour reverses a terrible decision

At the very end of the year, the World Bowls Tour caved to pressure from the anti-Israel mob, banning competitors from the Jewish state from participating in the Bowls World Indoor Championships.

“Bowls is a sport that unites people,” the organisation declared. Except, apparently, Jews, who were excluded. This decision was a disgrace to international sport. Athletes should be judged by their skill, not their race, ethnicity or nationality. Unfortunately, that principle did not seem to apply to Jewish athletes.

Thankfully, the decision was quickly reversed after an outcry.

World Bowls Tour apologised and arranged for “an increase in the security presence at the event,” thereby apparently making possible a restoration of the invitation to participants from the Jewish state to attend.

While it is shameful that the Israeli athletes had been disinvited in the first place, it was a reassuring end to the matter and a welcome happy note on which to bring 2024 to a close.

It does not take long before a major catastrophe is blamed, somehow, on the Jews.

Naturally, then, the haters sought a way to connect the Los Angeles fires with the Jews or the Jewish state.

Among them is the United Nations Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese. She also recently posted in support of the conspiracist and disgraced academic David Miller, before (inexplicably, for her) deleting her tweet.

We continue to call for the UN to remove her from her position — and on the UK Government to pressure the UN to do so.

Our hearts go out to those affected by the fires.

It’s a terrible shame that antisemites prefer hate to empathy and will use any opportunity to incite against the Jews.

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Who is Dilly Hussain?

Dilly Hussain is the Deputy Editor of 5Pillars, which describes itself as the largest English-language Muslim news site in Europe, Australia and the Americas. Mr Hussain currently has a following of over 150,000 on X and over 75,000 followers on Instagram.

So what gets posted on these accounts?

On 7th October 2023, the day of Hamas’ barbaric attacks in Israel, terrorists abused and murdered some 1,200 people in cold blood, including women, children and the elderly in sovereign Israeli territory.

Mr Hussain’s X account shared a 5Pillars video, which was posted with the title, “A Palestinian fighter reassures a Jewish settler and her baby that they will not be harmed.” Alongside the video was the text: “Don’t believe the lies of the mainstream media about the alleged mistreatment of Israeli women, children and elderly by the Palestinian resistance.”

Just under a week later, a post appeared on his X profile which read: “‘Never again,’ the West said after the Holocaust, but when it comes to Palestine, it’s same again.”

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is an example of antisemitism.

In January 2024, a post appeared on his X profile with the claim that “many” Israeli children “were killed by Israel’s superior firepower” and the statement: “Mass rapes? No evidence.”

There is no evidence that Israeli children were killed by Israel, which is an appalling example of victim-blaming and a clear attempt to downplay the atrocity that took place that day.

There has in fact been considerable evidence of the sexual abuse of victims on 7th October and of hostages taken by Hamas.

The same month, another post appeared on his profile that read: “Comparing Zionism to Nazism is not antisemitism. Comparing Israeli policies to Nazi policies is not antisemitism. Comparing the Holocaust and the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza is not antisemitism. The weaponisation of the Holocaust by Zionists IS ANTISEMITIC.”

Once again, according to the Definition, “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is an example of antisemitism.

In February 2024, a reply on his account to a post by the State of Israel’s account on X read: “‘Age is just a number’ according to Israel. That’s why Israel is a safe haven for pedophiles. That’s why Israeli soldiers kill children.”

Claims that Jews butcher children for their own purposes is a millenia-old blood libel, and the associated accusation that Jews are pedophiles or enablers of pedophiles is a well-established antisemitic trope.

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Far-right Southport riots instigator had history of Nazism and posted about “k*ke ideology”

A Lancashire taxi driver, who was sentenced in court on Monday for his involvement in the far-right riots last summer, was found to have a history of engaging with neo-Nazi ideology.

Andrew McIntyre, 39, was sentenced to seven and half years’ imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court following his guilty plea to charges of encouraging violent disorder and carrying a knife.

Mr McIntyre was responsible for setting up “Southport Wake Up”, a far-right Telegram channel that was used to instigate and organise the riots last year. The riots across Britain began following the murder of three children in Southport, an incident that was falsely attributed to an asylum-seeker.

Other messages from users in Southport Wake Up also reportedly said that they “support neither brown nor Jew” and claimed that “our nation is our land and our people.” Another message in the channel described Hitler as “the only politician since Roman times to truly care for his people”. In the same message, they wrote: “The Jewish people fabricated the Holocaust – ensuring they would never again be questioned by Europeans while they destroyed their homelands […]

“Today, Jewish media, NGOs, finance, business, entertainment and a huge overrepresentation in government, are doing the same all over Europe.

“The fight will be long brothers, but we will succeed. Never capitulate.”

Mr McIntyre, who used the alias ‘Stimpy’, was found to have sent a message in the channel urging people to target mosques with Molotov cocktails. He also suggested that synagogues could be targeted and referred to “k*ke ideology”.

It was also revealed that only days after rioters had attacked hotels housing asylum seekers, he shared a video of the Christchurch Mosque attack in 2019 with the caption: “WHITE LEGEND. F*** ISLAM, F*** JEWS.”

He also sent an image of a woman doing a Nazi salute to a neo-Nazi symbol to the Telegram channel.

This was not the only time that Mr McIntyre was found to have engaged with Nazism. Police discovered a copy of Mein Kampf at his residence and in July 2022, he posted an image of himself performing a Nazi salute. Mein Kampf was the Magnum Opus and manifesto of the Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler.

Mr McIntyre was arrested on 8th August last year after advocacy group Hope Not Hate shared his identity with Merseyside Police, following an extensive investigation of his online activity. It is understood that he used over 160 anonymous accounts, each active for only one or two days.

Image credit: Merseyside Police

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Who is Robert Carter?

According to 5Pillars, which describes itself as the largest English language Muslim news site in Europe, Australia and the Americas, Robert Carter is a ‘correspondent’. His X profile currently has a following of over 140,000.

So what gets posted on this account?

On the day of Hamas’ barbaric 7th October attacks in Israel, a post appeared on his X profile which read: “This latest round of violence proves once again that occupation cannot exist without bloodshed. As long as Israel occupies Palestine, the violence will continue.”

The attacks have been described as the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Some 1,200 people were murdered by Hamas terrorists and over 250 taken hostage.

On the same day, another post read: “Pleased with the outcome of the Palestinian retaliatory action against Israel. Palestinian leadership in Gaza performs sujud al shukr, the prostration thanking Allah.”

Another post on that day read: “According to some online videos, Palestinian resistance fighters have captured Israeli regime soldiers during the fighting. Some may have been captured alive…”

Less than a week after the attacks, a post appeared on his X profile which read: “FACT: Occupied people have the right to resist according to international law. It is the occupier that doesn’t have any rights to employ violence of any kind. The West defends this principle in Ukraine but not in Palestinian or Muslim lands. ASK YOURSELF WHY!”

On 12th October 2023, just days after the attack, a post appeared on his X profile which read: “Palestinians don’t have to invent fake news of massacred babies for the cameras. They have plenty of evidence but Western bulletins don’t care that much to show it.”

In February 2024, his X account appeared to share a post apparently by Dr Asif Munaf, who referred to Zionism as a “satanic cult”, and read: “Let’s rally around this hero and offer solidarity in any way we can insha’Allah.”

According to our polling, eight in ten British Jews consider themselves to be Zionists. Only six percent do not.

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Who is Mohammed Hijab?

Mohammed Hijab is a YouTuber, with over a million subscribers to his channel. He also has over 450,000 followers on X, more than 800,000 on Instagram and some 290,000 on TikTok.

So, what gets posted on these channels?

Only two days after Hamas carried out its attacks on 7th October 2023, a reply from Mr Hijab’s X account to a now-deleted post from another user read: ​​“‘This wouldn’t have happened’ if a racist regime didn’t decide to trap 2.2 million human beings in an open-air prison for sixteen years and then conduct five military operations affecting primarily civilians. But those talking points you would never mention because you [are] a coward.”

The barbaric attacks have been described as the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.

Just over a week after the attacks, another post on his X account read: “I don’t know why reasonable Westerners would go along with the ethno-supremacy bulls*** of the Zionist elites who think that one Jewish baby is worth a million babies from other races. Doing so makes you a slave, a weasel, a subjugate to a cause that isn’t yours.”

On 19th October this year, a post on his X account read: “To be honest, we Muslims need a dirty enemy like the Zionists so that we wake up from a 100 year sleep.”

According to our polling, eight in ten British Jews consider themselves to be Zionists. Only six percent do not.

Last month, a post on his X account read: “I’m sorry to say, but I think more Jews need to condemn the genocide in Palestine. Too many Jews support it.”

Recently, another post read: “Message to Zionist Jews: If you don’t want people to hate you, stop supporting a Holocaust.”Another post on his X account read: “Message to the Jewish community: Ignoring Palestine’s suffering while expecting sympathy for Hitler’s atrocities – compassion or narcissism?”

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is an example of antisemitism.

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Was Jesus a Jew, or something else?

As Christmas approaches, activists are gearing up for their annual attempts to airbrush Jews out of the story of the birth of Jesus.

This year, those attempts even included a nativity scene at The Vatican.

The scene, titled “Nativity of Bethlehem 2024”, featured a bay Jesus clad in a keffiyeh. Designed by artists in conjunction with the PLO, it was accompanied by a plaque presented to the Pope by children in the presence of representatives from the Palestinian Authority.

The Pope was photographed at the scene, which was briefly displayed in the Paul VI Hall – as opposed to in St Peter’s Square, which is where the main nativity scene is located – before being removed without explanation following an outcry.

There have also been reports of Protestant denominations in the UK promoting this sort of propaganda.

Historical revisionism has become a new annual Christmas tradition for Palestine activists.

But whether Pope Francis or the Baptists or specific churches here and there like it or not, Jesus was a Jew from Judea. The notion that he was not Jewish or belonged to another ethnic group is ahistorical nonsense and offensive to one of the founding stories of Christianity.

These pitiful attempts to airbrush Jews out of this story undermines interfaith relations and is a betrayal of Christianity itself.

How sad that the festival of goodwill is highjacked in this way.

When Santa Claus visited an anti-Israel demonstration

’Tis the season to be jolly.

But that’s not easy when there’s so much antisemitism around.

So we sent Santa Claus to an anti-Israel demonstration to find out who’s been good this year, and who’s been bad.

Watch what happened when Santa Claus visited an anti-Israel demonstration here.

For those wondering, we have reported the man in the opening clip to the Metropolitan Police Service and have provided his name and other information.

Fighting antisemitism on Chanukah

Chanukah is a celebration of Jewish empowerment and the fight against antisemitism.

Here are eight measures that we have been calling on the Government and other authorities, this Chanukah, to introduce to aid in that fight.

  1. Over half (59%) of the British public would be less likely to visit a city centre if they knew a large Palestine march was due to happen, according to our polling conducted by YouGov. It is time for these marches to stop. We are asking for the Home Secretary to close loopholes in our legislation that permit weekly anti-Israel marches; allow police to infer that marches led by the same organisers will likely repeat illegality; remove the limitations to definitions of “serious disruption to the life of the community”; and more. Antisemitic hate crime is skyrocketing in Britain. It is time for a change in direction.
  2. At the beginning of the year, the previous Government heeded calls by Campaign Against Antisemitism and others to proscribe Hizb ut-Tahrir, which praised Hamas’ barbaric attacks on 7th October 2023. But there is more to do. The Home Secretary must urgently proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Ansar Allah (the Houthi Rebels), and certain Palestinian terrorist organisations that were involved in or claimed involvement in the 7th October Hamas-led attacks in Israel.
  3. Jews are more than twelve times more likely to be targets of hate crimes than any other faith group, according to our analysis of the latest Home Office statistics. But how many of these incidents end in arrests and prosecutions? The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) must break down hate crimes prosecution statistics by category. A full 95% of British Jews believe that the CPS should be doing this, according to our polling.
  4. British campuses were already hotbeds of antisemitism before October 2023, and the situation since then has only become worse. Universities need to take a proactive approach to dealing with antisemitism. Among other things, we are asking for universities to reconfirm their commitment to the International (IHRA) Definition of Antisemitism and add it to disciplinary procedures and codes of conduct; and designate a member of staff responsible for tackling antisemitism on campus.
  5. Over the past year, campuses have become venues for the glorification of antisemitic terrorism and support for groups opposed to Britain and our values. With nearly one in ten (9%) of 18-24 year olds having a favourable view of Hamas, according to our polling conducted by YouGov, universities need to ensure that incidents on campus are being assessed for potential criminality. The Department for Education must obligate universities to report antisemitic incidents to the police and send universities legal advice on the requirement to balance freedom of speech with their obligations under the Equality Act 2010.
  6. Our police forces are vital in ensuring that those whose antisemitism crosses a criminal threshold face consequences for their actions. Police officers must be empowered with the right tools to combat antisemitic hate crime, including by the establishment of a Single Point of Contact within each police force to facilitate alerting and monitoring of antisemitic hate crime and identify training needs, and more.
  7. Palestine Action is a criminal enterprise operating freely in the UK and terrorising the Jewish community. Over the past year, we have seen Palestine Action escalate its campaign of harassment through acts of intimidation, including carrying out a mock beheading and vandalising the offices of Jewish charities. Palestine Action must be outlawed.
  8. Earlier this year, it was announced by the Foreign Secretary that the Government would restore funding to UNRWA. That funding had been paused by the previous Government earlier in the year due to allegations that a number of its staff were involved in the 7th October Hamas attacks. UNRWA teachers have glorified terrorism and some UNRWA personnel have been found to be members of Hamas, and UNRWA schools and premises have been used as storage facilities for munitions and launching pads for rockets. The agency’s educational materials have long been accused of promoting antisemitism and encouraging hate. The resumption of funding to UNRWA by the UK was an obviously controversial decision. We are therefore asking the Foreign Secretary, in the interests of transparency and consistency, to disclose the legal advice that was sought in deciding to restore funding to UNRWA.

Chanukah is the story of how the Jewish people fought and overcame antisemitism.

In a modern democratic country like Britain, we can only make advances in this fight with at least some support from the state.

The measures that we are calling for – some of which we have been advocating for over many years – are essential, and we encourage you to write to or meet with your local MP to promote support for these policy changes.

We are prepared for 2025

2025 is, sadly, shaping up to be another challenging year for British Jews. But we will be there, continuing the fight.

Here are some recent developments and successes:

Michael Derham, who shared antisemitic conspiracy theories online, was sentenced at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court following a private prosecution by Campaign Against Antisemitism. Mr Derham used his X account to express opinions about Jews that included: “Why are you allowing Jews to manipulate our politics?”; and “Mind you Jewish people are showing themselves to be easy to hate, especially their politicians, diplomats and media. Makes you question all the myths they have spread about themselves.” We brought the private prosecution against Mr Derham after the Metropolitan Police told us that “no suspect was identified” in its investigation and that it would therefore not refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service.

The parent of a fourteen-year-old identifiably Jewish boy has reported that his son was assaulted with threats of rape issued against the boy’s mother. The alleged incident occurred at the junction of Bury Old Road and Singleton Road in Manchester earlier this month, at around midnight. The boy, who was with a group of friends of similar age, was said to have been approached by a man around the age of twenty. The father of the victim claims that the man questioned him about their religious affiliation and, upon confirming that they were Jewish, asked about their views on the Hamas-Israel war. When the group of boys provided neutral answers, the man then allegedly attempted to strike the boy, knocking his hat off. It was at this point that a threat of rape against the boy’s mother was said to have been made. It is understood that the police were called and arrived at the scene roughly an hour and a half after the incident. The father of the boy expressed concern to Campaign Against Antisemitism over the police’s handling of the matter, and two weeks after the incident, the family is allegedly still yet to receive any communication from the police or external authorities. We are continuing to support the family.

You may recall that the Rio Cinema in Dalston cancelled London’s biggest Eurovision screening because Israel was participating in the competition. We submitted a complaint to the Charity Commission, which has been upheld. We are grateful that the Commission took this issue seriously and has issued guidance to the charity so that this does not happen again. Prejudice has no place in the arts.

Following our complaint, the Charity Commission has taken action against Millat-e-Islamia, Islamic, Cultural & Education Association. A video of Muhammad Adil Shahzad, who, according to the Charity’s Facebook page, is a resident imam at the Charity, appeared to feature him telling his audience not to use “Google, Facebook or Sheikh Twitter” because “nine out of ten websites are either run by Qadianis, or they are run by the Jews.” After reviewing our complaint, the Commission agreed that there was failure by the trustees in the administration of the Charity. Jew-hate is a poison that has no place in British society, least of all from registered charities.

Two teenage girls have been sentenced after carrying out a series of shocking attacks over the course of half an hour in Stamford Hill last December. In the first incident, the pair attempted to take money from a woman. One of them attempted to strike her but missed, allowing the woman to escape. Ten minutes later, the girls demanded money from a twelve-year-old girl. They only released her and walked off after realising she had no money. In a matter of minutes, the teenagers had accosted four eleven-year-old girls, hurling antisemitic insults and demanding money. Frightened, the girls ran off, using a pedestrian crossing on the High Road to get away. The pair pursued one of the girls, eventually grabbing her arm, intimidating her and stealing her lunch bag. Moments later, in an incident captured on video, a woman was viciously assaulted by the girls after the pair demanded money from her. The girls struck the woman’s back, took her phone from her hand and ripped off her wig, which she wore for religious reasons. The woman was thrown to the ground where she was then kicked into unconsciousness. The two girls were both found guilty of attempted robbery, religiously-aggravated harassment and ABH, with one of the defendants also found guilty of attempted theft. Despite all that, the girls have not received a custodial sentence. Apparently beating a Jewish woman unconscious and stealing from her as part of a spree of antisemitic robberies is not enough to land you in jail as a minor. Instead, both of the girls were handed a Rehabilitation Order, in addition to an order to undertake a rehabilitation activity requirement for 30 and 45 hours. They were also placed under curfew with an electronic tag for three months.

A Tower Hamlets school’s “hunger strike” for Gaza, which encouraged children as young as eleven to go without food, has been called off following reporting by the JC and subsequent action by Campaign Against Antisemitism and others, including our demand for Tower Hamlets Council to investigate the matter. This unethical initiative should never have been allowed to go ahead. Now the school is reportedly proceeding with a non-uniform day to raise funds in Gaza. But all this is only the tip of the iceberg. One mother of a Jewish child said: “This week my kid told me they would be ‘beaten up’ if anyone found out they were Jewish. I have sleepless nights worrying.” It is unconscionable that Jewish families should be made to feel fearful for their children in this way.

This is just a selection of the recent cases and incidents that we have been working on. The situation for British Jews is dire, but we will continue to do everything that we can to defend the Jewish community in the coming year.

Why did you march?

The March Against Antisemitism in London drew tens of thousands of people from the Jewish community and their allies across Britain.

We caught up with so many of you who attended to find out what motivated you to march.

This is what you told us.

You can also catch up on the full speeches by our Chief Executive Gideon Falter, Major Andrew Fox, heroic Druze nurse Lorin Khizran, Rev. Hayley Ace, and Founder of Our Fight Mark Birbeck, as well as the performances of Cantor Steven Leas and Israeli rock icon Aviv Geffen.

The photographs from the March Against Antisemitism are available here.

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Man allegedly assaults fourteen-year-old identifiably Jewish boy in Manchester and threatens to “rape his mother” 

The parent of an identifiably fourteen-year-old Jewish boy has come forward and claimed that his son was assaulted with threats of rape issued against the boy’s mother.

The alleged incident occurred at the junction of Bury Old Road and Singleton Road in Manchester on 6th December at approximately midnight. The boy, who was with a group of friends of similar age, was said to have been approached by a man around the age of twenty. 

The father of the victim claims that the man questioned him about their religious affiliation and, upon confirming that they were Jewish, asked about their views on the Israel-Hamas war. When the group of boys provided neutral answers, the man then allegedly attempted to strike the boy, knocking his hat off. It was at this point that a threat of rape against the boy’s mother was said to have been made.

It is understood that the police were called and arrived at the scene at approximately 01:30, roughly an hour and a half after the incident.

Speaking to Campaign Against Antisemitism, the father of the boy expressed concern over the police’s handling of the matter.

He said: “Despite the presence of multiple witnesses from a nearby birthday party and the availability of the vehicle’s licence plate, the police seemed unmotivated to pursue the matter. Even after expressing their disinterest in our situation, we were left with a sense of disillusionment regarding the justice system.”

The father claims that two weeks after the incident, the family is still yet to receive any communication from the police or external authorities, saying that it reinforces “the painful reality that our concerns may not be taken seriously”. This has left the father feeling despondent about how possible crimes may be treated.

With an eye on the current climate for Jews in Britain, the father commented that “In the UK, it appears that individuals feel emboldened to support terrorism, knowing that law enforcement may not act decisively,” he said, adding that his son, following the event, “has expressed fears” and even voiced concern that there may be “threats to our synagogues”.

We are continuing to support the family.

We have approached Greater Manchester Police for comment.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s analysis of Home Office statistics shows that an average of just under nine hate crimes are directed at Jews every single day in England and Wales, with Jews more than twelve times likelier to be targets of hate crimes than any other faith group.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2021 showed that over two thirds of British Jews believe that the authorities, in general, are not doing enough to address and punish antisemitism.

Image credit: Google

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“Keyboard warrior” who called to “eradicate every Zionist” sentenced to jail

A man who published antisemitic posts online, including one that called to “eradicate every Zionist,” was sentenced to a twelve months’ imprisonment yesterday in court.

Mohammed Nafees Ahmed, 32, of Tipton, was sentenced at the Old Bailey for eight offences of supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation. The offences related to several posts from his X account, including one that read, “Your fool, long live Palestine long live hamas [sic],” in response to then-Foreign Secretary James Cleverly’s condemnation of attacks carried out by the terrorist group in Israel on 7th October 2023

Another post, published only four days after the attacks, read: “Wipe them off the map. Death to Israel and America.” Other posts celebrated Israeli soldiers being killed.

In response to a post by Sir Keir Starmer celebrating Chanukah in December 2023, he wrote, “You Zionist, your time will come,” accompanied by an emoji of a knife.

He also directed posts to other political figures, including President Joe Biden, to whom he wrote “Parish Juda,” and Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Replying to Suella Braverman MP’s criticism of the Rishi Suank’s failure to address skyrocketing antisemitism and extremism in Britain following the attacks, Mr Ahmed wrote: “You still alive you witch.”

According to prosecutor Peter Ratliff, Mr Ahmed had also targeted a Jewish religious leader in his online activity.

It has also been reported that he described a report that described the murder by Hamas terrorists of entire families in their homes as “lies” and “fake news”.

Mr Ahmed, who previously worked as an accountant, was arrested on 20th March this year and charged on 16th September.

He pleaded guilty to the eight terrorist offences in Westminster Magistrates’ Court in October.

His lawyer argued that he admitted that his actions were “misguided and ill-thought-out” and that he described himself as an “idiot”. He also referred to himself as a “keyboard warrior”.

His lawyer also said that Mr Ahmed knew little of Hamas and that his posts came in response to seeing images of injured children in Gaza.

Sentencing, Judge Nigel Lickley KC remarked: “I am satisfied you had terrorist motivations. I am satisfied you knew Hamas was a proscribed organisation despite you saying you were not aware.”

He added, “Your words played a part in a worldwide dialogue at the time. Your behaviour cannot be overlooked,” concluding that Mr Ahmed’s offences were so serious that immediate imprisonment was the only option.
Image credit: Counter Terrorism Policing in the West Midlands

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Two teenage girls avoid custodial sentences for series of antisemitic attacks

Two teenage girls avoided custodial sentences after they were convicted of a series of antisemitic attacks in London.

The two girls, whose identities remain anonymous due to their young age, carried out four attacks in Stamford Hill in under 30 minutes in December 2023.

In the first incident, the pair confronted a woman on St. Ann’s Road, where they attempted to take money from her. One of them attempted to strike her but missed, allowing the woman to escape.

Ten minutes after the first incident, the girls then demanded money from a twelve-year-old girl near Holmdale Terrace. They only released her and walked off after realising she had no money.

In a matter of minutes, the teenagers had accosted four eleven-year-old girls, hurling antisemitic insults and demanding money. Frightened, the girls ran off, using a pedestrian crossing on the High Road to get away. The pair pursued one of the girls into Norfolk Avenue, where one grabbed her arm, intimidating her and stealing her lunch bag.

Moments later, in an incident captured on video, a woman in Rostrevor Avenue was viciously assaulted by the girls after the pair demanded money from her. The girls struck the woman’s back, took her phone from her hand and ripped off her wig, which she wore for religious reasons. The woman was thrown to the ground where she was then kicked into unconsciousness.

The two girls were both found guilty yesterday at Stratford Magistrates’ Court of attempted robbery, religiously-aggravated harassment and ABH, with one of the defendants also found guilty of attempted theft.

Both defendants were handed a Rehabilitation Order, in addition to an order to undertake a rehabilitation activity requirement for 30 and 45 hours. They were also placed under curfew with an electronic tag for three months.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s analysis of Home Office statistics shows that an average of just under nine hate crimes are directed at Jews every single day in England and Wales, with Jews more than twelve times likelier to be targets of hate crimes than any other faith group.

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Hunger strike for Gaza at Tower Hamlets school called off following action from CAA and others

A planned “hunger strike” for Gaza, which encouraged children as young as eleven to go without food, has been called off at George Green’s School in Tower Hamlets.

This follows reporting from The JC and subsequent action from Campaign Against Antisemitism and others, including our call for Tower Hamlets Council to investigate the matter.

One Jewish mother at the school said: “I don’t think they are cancelling this for the right reasons.”

The strike was due to take place on Friday, but was called off on Thursday. However, the school is reportedly proceeding with a non-uniform day next week to raise funds in Gaza.

When asked about this, the Jewish parent said: “Even more obvious than not eating is wearing non-uniform. I will send my kid to school in non-uniform and with money for UNICEF even though I desperately do not want to do that.

“The headteacher said they needed to ensure the non-political and humanitarian nature of the school is understood, but you cannot donate to one side in this conflict and remain apolitical. The school should not take a position on such a divisive issue.”

Turning to the issue of her child potentially being ostracised at school, she said: “This week my kid told me they would be ‘beaten up’ if anyone found out they were Jewish. I have sleepless nights worrying.”

It is understood that this is the second time that the school had called for a hunger strike in aid of Gaza.

Do you or your friends/family have stories of schoolteachers or pupils facing antisemitism at schools in the UK? We have received a significant number of reports and the Incident Response colleagues would be keen to hear of further examples if you could share them. Contact us at [email protected] or call +44 (0)330 822 0321.

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Thank you for making all of our voices heard

Sunday’s March Against Antisemitism in central London drew tens of thousands of people from the Jewish community and their allies across the country, calling on the authorities to act against hate before it’s too late.

The march, organised by Campaign Against Antisemitism with the support of all major Jewish communal groups and numerous non-Jewish organisations, began at the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand before passing along Whitehall and ending at Parliament Square.

As marchers passed Downing Street, they stopped to sing the national anthem. How unlike so many other marches that we’ve seen over the past year in London.

On this march, there were no violent attempts to gain access to Downing Street or desecration of national monuments, there were no masks or glorification of terrorism, no fireworks or racist rhetoric.

This is how the Jewish community and its friends march. This is what a real peaceful march looks like.

At Parliament Square, a rally was held featuring numerous non-Jewish speakers who emphasised how the battle against antisemitism implicates not just the Jews but all of British society.

At Parliament Square, the crowd was addressed by Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, who said: “The fight against antisemitism puts Jews on the frontlines of the battle for the future of the West. It is a long frontline with many flashpoints, but should any part of it fail, the entire defence fails.

“We owe it to future generations to raise our voices against this tide of extremism and bigotry, and reject appeasement, so that we might bequeath them the bright future that once was ours. Last year we gathered to say that we are one United Kingdom, united against antisemitism. Today we have a warning to the authorities: act against hate, before it’s too late.”

The full speech can be watched here.

The other speakers were not Jewish. They wished to express their considerable concern at the surge in antisemitism and extremism in Britain and to emphasise how this affects not just Jews but all of us.

The highly-respected military figure and senior lecturer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Major Andrew Fox, said: “When I turned on the television on 7th October and saw extremists celebrating the attacks in Israel—on UK streets—I could not believe my eyes. Since then, we’ve seen weekly marches in London keeping extremism in the public eye. This is not just a fleeting moment or an isolated problem. It is a movement of hatred that threatens the very fabric of our society.”

Our brief interview with Major Fox can be watched here and his full speech at the rally can be watched here.

Lorin Khizran is a heroic nurse from the Druze village of Yarka in the north of Israel who found herself working around the clock on 7th October treating the wounded. She spoke at the rally, saying: “Since I have been in the UK, I have heard a few Jewish families say there might not be a future in a generation’s time…The people marching on your streets, taking over your campuses, spewing their hate on social media, are changing absolutely nothing in the Middle East. They’re simply showing us who they: racists.”

Her full speech can be watched here.

Rev. Hayley Ace, the trailblazing cofounder of Christian Action Against Antisemitism, said at the rally: “We have to try and reach people who don’t realise this ideology that is coming for the Jews is coming to attack everyone. To see Jew-hatred explode after 7th October, the most brutal awful day for the Jewish people, as a Christian, is truly heartbreaking. We are in this together.”

The full speech can be watched here.

Mark Birbeck, the courageous founder of advocacy group Our Fight UK, told the crowd at Parliament Square: “When people say they want to ‘globalise the Intifada’, they mean it. The fight against antisemitism, the fight against extremism—it’s our fight. We need to fight against extremism before it’s too late.”

His full speech can be found here.

The crowd also heard music from renowned Cantor Stephen Leas and Israeli rock icon Aviv Geffen.

Meanwhile, we asked the peerless Allison Pearson, co-founder of British Friends Of Israel and Daily Telegraph columnist, why she joined the march. She told us that it is because this is not just a battle for the Jews: it’s for everyone.

News coverage of the March Against Antisemitism has been extensive, with write-ups in newspapers from the Mail to The Independent and reports on the BBC to GB News, broadcasts on LBC and even reporting for foreign outlets as far as Sky News Australia.

The March also drew significant attention online, and it trended on X (formerly Twitter).

Over the past year, antisemitic hate crime has quadrupled, and Jews are now the most targeted faith minority in the country, despite our minuscule numbers. The regular Palestine protests have unleashed a tidal wave of antisemitism that has left no part of our society unaffected. Jewish people feel like we’re drowning.

The turnout on Sunday – in spite of the stormy weather – demonstrates how strongly British Jews feel and, quite frankly, how desperate we are.

We want to thank in particular those who came from outside of London to ensure that this was a truly national march against antisemitism.

We also wish to thank everyone who kept us safe on the day, including frontline police officers, the terrific professionals from CST, our stewards and our amazing volunteers, thanks to all of whom so many thousands of us were able to participate.

The turnout would have been even higher had weather conditions been milder, as we know from so many of you who kindly wrote in to tell us how much you had wanted to be able to join.

All of the pictures from the March Against Antisemitism can be viewed here.

None of this is possible without your support, and we have a lot more to do.

If you wish to make a donation to help cover the costs of the March Against Antisemitism – including security and stewarding, publicity and placards, staging and logistics – you can do so by clicking on the button below.

All donations of any size are enormously appreciated to help defray the costs of this historic event. Only with your support can we continue to make our voices heard and ensure that the authorities finally take action against antisemitism.

With extremism changing our country before our eyes, we all took a stand on Sunday to uphold our country’s values and demand action to secure the future of Britain’s Jewish community.

But time is running out. The authorities and two governments have dragged their feet for over a year now. They must finally act against hate before it’s too late.

Image credit: Stuart Mitchell/Campaign Against Antisemitism

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CAA private prosecution leads to conviction and sentence for man who shared antisemitic conspiracy theories online

Michael Derham, who shared antisemitic conspiracy theories online, was sentenced at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Friday following a private prosecution by Campaign Against Antisemitism.

Mr Derham, of Newcastle upon Tyne, pleaded guilty last month and was convicted of five offences contrary to section 127(1)(a) and (3) of the Communications Act 2003 after he made a series of posts on his X account in October 2023.

The posts were exposed on X by Steve Cooke, who regularly speaks out against antisemitism online.

Mr Derham used his X account to express opinions about Jews that included:

  • “Why are you allowing Jews to manipulate our politics?”
  • “Western politicians have all been bought or blackmailed by Israel, Mossad or Jewish lobby [sic].”
  • “How much of what we’ve been told about Jews and Israel since WWII has been lies/propaganda? We should stop believing it now.”
  • “Mind you Jewish people are showing themselves to be easy to hate, especially their politicians, diplomats and media. Makes you question all the myths they have spread about themselves.”
  • “We need to know who in politics and media/commentariat has Jewish connections like [Prime Minister Keir] Starmer. We can then ignore them.”

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Making stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective, such as the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions,” is an example of antisemitism.

Campaign Against Antisemitism brought the private prosecution against Mr Derham after the Metropolitan Police told us that “no suspect was identified” in its investigation and that it would therefore not refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Mr Derham was sentenced to a Category D fine of £600 and ordered to pay £400 towards prosecution costs, to be paid at £100 per month.

The Court noted Mr Derham’s early guilty plea, apparent remorse and good character when determining his sentence. The Court also decided that there was no need for greater intervention due to his age and health difficulties. His limited income was also taken into account.

Campaign Against Antisemitism would like to thank Edmonds Marshall McMahon (EMM) for its work on the case and Shada Mellor, of Trinity Chambers, who was instructed by EMM.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Michael Derham’s sentencing marks a victory against those who feel that they can openly spew Jew-hatred. When antisemitism crosses the criminal threshold and the authorities fail to deliver justice, we will fight to secure justice ourselves, just as we have done here.

“It should not be necessary for us to take measures such as this, but the failure of the criminal justice system to provide adequate deterrence against rampant antisemitism leaves us with little alternative. Mr Derham’s repeated parroting of conspiratorial rhetoric about Jews is despicable and could not go by unchallenged. Those who target Jews should know that ruinous consequences will await them.”

Image credit: Steve Cooke

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Protester who wore sign labelling Leeds chaplain “war criminal” and “pervert” convicted and fined

A protester was convicted and fined yesterday after wearing a sign labelling the Jewish Chaplain at the University of Leeds a “war criminal” and a “pervert”.

Serena Fenton, 56, was found guilty in Leeds Magistrates’ Court of two counts of racially aggravated offences under Section 5 of the Public Order Act.

The charges related to a sign, which she displayed on her person, at two anti-Israel demonstrations in Leeds on 13th April and 1st May earlier this year.

The sign displayed an image of the University’s Jewish Chaplain, Rabbi Zecharia Deutsch, who was targeted with death threats during his tenure at the University after it was claimed that he had served as a reservist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza. Text imposed on the image read: “Thousands of war criminals will soon be walking our streets: Rapists, child-killers, perverts, torturers, thieves, psychopaths! They are dangerous! Do not approach unless armed! They will face justice!”

During proceedings, a community witness described the words on Ms Fenton’s sign as “extremely distressing” and said that it was “clearly designed to cause distress”.

The court found that the word “they” in the sign referred to Jews, notwithstanding Ms Fenton’s claim that she was referring to the IDF. She also said that the wording “unless armed” referred to being armed with “knowledge”; the court, however, concluded that the wording constituted a call to vigilante violence that would cause alarm or distress.

During her oral testimony, Ms Fenton said that she “only disliked Zionist Jews”, which the court concluded was an antisemitic view. It was also determined that her actions demonstrated racist intent.

According to our representative polling, only 6% of British Jews do not consider themselves to be Zionist.

A police officer also testified that Ms Fenton was uncooperative during her arrest, which took place during the demonstration in May.

Ms Fenton was fined £100 per offence, plus a £160 victim surcharge cost and £600 in prosecution fees.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s analysis of Home Office statistics shows that an average of just under nine hate crimes are directed at Jews every single day in England and Wales, with Jews more than twelve times likelier to be targets of hate crimes than any other faith group.

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If I am not for myself, why should others be for me?

The future for Jewish people in Britain is under threat, but if we don’t show that we care, why should anyone else?

We cannot expect the general public, the media, the authorities or the Government to take heed of the Jewish community’s cries if we do not make the effort to show the strength of our feeling regarding the unprecedented levels of antisemitism that have permeated every aspect of our lives.

If we do not tell them how we feel, how are they to know?

We have a responsibility to make ourselves heard.

If you have not yet joined the thousands who have already signed up to march at 13:00 this Sunday, 8th December in central London, please do so now and be part of this critical and historic event.

We will be gathering from 12:00 for a prompt 13:00 start.

You can sign up for the march here.

Why are we marching?

We are marching because these sorts of incidents – all from the past ten days – have become unacceptably commonplace.

  • A fourteen-year-old identifiably Jewish girl in Stamford Hill was reportedly hospitalised after being struck in the face with a glass bottle.
  • The Trades Union Congress called on all trade union members – including nurses, teachers and journalists – to “wear something red, green, black or a Palestinian keffiyeh to visibly show solidarity” at their places of work, resulting in BBC staff reportedly handing in their National Union of Journalists memberships.
  • A leading Jewish restaurant critic quit The Observer after 28 years, saying: “For years now being Jewish, however non-observant, and working for the company has been uncomfortable, at times excruciating.”
  • Ten teenagers reportedly attacked a TFL bus carrying pupils from JFS, a Jewish school in North London, in an incident in which four teenagers boarded the bus screaming “F* Israel, nobody likes you! F* off you b!” and throwing things at the JFS students, with seemingly no assistance provided to the victims by the driver or other passengers.
  • An experienced Jewish member of staff at the BBC has revealed that antisemitism has become “normalised” at the broadcaster.
  • It was reported that Counter Terrorism Police rightly felt the need to ban a video game in which users play as terrorists invading Israel to murder “Zionists”.
  • Anti-Israel activists outside the University of Oxford called for intifada, made comparisons between the only Jewish state and terrorists and engaged in genocidal chanting. Meanwhile what happened inside the Oxford Union, the University’s debating society, was indescribably appalling.
  • A Jewish leading figure in British arts resigned “from all voluntary positions within UK arts institutions” after accusing the art world of becoming host to “vile antisemitic sentiments…that are not isolated incidents but part of a broader culture that seeks to marginalise and dehumanise Jews.”
  • Anti-Israel protesters tried to force their way into Downing Street.
  • An academic at King’s College London allegedly attempted to “indoctrinate” her students with Hamas propaganda.

Anybody who does not think that antisemitism is a problem in Britain has their head in the sand.

The question for the Jewish community and our allies is whether we are willing to march this weekend to fight for our future.

It is not just about the Jewish community

It is essential that we march, not just for the Jewish future but for the future of our country.

We must take a stand against the growing extremism, radicalisation and support for terrorist groups that we are seeing on our streets, campuses and online, because it does not just affect the Jews.

As our Chief Executive, Gideon Falter, wrote in The Times last week: “Woe betide us if we believe this to be a passing nightmare, or an affliction that will affect the Jewish community alone and spare the rest. As the late Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks warned, ‘The hate that begins with Jews never ends with Jews.’”

The full article can be read here.

He also wrote in The Sunday Telegraph yesterday, pointing out that all of the activism that we are seeing is doing nothing to affect events in the Middle East but having a considerable, adverse impact on the fabric of our society right here. He asked: “Has this ‘activism’ done anything to change things in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon or Iran? Or are they just changing the face of our society over here?”

Th full article can be read here.

The future of British Jewry and our country’s tradition of tolerance and decency is not guaranteed. We owe it to our ourselves to fight for our future.

March with us.

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“F*** Israel, nobody likes you,” reportedly shouted at Jewish children on bus

Yesterday, Jewish children were reportedly targeted with antisemitic abuse on a bus on their way home from a North London school.

It is understood that two Jewish Free School (JFS) buses were attacked by ten teenagers from another school. Four teenagers also were said to have boarded the bus whereafter they swore at and filmed the Jewish students. They also reportedly threw rocks and rubbish at the bus after leaving the vehicle.

One student attested that the teenagers boarding the bus shouted at them: “F*** Israel, nobody likes you. F*** off you b******.”

Of the incident, he said: “I was sitting at the front of the bus and everyone was completely terrified and hiding under our seats. It was really scary.”

It was reported that no one offered any help to the Jewish children during the incident, nor did anyone call the police.

The alleged attack comes just days after reports of a man throwing glass bottles at a group of identifiably Jewish girls elsewhere in North London, resulting in the hospitalisation of a fourteen-year-old child.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This incident did not take place in a vacuum. Over the past year, we have repeatedly warned of the dangerous consequences of Jew-hate going unchecked. This incident comes only a few days after a visibly Jewish 14-year-old girl was hospitalised after having a glass bottle thrown at her. The simple truth is that our streets are no longer safe for British Jews and their children. Is it any wonder that 69% of British Jews are less likely to show visible signs of their Judaism in public, according to our polling? It is time for arrests and those who break the law must face consequences.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s analysis of Home Office statistics shows that an average of just under nine hate crimes are directed at Jews every single day in England and Wales, with Jews more than twelve times likelier to be targets of hate crimes than any other faith group.

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7th October massacre game banned in Britain

British counter-terrorism police have banned a video game in which users play as terrorists invading Israel and are encouraged to murder “Zionists”.

The game, ‘Fursan al-Aqsa: The Knights of the Al-Aqsa Mosque’, was removed from the gaming platform Steam, following a request from the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit.

The trailer for the game shows characters, dressed in Hamas-style clothing, including green headbands, entering an Israeli army base using paragliders. Images of Hamas terrorists using paragliders have become synonymous with its barbaric 7th October terrorist attacks in Israel last year, in which some 1,200 Israelis were murdered and over 250 people were taken hostage.

At the beginning of the trailer, text on the screen reads: “Where are those who carry the explosive belts? Come here, I want an explosive belt to blow up myself over the Zionists!” It continues, “It is a jihad, a jihad of victory or martyrdom!”

The trailer also contains a graphic scene where players line up Israeli soldiers and execute them.

The game’s Brazilian-Palestinian creator, Nidal Nijm, said his creation “allows you to relive the iconic day on which the brave Palestinian resistance humiliated Israeli military forces”.

An earlier version of the game reportedly included a scene of a terrorist beheading an Israeli soldier, before kicking their head into the air.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This game is repulsive. To reenact the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust for gameplay is sadistic. Such explicit depictions of real-life terrorist attacks against Jews also so obviously run the risk of further radicalising young people that you start to wonder if that’s the point. It’s absolutely right that this game is banned in the UK, given the alarming rates of extremism right now. Young people are already statistically more likely to have a favourable view of Hamas, the antisemitic genocidal terrorist group that carried out the barbaric attacks, according to our polling. We must make every effort to counteract these trends.”

Almost one in ten – 9% – of 18-24 year olds have a favourable view of Hamas, according to our representative polling.

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Marching has never been more important

The situation in Britain right now is worse than any of us can remember.

Antisemitism is rife across our public life. Worst still, the authorities seem to be indifferent.

Below is a sample of recent examples across society of the problems that we are seeing. But while we may be feeling helpless, we still have a responsibility to do something.

The future of British Jewry and our country’s tradition of tolerance and decency is not guaranteed. We have to stand up to extremism.

March with us. The march will start at 13:00 on Sunday 8th December in central London.

If you were among the 105,000 people who marched with us last year, you will know that this is a historic opportunity not to be missed.

Please ensure that you sign up in order to receive details and updates, enable us to plan for the right numbers and, for those coming from farther afield, arrange coaches.

The antisemitism and extremism – and the indifference – are deafening

These are just a sample of recent developments that showcase the levels of antisemitism and extremism – and the apparent indifference of the authorities.

  • Last month, Dyar Amin pleaded guilty to racially aggravated common assault after he tried to attack a Jewish counter-protester at a Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) demonstration. He also called him a “big-nosed bastard” and a “baby killer”. Shockingly, he was only sentenced to 180 hours of community service, despite the maximum being 300 hours. His sentence was further reduced by 30% due to his guilty plea. Since the attempted attack, he has also reportedly been used as a steward by Leeds PSC at an anti-Israel demonstration. This is another disappointing outcome from our justice system, but hardly an outlier over the past year.
  • The police have said that they will review a decision not to treat an imam’s public prayer for the destruction of Jewish homes as a crime after a public outcry led by The JC. We still have an outstanding complaint with the Charity Commission about the mosque in question, but why does it take a public backlash for the police to take this incident seriously?
  • The Telegraph and others reported this weekend on how the failure of the police to make arrests and pursue charges has forced an organisation like ours to bring private prosecutions as the only means of securing justice for the Jewish community.
  • The CPS, instead of devoting its energies to prosecuting antisemites, is bringing charges against allies of the Jewish community like Niyak Ghorbani, who has become renowned for declaring, in the face of anti-Israel protesters, that Hamas and Hizballah are terrorists under UK law. Once again, we funded his legal defence to have the charges dropped so that he retains the freedom to show solidarity with British Jews.
  • A social media account appearing to belong to the Oxford-based Dr Sebastian Hormaeche published numerous inflammatory posts, including “Gaza is a concentration camp where zionist jews are bombing Palestinians to oblivion [sic],” “The unimaginable horrors. Israel is a Nazi terrorist state,” and “May the souls of the Zionazis burn in hell forever,” among others. We wrote to Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation requesting an investigation. They replied to say that they were actioning it, and we queried what that meant. They responded that “internal actions remain confidential”, but that they “have looked into your concerns raised, met with Dr Hormaeche and [are] satisfied that this matter has been dealt with appropriately.” Since then, Dr Hormaeche has continued to post incendiary material. Such is the quality of NHS enforcement. We have now written to the GMC, which regulates doctors.
  • Whether or not we are right to place our confidence in the GMC remains to be seen. We have just heard from the regulator in response to our complaint in the case of a doctor who was a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir (which has since been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK Government). The GMC have contended that they have no power over the NHS’s decision to lift his suspension. This is true in a technical sense but untrue in the sense that he is only able to practice as a physician because the GMC permits it. Still, they are investigating, which is obviously welcome. It has been several months now, however, so we do wonder how long this is going to take. In the meantime, he continues to see patients and the NHS apparently has no problem with that.
  • Last week, a caller to LBC said that “We’ve got a country controlled by Zionists who are running the whole world…the definition of Zionist is Jewish,” and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a “Zionist”. He said that, clearly, because President Zelenskyy is a Jew. Presenter Tom Swarbrick deftly dealt with the call, which you can listen to below. But the enduring – and growing – popularity of these opinions and comfort with publicly expressing them contributes to the current surge in antisemitism.
  • Some media outlets are doing less to challenge dangerous sentiments – and are even amplifying them. The BBC, for example, published a fawning article on its website that excuses and even appears to glorify members of Palestine Action. “I think people will look back at people who took direct action in this context as heroes in the future,” one source is quoted as saying. No victims of Palestine Action were interviewed, and we also discovered that the journalist who wrote the piece has strongly-held views about the Jewish state which are easily discernible in her article. We submitted a complaint to the BBC.
  • Equity, the trade union for entertainment and the performing arts, has affiliated with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. The PSC is one of the organisers behind the regular anti-Israel demonstrations in London and across the country. These demonstrations routinely feature antisemitic rhetoric and signage. We asked some Jewish members of the union how they feel about this decision. One Jewish theatre director told us: “Equity does not support the views of Jewish members except a minority who are anti-Zionist. As a Jewish director, I do not feel that Equity represents me.” Another said: “Once again, Equity’s Jewish members have been airbrushed. And it’s heartbreaking. In aligning with an organisation that hosts regular marches at which antisemitism is ever-present, Equity has betrayed its Jewish members…I’m upset, disillusioned, and frankly, about to give up on Equity.” We have asked Equity for its reactions to these testimonies from Jewish members.
  • In a bid to disrupt a “Peace-building at Goldsmiths” event, anti-Israel activists at the University banged on the windows of a lecture hall whilst brandishing a banner that read “Zionism is colonialism”. It is revealing that this is how “peace-building” is treated on a British university campus.

These incidents showcase what British Jews are facing right now, from our streets to campuses, charities to unions, hospitals to policing, and more.

If you want to take a stand, sign up to march with us at antisemitism.org/march.

We mourn the murder of Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, and reiterate our call on the Government to ban the IRGC

It has been announced that UAE-based Chabad Rabbi Tzvi Kogan was murdered.

It is believed that he was surveilled at his kosher grocery shop and murdered by Uzbek terrorists linked to Iran.

This is a global war on Jews, and the Islamic Republic of Iran is leading this antisemitic onslaught.

The British Government and other Western states must take action if they actually believe their own words about the importance of fighting antisemitism.

That is why we join a call by a cross-party group of more than 40 MPs, peers and other public figures for the Government to finally proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as promised prior to the general election. Iran’s malign influence is on display day after day in the Middle East and beyond, and that influence finds expression through the IRGC. We and others have been calling for a proscription for a long time.

We bless the memory of Rabbi Kogan, who is also the nephew of another Rabbi murdered in Mumbai in 2008 by antisemitic Islamist terrorists. This incredible but long-suffering family, which has dedicated itself to the service of Jewish communities around the world, are in our prayers and thoughts this week.

We honour Jewish veterans

Last weekend, Campaign Against Antisemitism was honoured to have participated in AJEX’s annual Remembrance Parade.

We pay tribute to the sacrifices and contributions of the British Jews who so courageously served our country.
Many people are despairing about the levels of antisemitism and are resigned to this becoming the new normal for British Jews – even if it means rethinking whether they have a future here.

But we owe it to ourselves and our children – and to wider British society – to fight for that future.

We must march. We hope that you will join us.

Image credit: Stuart Mitchell/Campaign Against Antisemitism

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Belfast hospital reportedly fails to remove antisemitic genocidal graffiti after six months

A hospital in Belfast has reportedly failed to remove antisemitic genocidal graffiti from the exterior of its building for an estimated six months.

According to Gavin Robinson, Leader of the Democratic Union Party (DUP), the graffiti remained on the Royal Victoria Hospital in West Belfast five months after an official complaint was made to the Belfast Health Trust.

The graffiti consisted of the phrase: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

The genocidal chant ‘From the River to the Sea’ refers to the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, and, whether intended or not, is widely understood to represent a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state — and its replacement with a Palestinian state. It is reasonably interpreted to be a call for the annihilation of half the world’s Jews, who live in Israel.

Mr Robinson said that the vandalism would deter Jewish patients from coming to the hospital, emphasising that the phrase is “viewed by many people as a violent call to erase Israel and its population from existence”.

It is understood that the complaint has since been raised with the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.

When asked by Diane Dodds, a DUP Member of the Legislative Assembly, during a Stormont Health Committee meeting this week why the graffiti had not yet been removed, the interim Head of the Trust, Maureen Edwards, said: “As one of the first trusts of the sanctuary, we take it very seriously. We had extreme difficulty getting anyone to take the graffiti down. We had gone out to lots of contractors who would not do it. It is being dealt with now. We’d gone to local community groups, who had supported us, but we had real difficulty in getting anyone to do it.”

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Our future is threatened: we must fight for it now.

The future for Jewish people in Britain is under threat.

The Hamas massacre unleashed a tidal wave of antisemitism in Britain that has left no part of our public life unaffected. Jewish people feel like they are drowning.

What we recently saw in Europe shows the depths to which our society can still sink.

The future of British Jewry and our country’s tradition of tolerance and decency is not guaranteed. We have to stand up to extremism. March with us.

The march will start at 13:00 on Sunday 8th December in central London.

Please join us on the national March Against Antisemitism 2024, and bring your family and friends. Sign up here to march with us!

The march will be friendly, well secured and properly policed. We look forward to seeing you there.

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Hackney Council to remove “resist to exist” intifada graffiti

Hackney Council has confirmed that it will investigate and remove graffiti which contains the text, “exist is to resist” and the word, “intifada”, on the ground near Springfield Park.

The graffiti also includes a masked figure with fire behind them, holding a slingshot.

Intifadas in the past have always been campaigns of terrorist violence, including suicide bombings, which targeted Jews.

A spokesperson for the Council said: “Offensive, intimidating or insulting graffiti has no place in Hackney. We remove tens of thousands of instances of graffiti or fly-posts every year, informed by the Council’s graffiti policy. Graffiti should be reported at hackney.gov.uk/report-a-problem or on the Fix My Street app. The Council’s graffiti team will investigate and remove this instance as soon as possible now that it has been reported to us.”

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This is what ‘Globalising the Intifada’ looks like

Last Thursday evening, a modern-day pogrom took place in Amsterdam. In shocking scenes, Israeli Jewish football fans were targeted in a series of violent attacks.

Footage from the evening showed people running for their lives, an unconscious body being kicked in the street and a man begging for mercy as attackers yelled “Free Palestine”.

Others were run over, and at least one man apparently had to jump into a canal to avoid further attack as assailants shouted “cancer Jew”, a classic Dutch insult applied here towards Jews, with antisemitic undertones to boot.

From the information now available, it is clear that these attacks were pre-planned, using private messaging platforms, with bands waiting at designated spots with knowledge of where the fans would be and where they were staying. The attackers were reportedly armed with knives, clubs and other weapons.

The police warned Jews not to use local taxis, as drivers were providing information to the attackers, many of whom are believed to be youth gangs from the Dutch Moroccan and Dutch Turkish communities.

Aghast at the failure of police in Amsterdam to assist the victims, Israel sent two rescue places and brought 2,000 people home.

These images mirror early 20th-century pogroms in Europe and the Middle East, where Jews were sought out by mobs and either ran or faced being beaten in the streets, or worse.

Amsterdam is a city known for Anne Frank. The house in which she hid before before taken and eventually murdered by the Nazis is now a museum and one of the city’s most popular tourist destinations.

But what good is all this memorialisation when right outside the same antisemitism thrives on Dutch streets?

The King of The Netherlands declared: “We failed the Jewish community of The Netherlands during World War II, and last night we failed again.” The Western European country with the highest proportion of Jews murdered in the Holocaust was The Netherlands.

The comparisons to historic antisemitism were particularly unavoidable given that the pogrom took place in the week of Kristallnacht, which we commemorated this weekend.

What happened in Amsterdam is what “globalising the intifada” looks like.

Indeed not only were there further Palestine protests in Amsterdam in the days after the pogrom in defiance of a court ruling, but there are also reports of violent incidents from Sweden to the United States, and all eyes will be on Paris this week, where the Israeli and French national football teams are playing amid a deployment of thousands of police officers.

We are witnessing levels of antisemitism not seen in our lifetime, and it is of the utmost importance that Britain acts against the antisemitic thugs here at home who have become increasingly emboldened.

Anti-Israel demonstrators have taken over our streets week after week, calling for “intifada”. How much longer will it be before scenes like these are replicated here?

For all those who chant for “intifada” week in and week out, what just happened in Amsterdam is what they are asking for. This is what happens when lax policing for over a year repeatedly succumbs to the mob. When are we going to wake up?

Why people have such little faith in the news media

The immediate media coverage of the pogrom in Britain and across the Western world was deplorable.

The level of victim-blamimg in this now-deleted report from Sky News, for example, cannot be put down merely to mistaken reporting in the heat of the moment.

Instead, they are seeing what they want to see. They are refusing to see what they do not wish to see.

This is the essence of media bias, where the story is known ahead of time, and information will be manipulated, distorted or fabricated to fit with it, facts be damned.

Last week there was a pogrom against Jews in the most liberal city in Europe. Sky News and so many other outlets did not cover it. They covered for it.

A clear message to LSE

Yesterday, we sent a clear message to Francesca Albanese and the London School of Economics.

Someone with Ms Albanese’s history of rhetoric, which includes reference to the “Jewish lobby”, support for a “right to resist” and repeated comparisons of Israel to Nazis, is not welcome at British universities.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in letting LSE know exactly what they think of Ms Albanese.

Jewish patient allegedly refused treatment in Palestine t-shirt controversy

A Jewish patient has allegedly been refused treatment following an incident with a student nurse at a hospital in East London.

The patient reported that the incident occurred when they took a photo of a student nurse who was wearing a t-shirt with the word ‘Palestine’ on the front and a map of the entirety of Israel on the back, which could very readily be understood as support for the erasure of the world’s only Jewish state and its replacement with a Palestinian state.

It has also been alleged that a security guard at the hospital was co-opted in trying to get the patient to delete the photo.

These allegations are unbelievable. The NHS has a responsibility to ensure that its patients, who are among the most vulnerable in society, feel safe. That means restricting the display of political images and symbols, and – it is incredible that this needs restating – not refusing treatment to patients.

This alleged incident underscores how toxic life has become in Britain since 7th October, that something like this could happen to a Jewish patient.

We have called for an investigation to be opened immediately. We are also writing to the hospital to ask how this nurse was reportedly allowed to wear this t-shirt in the first place and what will be done in response to this extremely serious allegation of threatening and grossly unethical conduct.

We are in contact with the patient and our lawyers are examining the case.

If you have experienced discomfort or discrimination in the medical industry because you are Jewish or perceived to be Jewish, please contact us.

This weekend, we honoured the fallen

Kristallnacht was not the only event that we commemorated this weekend.

Sunday was Remembrance Day, and yesterday was Armistice Day, when we honour those heroes who fought for our freedoms, and reflect on the values that so many of them died to defend. Sadly, not everyone in our country will be doing the same.

A pogrom targeting Jews in one of the most developed Western countries in the world.

We had hoped that we would only be using those words to commemorate Kristallnacht this past weekend. Never forget? It seems that we already have.

People must wake up and the authorities need to be held to account. We will continue to do whatever it takes to make that happen.

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Jewish patient allegedly refused treatment in hospital

A Jewish patient has allegedly been refused treatment following an incident with a student nurse at a hospital in East London.

The patient reported that the incident occurred when they took a photo of a student nurse who was wearing a t-shirt with the word ‘Palestine’ on the front and a map of the entirety of Israel on the back, which could very readily be understood as support for the erasure of the world’s only Jewish state and its replacement with a Palestinian state.

It has also been alleged that a security guard at the hospital was co-opted in trying to get the patient to delete the photo.

We are in contact with the patient and our lawyers are examining the case.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “These allegations are unbelievable. The NHS has a responsibility to ensure that its patients, who are among the most vulnerable in society, feel safe. That means restricting the display of political images and symbols, and – it is incredible that this needs restating – not refusing treatment to patients.

“This alleged incident underscores how toxic life has become in Britain since 7th October, that something like this could happen to a Jewish patient. An investigation must be opened immediately. We will be writing to the hospital to ask how this nurse was reportedly allowed to wear this t-shirt in the first place and what will be done in response to this extremely serious allegation of threatening and grossly unethical conduct. We are in contact with the patient and our lawyers are examining the case.”

If you have experienced discomfort or discrimination in the medical industry because you are Jewish or perceived to be Jewish, please e-mail us at [email protected].

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At LSE, SOAS and QML, you can help us #BanFran

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, is going to be lecturing on British campuses. She has previously posted about “the Jewish lobby” and is alleged to have told a conference featuring Hamas leaders that they have “the right to resist”.

We will be holding demonstrations at universities where she is scheduled to speak to make clear that she is not welcome. Even if the UN refuses to #BanFran, Britain’s leading educational institutions should.

Please join us at:

We are also writing to the universities which are planning to host her.

By now, Ms Albanese’s indefensible past comments about “the Jewish lobby” and repulsive comparisons between the Nazis and the Jewish state are well known. There can be no excuse for inviting her to address students on campus in light of her views, which she has unrepentantly promoted for decades.

You can read more about her record here.

At a time when, according to our polling, almost one in ten 18-24 year olds have a favourable view of Hamas, an antisemitic genocidal terrorist group, universities need to be doing more to stop the spread of antisemitic extremism on campuses, not inviting those who appear to endorse it into their lecture theatres.

We are at a tipping point and Jewish students, who have been facing over a year of hatred on campus, need us.

Speakers like these help to fuel the activism on campuses that puts Jewish students at risk and radicalises the student body and the leaders of tomorrow. We will not let this pass without an answer.

Join us. Together, we can #BanFran!

Since students returned to campus, we have been standing with them

Students have been back on campus for several weeks now, and Campaign Against Antisemitism has been standing with them. Our campus tour is well underway, and we have launched our new Student Ambassadors programme, bringing together fearless, motivated students – Jewish and non-Jewish – for training in monitoring and combating antisemitism at their universities.

In addition to supporting students, we have also been monitoring developments on campuses and submitting complaints to universities.

By way of example, in recent weeks in London:

  • We wrote to UCL regarding anti-Israel protesters calling for intifada and chanting “From the river to the sea” on the anniversary of 7th October. We heard reports that students had to use the side entrance to the campus because demonstrators blocked off the main way in, and some told us how they did not feel safe attending lectures.
  • We wrote to Queen Mary University in relation to students surrounding a vigil for victims of 7th October on the first anniversary of the attack and chanting against them. That was not the only incident at the university.
  • We called out shocking signs at SOAS that read “Stop genocide baby killer Israel” and “You will never be free of us until Palestine is free of you!!”
  • At Goldsmiths, students chanted “From Gaza to Beirut all our martyrs we salute”, “From London to Gaza Globalise The Intifada” and “When people are occupied, resistance is justified.”
  • At London Metropolitan University, a lecturer published an effusive eulogy for the leader of Hamas who orchestrated the massacre of 1,200 people. Our lawyers are examining the case.

Last year, Jewish students faced the worst period of campus antisemitism. We will continue to do everything that we can to ensure that that this year is not a repeat, and that university authorities and regulators finally do their jobs.

Palestine Action and this weekend’s protests

The authorities have been too lax on Palestine Action.

Given the events of this weekend – during which Palestine Action activists allegedly smashed glass at Manchester University to steal two busts of Chaim Weizmann, a Reader in chemistry at the University who went on to become the first President of Israel, and vandalised the premises of Jewish charities in London – it is clear that Palestine Action will only continue to escalate its campaign of criminality, and the authorities are failing to stand in its way.

Whether that is due to an unwillingness to take action or an inability to do so due to the constraints of existing legislation, the result is that a group of petty vandals continue to terrorise the British public and, in particular, the Jewish community and its institutions. This has got to change.

We are talking to the Government and our legal team is reviewing existing legislation to assess its effectiveness in tackling what has become essentially a criminal organisation that wrecks businesses and charities, and terrorises the Jewish community.

The police and the Government must take urgent steps to ensure that Palestine Action faces enforcement action.

This latest vandalism comes in the same weekend when anti-Israel protesters in London invoked the age-old blood libel in a banner that read, “Israel enjoys killing kids. Never forgive. Never forget,” and when a sign was displayed at the protest that read, “Our media, TV, radio and government are controlled by Zionists.” This sort of rhetoric is regularly seen on the streets of London these days, another sign of what happens after a year of failed policing.

Still, there are some bright spots. A Met Police officer was filmed calmly explaining to an anti-Israel protester how wearing a T-shirt bearing a swastika and comparisons between Israel to the Nazis could be seen as offensive. The protester grew belligerent and started yelling at the officer who was trying to do his job. The police rightly detained the man. We will be writing to the Met to find out what further action they took.

Also at the regular anti-Israel march this weekend, police spoke to a man carrying a flag with the words “Free Palestine” and an inverted red triangle. In recent months, the inverted red triangle and its emoji variant have been used by some anti-Israel activists to signal support for proscribed terrorist organisations such as Hamas, inspired by the appearance of the symbol in Hamas propaganda videos to indicate targets for attack. It was encouraging to see that the police actually pulled this man aside.

Could it be that our police forces are beginning to recognise what may possibly count as more nuanced forms of support for banned terror groups? We will be writing to the Met to find out what the outcome of this interaction was and whether any arrests were made.

We are grateful to the volunteers of our Demonstration and Event Monitoring Unit, who continue to monitor anti-Israel protests and activities, week after week.

Problems in our politics persist

Concerns over antisemitism in our politics do not seem to go away.

Regarding the Conservative Party:

  • We observed that if Kit Malthouse MP thinks that making vague references to “humanity’s darkest period” and feigning ignorance blinds us to the Holocaust comparisons that he is almost certainly insinuating in recent comments to the House about Israel, he is wrong. Comparing the Jewish state to Nazis breaches the International Definition of Antisemitism, which has been adopted by the Conservative Party. We have called on the Conservatives to urgently require him to clearly reject such comparisons, or face full disciplinary action.
  • In an interview with a YouTube channel, former minister Sir Alan Duncan said of one of the Conservative leadership candidates, Robert Jenrick: “Now this man is an extremist. He does not believe in any kind of two state solution, although he says he does. He knows nothing about it. He takes his script entirely from the Conservative Friends of Israel and the Israelis, so he would be a disaster if he were leader of the Conservative Party.” Sir Alan was asked why he thinks that Mr Jenrick, whose wife is Jewish, is a supporter of Israel. He replied that “it is disgusting extremism born of ignorance. But there’s also family connections which have a Jewish link. But just because someone’s Jewish doesn’t mean that they have to agree with Netanyahu.” The suggestion that a politician’s political views are adversely dictated by the ethnic heritage of their spouse is surely beyond the pale of our politics. You can read about the full exchange and Sir Alan’s subsequent statement here. After already being investigated earlier this year in relation to antisemitism, Sir Alan – emboldened by the Conservatives’ recent appalling decision not to sanction him in relation to other antisemitism allegations – is at it again. We will be writing to the Conservative Party once more.
  • Baroness Warsi, who surrendered the Conservative whip following a complaint against her but who remains a member of the Party, recently shared a repulsive propaganda video that makes direct comparisons between Israel and the Holocaust, in breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism. We are writing to the Conservative Party about her yet again.

Labour MPs, meanwhile, continue to upset members of the Jewish community and their allies, many of whom have written to us to share their frustrations with how their MPs have replied to their letters about the hostages, the suspension of arms licences to Israel and other issues.

These replies have included references to “hostages on both sides” and support for Gaza with no appreciation for the impact of the war on Israeli or British Jews. The levels of ignorance and ideological entrenchment are remarkable.

We encourage you to continue writing to your MP – no matter their party and no matter their stated position – to express your views and show them that you are an active and interested constituent whose opinions matter. You may not change minds, but there is no harm and only good can come from engaging with your MP.

If you receive particularly supportive or egregious responses, please forward them to us at [email protected].

Jewish students have been facing the worst period of campus antisemitism over the past year.

From submitting complaints and publishing open letters, to organising targeted protests and publicising incidents, providing victim-support and launching our Student Ambassador programme, we will continue to do everything that we can to ensure that that this year is not a repeat of last year, and that university authorities and regulators finally do their jobs, and do right by Jewish students.

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As Francesca Albanese heads to LSE, SOAS and QML, it’s time to #BanFran

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, is going to be lecturing on British campuses. She has previously posted about “the Jewish lobby” and is alleged to have told a Hamas-organised conference that they have “the right to resist”.

We will be holding demonstrations at universities where she is scheduled to speak to make clear that she is not welcome. Even if the UN refuses to #BanFran, Britain’s leading educational institutions should. Join us at:

  • London School of Economics (LSE), 11th November, 11:30
  • School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), 11th November, 16:00
  • Queen Mary University of London (QML), 12th November, 11:00

We are also writing to the universities which are planning to host her. Should they come to their senses and reconsider the invitation, our protests will be called off.

Sign up at antisemitism.org/BanFran

Here is just a selection of Ms Albanese’s past rhetoric:

  • She has made innumerable comparisons between Israelis and the Nazis, in breach of the International (IHRA) Definition of Antisemitism, which has been adopted by the British Government.
  • In 2022, she reportedly addressed a conference in Gaza in which she stated “You have a right to resist this occupation.” The conference was reportedly organised by Hamas and numerous spokespeople from both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) were present. Both Hamas and the PIJ are proscribed as terrorist organisations by the UK Government.
  • Earlier this year, she was condemned by the French Foreign Ministry after she posted on X: “The victims of 7/10 were not killed because of their Judaism but in response to Israel’s oppression,” after President Macron described the 7th October attacks as “the largest antisemitic massacre of our century”.
  • A 2014 open letter that she posted on her Facebook account read: “America and Europe, one of them subjugated by the Jewish lobby, and the other by the sense of guilt about the Holocaust, remain on the sidelines and continue to condemn the oppressed — the Palestinians — who defend themselves with the only means they have.” This is also a breach of the Definition.
  • According to The Times of Israel, in 2014 in a now-hidden post on Facebook directed at the BBC, she wrote: “The Israeli lobby is clearly inside your veins and system and you will be remembered to have been on the big brother’s side of this orwellian [sic] nightmare caused once again by Israel’s greed.” Also a breach of the Definition.

Is this the kind of person that LSE, SOAS and QML want to be lecturing their students?

Do not let this go unanswered. Join us. #BanFran

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected]. 

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CAA submits complaint to BBC following alleged bias in reporting Israel’s response to Iran and Hizballah

Campaign Against Antisemitism has submitted a complaint to the BBC, following a report on BBC News that implied that Israel’s response to ongoing attacks by Iran and its proxies was unprovoked.

The report, which aired at the weekend, included a backgrounder on the recent targeting of military infrastructure in Iran by Israel, in which the news anchor listed a series of actions taken by the Jewish state, but failed to provide adequate context for why those actions were taken.

The anchor began: “Let us just remind you now of exactly how we got here.” She then said that “Tensions rose in Lebanon last month” due to the explosion of pagers that had been purchased by Hizballah and distributed to its members.

Apparently, 10,000 unprovoked rockets fired by Hizballah at the Jewish state, causing the evacuation of tens of thousands of Israeli civilians from their homes for over a year now, were not relevant to “how we got here”, because it all began when Israel randomly decided to blow up pagers.

The pagers, the BBC implies, were not purchased by Hizballah, a proscribed antisemitic genocidal terror organisation funded by Iran, and distributed to its members, but rather found their way to Lebanon somehow and a few just happened to be in the possession of Hizballah members when they exploded.

She went on to say: “Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated in Israeli air strikes on southern Beirut.”

According to the backgrounder, Israel has been doing everything, and Hizballah and Lebanon have done nothing at all. The viewer is presented with no possible motivation for Israeli action, which is portrayed as unilateral and unwarranted.

Moreover, throughout the report, Hizballah is not described as a terrorist organisation. Whatever it is, it just has a leader who was assassinated by Israel for reasons that are apparently unfathomable. The BBC’s failure to describe Hizballah as a terrorist group is not impartial but inaccurate. No context is provided for why this organisation, which began firing rockets at Israeli homes on 8th October in solidarity with Hamas, which is also a proscribed antisemitic genocidal terror group, might have provoked a response from the Jewish state.

The reporter continued to imply that it is Israel that expands conflict rather than Hizballah terrorists who created the northern front in this war in the first place, saying: “Three days later, Israeli tanks crossed the border into southern Lebanon opening up a new offensive in the conflict.”

“Within hours Iran had launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel.” Iran is presented not as the financier and puppet-master of Hamas and Hizballah terrorists, which it is, but as a third party merely showing solidarity with Lebanon after Israel attacked for no reason whatsoever.

Of the Iranian missile attack – the largest barrage of ballistic missiles in history – the BBC is at pains to point out that “Most were intercepted”. But Israel, it seems, decided to target Iran for no good reason anyway.

Our polling shows, year after year, that British Jews believe that media bias against Israel fuels antisemitism.

When the Jewish state is falsely portrayed, as in this BBC report, as needlessly aggressive and the methods and motivations of its enemies are whitewashed, it invites viewers to view Jews negatively and gives licence to antisemites to attack them.

You can sign our petition calling on all broadcasters to call Hizballah terrorists here.

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Sir Alan Duncan suggests Conservative leadership candidate supports Israel because of family “Jewish link”

In a recent YouTube interview, Sir Alan Duncan, a former Minister and former Conservative Party MP, suggested that Robert Jenrick, a sitting Conservative MP, supports Israel due to “family connections which have a Jewish link”.

In an interview with a YouTube channel, he said of Mr Jenrick, one of the Conservative Party leadership candidates: “Now this man is an extremist. He does not believe in any kind of two state solution, although he says he does. He knows nothing about it. He takes his script entirely from the Conservative Friends of Israel and the Israelis, so he would be a disaster if he were leader of the Conservative Party.”

Sir Alan was asked why he thinks that Mr Jenrick, whose wife is Jewish, is a supporter of Israel. He replied that “it is disgusting extremism born of ignorance. But there’s also family connections which have a Jewish link. But just because someone’s Jewish doesn’t mean that they have to agree with Netanyahu.” The suggestion that a politician’s political views are adversely dictated by the ethnic heritage of their spouse is surely beyond the pale of our politics.

In a further statement, Sir Alan seems to have recognised the damage that his rhetoric might cause him, claiming: “My interview specifically excluded family links as mattering, stating that being Jewish doesn’t mean you necessarily agree with Netanyahu. It’s [Jenrick’s] views as a politician which matter.”

In the same interview, he was asked: “Something you said in the beginning of this conversation, and something that you wrote in your diaries: ‘The Conservative Friends of Israel and Israelis think that they control the Foreign Office, and probably they do.’ What did you mean by that?” He replied: “I think the influence of donor money really goes straight into No.10 Downing Street, and then they tell the Foreign Office what to do.”

He also invoked the Livingstone Formulation, claiming that accusations of antisemitism are levelled to silence criticism of Israel.

Sir Alan was already investigated earlier this year by the Party, following accusations of using antisemitic tropes when he suggested on-air that members of the House of Lords were working at the behest of the Jewish state. Shockingly, the Party cleared him of the accusations.

We will be writing to the Conservative Party regarding Sir Alan’s appalling conduct.

Campaign Against Antisemitism advocates for zero tolerance of antisemitism in public life. To that end we monitor all political parties and strive to ensure that any cases of concern are properly addressed.

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Britain’s ‘anti-racists’ may be coming to a neighbourhood near you

This past Saturday, Stand Up to Racism and other ‘anti-racist’ groups gathered in London, ostensibly to protest a march organised by Tommy Robinson.

But there was plenty of racism on display among the so-called ‘anti-racists’, including signs and flyers demanding that “Zionism must be destroyed” and calling for an “End to Zionism”, claiming that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson are all “Israeli puppets”, and explaining “genocide maths” as “racism plus colonialism equals Zionism.”

Labour MPs and National Education Union leaders were among those in attendance. For those who like far-left ‘anti-racism’ maths, this seems like a more accurate equation: all anti-racisms are equal, but some are more equal than others.

The next day, the ‘anti-racists’ came to JW3, the Jewish cultural centre in North London, where a conference on Israel was taking place amid other regular programming. As members of the Jewish community entered the venue in order to attend that day’s events, they were forced to bypass an angry mob, who were screaming and chanting intimidatory slogans.

We have offered support to Jewish counter-demonstrators who were reportedly arrested by police, who otherwise allowed the anti-Israel protest to take place directly outside the entrance to the centre.

We are writing to the Metropolitan Police. Of course, this is the same Metropolitan Police whose officers do not seem to know that Hizballah is a terrorist organisation, even at a time when we know that Iran and its proxies pose a threat to Britain and the Jewish community.

After we publicised a video exposing ignorance among police officers, the Met rightly acknowledged the need for improved briefings for its officers. However, it feels like twelve months of excuses now while terror is being glorified on our streets, and British Jews are paying the price with unprecedented levels of antisemitism.

If you want to remind Hizballah supporters and forgetful police officers about the law of the land, our T-shirts and hoodies – with the caption “Hizballah Are Terrorists – It’s not an opinion. It’s the law.” – are available for purchase!

Show us the legal advice on UNRWA funding!

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has refused to reveal to us whether legal advice was sought or obtained in relation to the restoration of funding to the highly controversial United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), so we are now calling on Foreign Secretary David Lammy to publish the legal advice in the interests of transparency and consistency.

Last month, “in the interests of transparency” Mr Lammy published a summary of the legal advice in relation to the decision to suspend some 30 licences for arms exports to Israel following legal advice from the Attorney General, due to a supposed “clear risk” that they may be used in ways that breach international law.

We called on the FCDO to confirm whether legal advice had been sought or obtained in relation to the decision to resume UNRWA funding, but the Ministry has refused to tell us. We have therefore now written to Mr Lammy calling on him to do so, and to publish a summary of the advice.

It is time that, in the interests of transparency and consistency, Mr Lammy reassures the British public that legal advice identified no such risks in relation to taxpayer funding of UNRWA.

Watermelons on Big Brother

Last week, a Big Brother ‘housemate’ was seen wearing a t-shirt depicting the map of Israel as a watermelon – a symbol widely associated with anti-Israel sentiment. Many British Jews regard this symbol as a genocidal message similar to the slogan ‘From the River to the Sea’ which calls for the elimination of the world’s only Jewish state.

We therefore submitted a complaint to Ofcom in relation to its appearance on the programme.

After we did so – and others complained as well – the episode was removed from ITVX and re-uploaded, having been edited to remove the offending image.

A spokesman for Big Brother said that the show did not “allow any personal items into the house that could be deemed harmful,” adding: “We regret that the implications of this particular item of clothing were not fully understood in our bag checks or prior to broadcast of last night’s show. We apologise to any viewers who have been offended by the broadcast and assure viewers that Big Brother was unaware of the implications of the image.”

We are grateful to ITV for acting swiftly to ensure that this sort of programming is free from unnecessary political or threatening messaging.

How the British media sees Israel’s conflict with Iran and its terror proxies and supporters

In explaining Israel’s targeting of military infrastructure in Iran over the weekend, BBC News offered a backgrounder, with the anchor saying: “Let us just remind you now of exactly how we got here.”

What followed was several minutes in which Israel was portrayed as the solitary actor engaging in entirely unprovoked military action against Hizballah – which was not described as a terrorist organisation or explained in any way – and Iran, whose firing of the largest barrage of ballistic missiles in history against Israel was played down.

You can watch the full clip and read our analysis here.

Once again, the BBC’s failure to describe Hizballah as a terrorist organisation was not impartial but inaccurate. We will be writing to the BBC.

When the Jewish state is falsely portrayed, as in this BBC report, as needlessly aggressive and the methods and motivations of its enemies are whitewashed, it invites viewers to view Jews negatively and gives licence to antisemites to attack them. In this surge of antisemitism in Britain, the BBC is not innocent.

Please sign our petition calling on all broadcasters to call Hizballah what they are: terrorists.

The BBC is not alone in its dubious portrayal of what is happening in the Middle East or right here in Britain. Last weekend, Sky News gave national airtime to a ‘peaceful’ protester who claimed that Israel is “systematically targeting civilians” in Gaza.

Yet, we interviewed this same individual earlier this year, and he openly described Hamas as a “legitimate resistance organisation”. In fact, he even admitted that if he were a Gazan, he would probably join Hamas himself. In 2015, he also ran as an Independent Parliamentary candidate for Finchley and Golders Green, one of the most heavily-Jewish constituencies in the UK.

When people show you who they truly are, believe them. These are not peace marches. It’s time they stopped happening on our streets.

Meanwhile, The Guardian recently removed its appalling review of ‘One Day in October’, a documentary about the Hamas massacre on 7th October. In the review, the author lamented that, watching the documentary, “All our sympathies are with relatable Israelis…By contrast, Hamas terrorists are a generalised menace on CCTV, their motives beyond One Day in October’s remit.”

The review did not meet its editorial guidelines, according to the newspaper, but we’re wondering why. After all, we put together a selection of other articles which are still up on the newspaper’s website that apparently do meet The Guardian’s editorial standards.

Clearly, The Guardian’s editorial standards are deficient. Perhaps at long last, it is time that The Guardian acquired some moral standards.

Sukkot and Simchat Torah, which we celebrated over the past two weeks, were joyous occasions. But they were tinged with the memory of what took place at this time last year.

We remembered those murdered on these days twelve months ago, and mourned their absence. We also marked the absence of the over 100 hostages still in Hamas captivity.

Thanks to a contribution from a generous supporter, we were able to build and dedicate a sukkah to the hostages, and in particular recreated what the Bibas family sukkah may have looked like if Yarden (35), Shiri (33) and their beautiful children Ariel (5) and baby Kfir (1) were free to celebrate this wonderful festival with the rest of their people.

We continue to hope, advocate and pray for their safe return.

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David Lammy must now come clean on UNRWA legal advice

Following the Government’s announcement of a suspension of certain arms licences to Israel in September, purportedly in accordance with legal advice, Campaign Against Antisemitism submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) asking whether the Government sought or obtained legal advice in relation to its resumption of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) over the summer.

The arms licences were suspended because the legal advice claimed to have identified a “clear risk that” the arms may be used in ways that breach international law.

UNRWA’s premises and personnel have been involved in Hamas terrorism, yet, as one of its first acts in office, this Government restored the funding that its predecessor had suspended. The decision in July came shortly before a review by the United Nations was completed, which unsurprisingly sought to provide reassurance that UNRWA was putting processes in place to ensure that it “meets the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening its procedures”. Since that report, however, further allegations have arisen regarding UNRWA personnel and resources.

We were therefore interested to know whether the Government sought legal advice in relation to the UNRWA decision and whether that advice found no risk of the funding being used in ways that breach international law.

However, the FCDO has replied to us, acknowledging that it holds information relevant to the FOI but refusing to disclose whether legal advice was sought or obtained, or the content thereof.

We have now called on Foreign Secretary David Lammy to publish a summary of the legal advice, just as he did in relation to the arms licences, in the interests of transparency and consistency.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “UNRWA’s premises are regularly used by Hamas terrorists and some of its personnel were directly involved in the 7th October massacre, but the FCDO has refused to reveal to us whether legal advice was sought or obtained in relation to this controversial decision. We are therefore now calling on David Lammy to publish the legal advice in the interests of transparency and consistency. He relied heavily on legal advice in deciding to suspend certain arms exports to Israel because of a supposed ‘clear risk’ of a breach of international law. British taxpayers have a right to know if legal advice identified no similar risks by UNRWA before the restoration of funding.”

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JCIO issues formal advice to magistrate, who referred to a “Jewish accounting system” 

On Friday, the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) issued a magistrate with formal advice, following allegations of “unconscious bias of an antisemitic nature”.

The JCIO’s decision related to Lynn Killoran JP, a Merseyside magistrate, following a complaint by a fellow magistrate who is Jewish, regarding comments in which Ms Killoran allegedly referred to a “Jewish accounting system”.

She allegedly said that “Jewish charities are believed to make use of the ‘Jewish Accounting System’, whereby money disappears without a trace and reappears later at a much higher value.”

The complaint alleged that Ms Killoran made the comments when talking about her work within the charity sector and that she drew links between Jewish charities and fraud.

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, which has been adopted by the Judicial College, “making stereotypical allegations about Jews” is an example of antisemitism.

Ms Killoran reportedly denied making most of the alleged comments and also said that the comments she did make were taken out of context and were not antisemitic.

Following an investigation, a nominated member of the North-West Region Conduct Advisory Committee advised the JCIO that some of Ms Killoran’s statements “betrayed unconscious bias”. They also concluded that whilst her actions were “not deliberate or malicious”, they did demonstrate a “lack of awareness” and made her colleagues “uncomfortable”. 

Mr Justice Keehan and the Lord Chancellor concluded that formal advice, which had been suggested by the nominated member of the Advisory Committee, was “reasonable and proportionate”. They also considered that Ms Killoran’s comments were “ill-judged” but “not malicious or intended to cause offence” and agreed that it was an “isolated incident”.

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Antisemitism in Britain, one year on

We are one year on from 7th October.

In that time, we have witnessed regular anti-Israel protests featuring antisemitic rhetoric and chanting and glorification of terror on our streets, encampments on our campuses, intimidation in and around schools, online, in workplaces and even in hospitals, media bias on our televisions and radios and in newspapers, growing sectarianism in our politics, and indifference by our public bodies and criminal justice system.

But what do the British people think, one year on? What do they think of Hamas? What do they think of the Jews?

These are questions we put, through YouGov, to the British public. The results are concerning, but with regard to young people (aged 18-24) the results are positively alarming.

This is what we found.

Views on Hamas

  • Almost one in ten – 9% – of young Britons (18-24 year olds) have a favourable view of Hamas, compared to 3% of the general British public. More than two thirds (68%) of the British public has an unfavourable view of Hamas, as do 50% of young Britons.
  • More than one eighth of young Britons (13%) do not believe that reports that Hamas killed around 1,200 Israelis in the attacks on 7th October 2023 are broadly true, compared to 7% of the wider British public. Just over half (55%) of the British public think that those reports are broadly true, compared to 39% of 18-24 year olds.
  • An astounding 16% of young British adults believe that the attacks carried out by Hamas on 7th October 2023 were justified, compared to 7% of the wider British public. This figure rises to 28% among people identifying as “very left-wing”.
  • More than one eighth of British 18-24 year olds (13%) believe that the British Government is wrong to classify Hamas as a terrorist group, compared to 7% of the British public and an astonishing 31% among the “very left-wing”.
  • Reassuringly, over half (59%) of the British public would be less likely to visit a city centre if they knew a large pro-Palestinian march was due to happen. This is firmly where the centre-ground of British politics lies: with 66% among respondents identifying as being in the political centre saying so, 78% among slightly right-of-centre, and 48% among slightly left-of-centre.

Antisemitic attitudes

  • One third (33%) of the British public believes that Israel treats the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews, which is antisemitic according to the International Definition of Antisemitism. This is the highest figure that we have recorded in our polling. Even more worryingly, the figure for this question rises to a shocking 48% – nearly half – of 18-24 year olds. More than two-thirds (68%) of those who identify as “very left-wing” hold the same view. Among 2024 Labour voters, the figure is 45%, compared to 36% for Lib Dems voters, 22% of Conservative voters, and 18% of Reform voters.
  • Almost one in five (18%) British people believe that Israel can get away with anything because its supporters control the media, a figure that rises to a shocking 33% – one third – among 18-24s.
  • Almost one quarter (23%) of 18-24s do not believe that Israel is right to defend itself against those who want to destroy it, compared to 7% across the whole population. This number rises to one third (33%) among the far-left.
  • Nearly one fifth (18%) of young people do not believe that Israel has a right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people. Overall among the British public, the figure is 8%. Interestingly, among 2024 Lib Dem voters, it is one in ten, which is higher than other mainstream political parties.
  • Almost one-fifth (19%) of the British public is not comfortable spending time with people who openly support Israel. Among young people, it is 41%, nearly double the 21% figure recorded in December 2023.
  • Almost a quarter (22%) of the general population think that Israel and its supporters are a bad influence on our democracy. Among young people, the figure is a staggering 43%. A quarter (25%) of 2024 Labour voters believe this as well, as do 22% of Lib Dem voters, 17% of Reform voters and 10% of Conservative voters.
  • One in ten people in Britain believe that compared to other groups, Jewish people have too much power in the media. Among 18-24 year olds, this rises to 16%.
  • One in ten young people believe that Jewish people talk about the Holocaust just to further their political agenda. Among the general public, the figure is 7%.
  • Nearly one-tenth (9%) of British young adults do not believe that Jewish people can be trusted just as much as other British people in business, which is almost double the 4% of the general British public.

The YouGov survey was designed in collaboration with Campaign Against Antisemitism and used the peer-reviewed Generalised Antisemitism Scale. The full results and methodology can be read here.

We provided an exclusive briefing on the polling results to MPs and the findings have been covered widely in the media.

Extremism is becoming normalised in our country, and as ever Jews are the canaries in the coal mine. We have been marking one year since the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, but here in Britain we need to turn our attention to the home front, where British society is changing before our eyes.

Most alarming of all, our young people are becoming radicalised at a far greater rate than the rest of the population, sympathising with terrorists and espousing extreme anti-Jewish racism.

If the authorities continue to let radicalism run rampant on campuses and on social media, it will not be long before we are looking over our shoulders at generation hate.

This is National Hate Crime Awareness Week, but are the police aware?

The intensifying antisemitic attitudes among segments of the British public are manifesting in hate crimes.

New Home Office statistics show that attacks against Jews between spring 2023 and the following year more than doubled, and our analysis of the numbers shows that Jewish people are considerably more likely to be the victims of hate crime than any other faith group per capita.

This was after the Met Police disclosed that hate crimes against Jews in the capital over the past eleven months have increased fourfold.

This is National Hate Crime Awareness Week. But all the statistics and record-keeping notwithstanding, are the police really aware?

Are they really aware that perpetrators need to be identified, arrested and prosecuted? Are they really aware of the effect of failing to do that? Are they really aware of the impact that all of this antisemitism, one year on, is having on ordinary British Jews?

To give voice to that anguish, we invited three Jews living in Britain who had never met before to talk to one another, in front of a camera, about how they are really feeling, one year on. The full video can be watched here.

Police don’t know Hizballah are proscribed terrorists

One thing that some police officers do not appear to be aware of is that Hizballah is a proscribed terrorist organisation under UK law.

We have released new, jaw-dropping footage showing a concerned member of the public approaching two Metropolitan Police officers at a vigil for Hizballah’s leader. The vigil took place in broad daylight in Trafalgar Square.

In this footage, taken on 28th September, the officers appear not to know that Hizballah is a proscribed terrorist organisation and demonstrate no concern about the event. When the member of the public tells the officers that Hizballah is proscribed under British law, one of the officers responds: “Your opinion is your opinion.”

The Head of MI5 has warned about the risk that Iran and its proxies pose to the UK, yet here was a vigil for an Iranian-backed proscribed terrorist group leader on our streets. When someone tried to point out to police officers that Hizballah is a terrorist organisation, he was gaslit, told that this was merely his ‘opinion’.

It is hard to watch the lack of training of Met officers on display here without despairing. For Britain’s Jews, acutely aware of Hizballah’s antisemitic genocidal intentions and record, it is terrifying. How are our officers supposed to protect us when they don’t even understand the law? We will be writing to the Metropolitan Police Service.

The Met are not the only ones.

Last week, we also called out the BBC for failing to describe Hamas and Hizballah as terrorists on BBC Newsround, a news programme for younger viewers. When the BBC fails to call these groups what they are, they are not being ‘impartial’: they are being inaccurate.

If you believe that our broadcasters should call terrorists what they are, please sign the petition.

The fight goes on

With antisemitism still at record-levels amid growing radicalisation and sectarianism in British society, we are continuing to ensure that these issues remain in the news and on the public agenda.

This week, we published the 100th episode of our podcast, Podcast Against Antisemitism, the world’s only podcast dedicated to discussion of antisemitism. For this anniversary episode, we interviewed our Chief Executive, for his take on the last year and our plans going forward.

We also continue to lead the debate on this issue within the Jewish community. Last week, for example, our Chief Executive, Gideon Falter, joined the President of the Board of Deputies, Phil Rosenberg, for a conversation moderated by journalist Nicole Lampert on the state of antisemitism today.

We wish our Jewish supporters a joyous Sukkot and a meaningful Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

This Shemini Atzeret, our thoughts are also with those who were murdered on 7th October 2023, which fell on this festival last year. May their memory be a blessing.

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Jews over twelve times more likely to be targets of hate crimes than other faith group, CAA analysis of home office stats shows

An analysis by Campaign Against Antisemitism of new Home Office statistics released this week shows that Jews are more than twelve times likelier to be targets of hate crimes than any other faith group, as figures reach record numbers.

Police forces across the country record hate crimes against Jews as religious hate crimes, and these records show that in the year 2023/24, 3,282 hate crimes were committed against Jews, making Jews the target in 33% – almost one in three – of the total number of religious hate crimes.

These figures mean that there is an average of just under nine hate crimes directed at Jews every single day in England and Wales. Hate crimes against Jews are also still widely believed to be under-reported, and also do not reflect the extent of antisemitic material and abuse on social media.

However, when one accounts for the miniscule size of the Jewish population, it emerges that Jews are statistically more than twelve times more likely to be the targets of hate crimes than any other religious group, with some 1,210 hate crimes per 100,000 of the Jewish population in 2023/24.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “These figures should be alarming. For years, we have seen the number of Jewish victims of religious hate crimes rise, but this year, that number has soared. Following Hamas’ barbaric attacks on 7th October last year, antisemitism has surged in all areas of British life, and this is what that looks like. If the Jewish community is to be reassured that the authorities are taking this frightening trend seriously, it is finally time for arrests and prosecutions.”

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Today, we remember.

Today is the first anniversary of 7th October 2023, a day that traumatised the Jewish people and will live in infamy.

On this day, the Jewish people suffered the worst antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, murdering some 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostage.

We remember the victims who brutally lost their lives that day, some of whom lived their final moments in agony. We also remember the brave acts of heroism from those who made it their mission to help and rescue others nearby, even if it cost them their life.

May their memory be a blessing.

Through the testimonies of courageous survivors, we are still piecing together the horrific events of that day.

We continue to fight for the release of the over 100 hostages who still remain in captivity. They and their loved ones are in our thoughts. The Jewish people is incomplete without them.

We were proud to partner with organisations across the Jewish community in support of the commemorative event in Hyde Park yesterday, and to host a stall to speak to members of the community.

London supports the hostages

As we know, one year ago today, Hamas terrorists killed some 1,200 people and took over 250 hostage. More than 100 hostages are still being held captive.

We recently went out in London to offer pedestrians yellow ribbon pins in support of the hostages still held by Hamas. Watch what happened here.

Last week, we invited people to print off “Bring Them Home” posters and place them in their windows to show solidarity with the hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on 7th October.

Thank you to everyone who has sent us photographs of your posters so far. To take part, just e-mail your picture to [email protected].

Learn more about 7th October and the hostages

Over the past year, we have released a number of episodes of our podcast addressing the events of 7th October and its impact on survivors and the families of hostages.

On this day of commemoration, you may be particularly interested in our interviews with:

  • Natalie Sanandaji, a survivor of the Supernova Sukkot Gathering music festival, where some 365 people were murdered by Hamas.
  • Elad Poterman, a survivor, along with his wife Maria and baby daughter, of the Kibbutz Nahal Oz massacre.
  • Eylon Keshet, a cousin of Yarden Bibas who, along with baby Kfir, his five-year-old brother Ariel, and their mother Shiri, were kidnapped and taken as hostages to Gaza by Hamas.
  • Dr Einat Wilf, a former Member of Knesset and leading thinker on Israel, Zionism, foreign policy and education.

Antisemitism at its highest levels

It has been reported that, over the past eleven months, there were more reported abuses of Jews than Muslims in London, for the first time.

For years, Jewish people have been by far the biggest victims of hate crime per capita – as we have previously highlighted in national billboard campaigns – but now, notwithstanding our relatively minuscule numbers, Jews are also the biggest victims in absolute terms.

This is an indictment of where our society is at, with rising levels of antisemitism and radicalisation, particularly among British youth – a trend that our national polling, released today, demonstrates. The polling has already been covered in the national press.

The antisemitic hate crime figures – which show that hate crime against Jews has increased fourfold – cannot come as a surprise to many people, particularly given that there is antisemitic rhetoric and chanting on our streets week after week. Indeed, this past Saturday, an anti-Israel demonstration was held in London marking one year since the Hamas invasion. As always, our Demonstration and Events Monitoring team was present and documented what took place.

Nearly one year on, the streets of London are filled with the same calls for intifada and grotesque Holocaust inversion. But now, support for Hizballah is on display too. This is the result of inaction from those in power who failed to forcefully clamp down on support for terror over an entire year.

Among the photographs and footage captured by our volunteers this past weekend was a man holding a pro-Hamas sign and declaring his “love for October”. The Times and The Telegraph picked up the story, and the Metropolitan Police then put out a witness appeal.

If you have any information, please e-mail us at [email protected] or contact the Metropolitan Police directly.

Join us to discuss the state of antisemitism today

From arson attacks to chants calling for intifada, to the harassment of Jewish students on campus, British Jews have been facing torrents of abuse. For the past year, our community has felt uncertain not just about safety, but our place in Britain.

One year on from 7th October, we invite you to join communal leaders for an important conversation as they discuss the current state of Jewry in Britain and what the future holds.

Hosted by journalist Nicole Lampert, the event will feature Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, and Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

This event will take place on Wednesday 9th October at 19:00 in North London. Booking is essential. The location will be announced to ticketholders on the day.

We are one year on from what was only the beginning of a heart-wrenching period for the Jewish people and our friends and allies.

Israel’s entry into a multi-front war, continuing efforts to free the hostages and a worldwide surge in antisemitism unprecedented in recent times have deprived us of an opportunity to properly mourn and process what happened that day.

This anniversary is one such opportunity, imperfect though it may be. In the meantime, we will continue to do whatever we can to defend British Jews.

We wish those fasting this weekend an easy and meaningful Yom Kippur.

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New polling shows extent of sympathy for Hamas and frightening trends of radicalism among young Britons

Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) commissioned YouGov to survey British adults’ attitudes towards Jews.

The polling has revealed very concerning levels of support for Hamas and antisemitic views, especially among young people in Britain.

As we mark one year since Hamas’ barbaric attacks in Israel, levels of antisemitism in Britain have never been higher.

Here are some key takeaways from the polling:

Views on Hamas

  • Almost one in ten – 9% – of 18-24 year olds have a favourable view of Hamas, compared to 3% of the general British public. More than two thirds (68%) of the British public has an unfavourable view of Hamas, as do 50% of young Britons.
  • More than one eighth of British 18-24 year olds (13%) do not believe that reports that Hamas killed around 1,200 Israelis in the attacks on 7th October 2023 are broadly true, compared to 7% of the wider British public. Just over half (55%) of the British public think that those reports are broadly true, compared to 39% of 18-24 year olds.
  • An astounding 16% of young British adults believe that the attacks carried out by Hamas on 7th October 2023 were justified, compared to 7% of the wider British public. This figure rises to 28% among people identifying as “very left-wing”.
  • More than one eighth of British 18-24 year olds (13%) believe that the British Government is wrong to classify Hamas as a terrorist group, compared to 7% of the British public and an astonishing 31% among the “very left-wing”.
  • Over half (59%) of the British public would be less likely to visit a city centre if they knew a large pro-Palestinian march was due to happen.

Antisemitic attitudes

  • One third (33%) of the British public believes that Israel treats the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews, which is antisemitic according to the International Definition of Antisemitism. This is the highest figure that we have recorded in our polling. Even more worryingly, the figure rises to a shocking 48% – nearly half – of 18-24 year olds. More than two-thirds (68%) of those who identify as “very left-wing” hold the same view. Among 2024 Labour voters, the figure is 45%, compared to 36% for Lib Dems voters, 22% of Conservative voters, and 18% of Reform voters.
  • Almost one in five (18%) British people believe that Israel can get away with anything because its supporters control the media, a figure that rises to a shocking 33% – one third – among 18-24s.
  • Almost one quarter (23%) of 18-24s do not believe that Israel is right to defend itself against those who want to destroy it, compared to 7% across the whole population. This number rises to one third (33%) among the far-left.
  • Nearly one fifth (18%) of young people do not believe that Israel has a right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people. Overall among the British public, the figure is 8%. Interestingly, among 2024 Lib Dem voters, it is one in ten, which is higher than other mainstream political parties.
  • Almost one-fifth (19%) of the British public is not comfortable spending time with people who openly support Israel. Among young people, it is 41%, nearly double the 21% figure recorded in December 2023.
  • Almost a quarter (22%) of the general population think that Israel and its supporters are a bad influence on our democracy. Among young people, the figure is a staggering 43%. A quarter (25%) of 2024 Labour voters believe this as well, as do 22% of Lib Dem voters, 17% of Reform voters and 10% of Conservative voters.
  • One in ten people in Britain believe that compared to other groups, Jewish people have too much power in the media. Among 18-24 year olds, this rises to 16%.
  • One in ten young people believe that Jewish people talk about the Holocaust just to further their political agenda. Among the general public, the figure is 7%.
  • Nearly one-tenth (9%) of British young adults do not believe that Jewish people can be trusted just as much as other British people in business, which is almost double the 4% of the general British public.

The YouGov survey was designed in collaboration with Campaign Against Antisemitism and using the Generalised Antisemitism Scale, more on which below.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Extremism is becoming normalised in our country, and as ever Jews are the canaries in the coal mine. This week marks one year since the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, but here in Britain we need to turn our attention to the home front, where British society is changing before our eyes. Most alarming of all, our young people are becoming radicalised at a far greater rate than the rest of the population, sympathising with terrorists and espousing extreme anti-Jewish racism. If the authorities continue to let radicalism run rampant on campuses and on social media, it will not be long before we are looking over our shoulders at generation hate.”

Full results

(Figures in brackets represent the 18-24 answers)

Jewish people can be trusted just as much as other British people in business

  • Strongly agree 42 (47)
  • Agree 35 (30)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 18 (15)
  • Disagree 2 (4)
  • Strongly disagree 2 (5)

Jewish people are just as loyal to Britain as other British people

  • Strongly agree 33 (33)
  • Agree 33 (29)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 28 (30)
  • Disagree 4 (2)
  • Strongly disagree 2 (6)

I am just as open to having Jewish friends as I am to having friends from other sections of British society

  • Strongly agree 58 (66)
  • Agree 31 (24)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 9 (6)
  • Disagree 1 (3)
  • Strongly disagree 1 (1)

Compared to other groups, Jewish people have too much power in the media

  • Strongly agree 3 (4)
  • Agree 7 (12)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 42 (29)
  • Disagree 26 (31)
  • Strongly disagree 22 (24)

Jewish people talk about the Holocaust just to further their political agenda

  • Strongly agree 2 (2)
  • Agree 5 (8)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 26 (26)
  • Disagree 29 (29)
  • Strongly disagree 38 (35)

Jewish people chase money more than other people do

  • Strongly agree 3 (4)
  • Agree 9 (6)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 42 (35)
  • Disagree 21 (26)
  • Strongly disagree 25 (30)

I am comfortable spending time with people who openly support Israel

  • Strongly agree 12 (9)
  • Agree 23 (12)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 46 (38)
  • Disagree 13 (22)
  • Strongly disagree 6 (19)

Israel has a right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people

  • Strongly agree 20 (14)
  • Agree 37 (25)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 34 (44)
  • Disagree 5 (10)
  • Strongly disagree 3 (8)

Israel is right to defend itself against those who want to destroy it

  • Strongly agree 19 (10)
  • Agree 43 (31)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 30 (36)
  • Disagree 4 (11)
  • Strongly disagree 3 (12)

Israel and its supporters are a bad influence on our democracy

  • Strongly agree 7 (22)
  • Agree 15 (21)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 47 (39)
  • Disagree 19 (13)
  • Strongly disagree 11 (5)

Israel can get away with anything because its supporters control the media

  • Strongly agree 5 (12)
  • Agree 13 (21)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 44 (42)
  • Disagree 24 (18)
  • Strongly disagree 13 (7)

Israel treats the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews

  • Strongly agree 12 (22)
  • Agree 21 (26)
  • Neither agree nor disagree 41 (39)
  • Disagree 16 (6)
  • Strongly disagree 10 (7)

Since last year there have been regular marches in many city centres in support of Gaza. If you were due to visit a city centre when you knew a large pro-Palestinian march was due to happen, would it put you off from visiting?

  • It would make me less likely to go 59 (35)
  • It wouldn’t make any more or less likely to go 27 (34)
  • It would make me more likely to go 4 (16)
  • Don’t know 10 (14)

Do you have a favourable or unfavourable view of Hamas?

  • Very favourable 1 (1)
  • Somewhat favourable 2 (8)
  • Somewhat unfavourable 19 (17)
  • Very unfavourable 49 (33)
  • Don’t know 29 (40)

From what you have seen or heard, do you think the attacks that Hamas launched on Israel on 7th October 2023 were justified or unjustified?

  • Justified 7 (16)
  • Unjustified 61 (35)
  • Don’t know 32 (49)

The British Government currently classifies Hamas as a terrorist organisation. Do you think they are right or wrong to class them as terrorists?

  • Right to class them as terrorists 64 (53)
  • Wrong to class them as terrorists 7 (13)
  • Don’t know 29 (34)

It has been reported that Hamas killed around 1,200 Israelis in the attacks on the 7th October 2023. From what you have seen or heard, do you think these reports are…

  • Broadly true 55 (39)
  • Broadly untrue 7 (13)
  • Not sure 38 (48)

Background and Methodology

The twelve statements – which include six relating to Judeophobic antisemitism and six relating to anti-Zionist antisemitism – together comprise the Generalised Antisemitism Scale.

The Generalised Antisemitism Scale was devised by Dr Daniel Allington of King’s College London, Dr David Hirsh of Goldsmiths, and Dr Louise Katz (then) of the University of Derby. The research behind the Generalised Antisemitism Scale has been peer reviewed.

In particular, in developing the Generalised Antisemitism Scale, they were guided by the International Definition of Antisemitism, which Campaign Against Antisemitism, together with other Jewish communal institutions from around the world, has long campaigned to be widely adopted. Further background on the Generalised Antisemitism Scale can be found here.

Our survey of British adults were conducted by YouGov Plc. The surveys were administered online to members of YouGov’s panel of over 1,000,000 British adults who have agreed to take part in surveys. E-mails were sent to adult panellists who fulfilled the requirements of the sample, inviting them to take part in the surveys, and providing a link to the survey. YouGov normally achieves a response rate of between 35% and 50% to surveys however this does vary depending on the subject matter, complexity and length of the questionnaire.

The total sample size was 2,615 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 2nd-5th August 2024 by YouGov plc. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

YouGov ensured that there were no duplicate responses and that all respondents were adults living in Great Britain.

The responding sample was weighted according to age and gender, social grade, political attention level, education, and region, in addition to past voting behaviour, to provide a representative reporting sample. The profile is derived from the Census as well as the mid-year population estimates and Annual Population Survey published by the Office for National Statistics.

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Reflecting on a year of tragedy, and looking ahead

As we approach Rosh Hashanah, we reflect on a year of tragedy for the Jewish people, a multi-front war against the Jewish state, skyrocketing antisemitism around the world, and over one hundred hostages still in captivity.

The international community has failed the Jewish people, and at home the authorities in Britain have failed the Jewish community.

Over the past year, we have raised awareness of the hostages on billboards and digital vans, exposed antisemitism on weekly anti-Israel marches, made scores of reports to the police, regulators and broadcasters about antisemitic incidents and rhetoric, supported more victims than ever, kept antisemitism on the front pages, engaged with ministers and political parties on legislation, supported students and arranged groundbreaking events, including the largest gathering against antisemitism in living memory.

But it is still not enough. That is why, on the cusp of the Jewish New Year – the Festival of Judgment – we rededicate ourselves to the fight for justice for British Jews.

You can help. If you want assistance pursuing justice in a case of antisemitism on the street or at work, on campus or online, please e-mail us in confidence at [email protected]. Only by raising our voices and seeking justice can we make a change.

The “peaceful” protests continue

The anti-Israel protests are continuing on our streets and on some campuses.

We are continually being told that these protests are peaceful, but our Demonstration and Event Monitoring Unit begs to differ.

Call Hizballah “terrorists”

Like Hamas, Hizballah is a proscribed antisemitic genocidal terror group. But you wouldn’t know this from Britain’s broadcasters, including the biased BBC.

We are therefore calling on our broadcasters to call Hizballah what they are: terrorists. Please sign the petition to make your voice heard!

Come discuss the future of British Jewry with us

From arson attacks to chants calling for intifada, to the harassment of Jewish students on campus, British Jews have been facing torrents of abuse. For the past year, our community has felt uncertain not just about safety, but our place in Britain.

One year on from 7th October, we invite you to join communal leaders for an important conversation as they discuss the current state of Jewry in Britain and what the future holds.

Hosted by journalist Nicole Lampert, the event will feature Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, and Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

This event will take place on Wednesday 9th October at 19:00 in North London. Booking is essential. The location will be announced to ticketholders on the day.

This 7th October, we remember

Rosh Hashanah is immediately followed by remembrance for the first anniversary of the 7th October massacre over the weekend and into next week.

We are proud to support the cross-communal commemoration event on at 14:30 on Sunday 6th October in Hyde Park in solidarity with Jews in Israel and calling, once more, for the swift and safe return of the hostages.

With your help, we will continue fighting

However difficult this past year has been, we are also reminded of the strength and resilience of the Jewish community. It is thanks to your support that we are able to continue to fight.

Please consider making Campaign Against Antisemitism the recipient of your Rosh Hashanah donation. Your contribution, no matter the size, will help us to defend our community.

May the Jewish people know no more sorrow, and may the new year be one of happiness, joy and justice.

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Nearly one year on, the police are still missing the mark

Despite having over eleven months of experience in policing weekly anti-Israel protests, the Metropolitan Police Service is still missing the mark.

Many of our supporters will have seen images online of anti-hate activist Mark Birbeck, who was recently arrested after holding a sign at an anti-Israel protest stating that under UK law, Hamas is a terrorist organisation.

Mr Birbeck’s bail conditions prevented him from entering the City of Westminster on the day of Israel-related protests, attending Israel-related protests and contacting Niyak Ghorbani, who was also arrested after holding a sign bearing the same simple statement of fact.

In order to avoid breaching his bail conditions, on the night of an Israel-related protest last week outside the Foreign Office, Mr Birbeck stood on the Lambeth side of Westminster Bridge with his sign in order to give people a “gentle reminder” that Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation.

We decided to keep him company, and film what happened.

Following a bail application at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court, Mr Birbeck’s bail conditions were overturned. However, disgracefully, Mr Ghorbani is prohibited from attending any Israel-related protest on a Saturday without obtaining prior permission from the police.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has provided the legal defence for both Mr Birbeck and Mr Ghorbani throughout their ordeal. We will continue to provide free legal defence to those who are improperly arrested whilst standing up to antisemitism. It comes at a significant cost, but it is the least that we can do for those who stand with Jews amid this outpouring of antisemitism.

The question is, why is it necessary?

All the while, at the very same protest, anti-Israel demonstrators in London chanted for the complete eradication of the only Jewish state with calls for a return to “1948”. And their only solution? To “globalise the Intifada” through armed “resistance” — a phrase synonymous with terror, violence, and the murder of innocent Israelis.

This isn’t about coexistence; it’s about the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state.

Damning report on policing of protests released

The Policy Exchange think tank has released a damning report into the policing of anti-Israel protests. The report reinforces what we have been saying all along and echoes a number of our legislative and policy recommendations.

The Met has failed abysmally in its policing of these demonstrations and ordinary people trying to go about their lives have had their rights curtailed.

According to the report:

  • 80% of British adults believe that the police should intervene if protesters are holding banners containing racist or derogatory slogans.
  • 78% of British adults believe that the police should intervene if protesters are climbing on buildings or public monuments.
  • 78% of British adults believe that the police should intervene if protesters are holding banners or chanting slogans that are threatening or implying violence to specific groups of people at home or abroad.
  • 71% of British adults would not go through with their plans to travel with small children if a major protest were to take place in a nearby town or city centre. This rises to 88% when answered by over-65s.

Matt Twist, Assistant Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police, admitted: “When we look back at the policing of protests over the past eight months, we know we didn’t get everything right, particularly in the early stages in October.”

Next month will be one year since anti-Israel protesters took over our streets on a regular basis. Real change is long overdue. The British public deserves better.

The full report can be read here.

Making sure that the Foreign Secretary hears our voices

Campaign Against Antisemitism recently wrote to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, after it was announced that the UK would suspend some 30 licences for arms exports to Israel, to ask whether legal advice had been sought in relation to the restoration of funding to UNRWA, and for a summary of that advice similarly to be published.

We asked our supporters to write to the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, the Solicitor General, Sarah Sackman, and the Attorney General, Lord Hermer.

Following our call to action, three Labour MPs, including the Solicitor General, wrote to the Foreign Secretary, noting that “constituents have been in touch and expressed deep concern and upset” at the decision. The full letter can be read here. He has yet to respond.

Thank you to those who wrote to your MPs, and to those who shared with us the responses that you received.

Our call to advocate for the hostages

We will soon mark one year since Hamas abducted 251 Israelis and other nationals from Israel and took them into captivity in Gaza. Over 90 hostages remain in Gaza, including four who have been held by Hamas since before October 2023.

Thank you to our many supporters who wrote to their MPs, educating them and urging them to advocate for the hostages and ensure that their plight is not forgotten within the walls of our Parliament.

If you have yet to share a particularly supportive or hostile response from your MP, please let us know by e-mailing [email protected].

Unfortunately, there are still many people out there who deny that Israelis are being held hostage by Hamas.

We recently obtained and published footage of someone defacing posters of the hostages. The incident occurred in Hampstead, North London and we encourage anyone with further information to contact us at [email protected].

What is the biggest threat to an antisemite?

In the wake of 7th October, Jewish student life on campus was turned on its head.

That is why we hosted our first ever student panel where Jewish university students spoke about their experiences of antisemitism on campus in Britain following Hamas’ 7th October terrorist atrocities in Israel.

Our audience heard stories from our five panellists that were at the same time moving, troubling, and at times, inspiring.

Gili, one of the students on our panel, spoke of the importance of being a proud Jew on campus. He also emphasised how vital support from fellow students is against those who aim to intimidate Jews on university campuses.

One of the attendees wrote to us after the event to thank Campaign Against Antisemitism and tell us that whilst it was “sad hearing what [the students] are facing at university…the love that they have for their Judaism and the strength they have in standing up to antisemitism is wonderful”.

Education is a crucial part of the fight against antisemitism. Our work has never been more important.

Thank you to our audience for dedicating your time to learning more about what Jewish students are facing, and thank you to our panellists for bravely sharing your stories.

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].

Become a Student Ambassador!

Are you a student at university in 2024-2025, or do you know somebody who is? Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Student Ambassador programme is an exciting opportunity to work with us in a prestigious year-long initiative.

Student Ambassadors will work closely with our Education Officer and wider team to help us to expose and challenge the rising tide of antisemitism overwhelming UK university campuses.

The contributions of our students are more important now than ever before to the fight against antisemitism.

For further information and details about the programme please visit antisemitism.org/become-a-student-ambassador.

Applications close on 30th September so make sure that you apply soon!

We need you

We are hiring two paid positions in diverse areas of our work.

Are you a lawyer? Are you disgusted with surging antisemitism? Do you want to hold antisemites to account?

We are seeking an experienced solicitor or barrister to become our new General Counsel.

Our in-house General Counsel will be at the forefront of the fight against antisemitism, using this unique position to hold antisemites to account and force the authorities to fulfil their duty to protect British Jews.

For more information, please visit antisemitism.org/jobs/general-counsel.

Are you skilled in creating impactful videos? Do you want to help combat Jew-hatred?

Campaign Against Antisemitism is looking for a Video and Content Creator to join us in the fight against antisemitism.

The Video and Content Creator will play a critical role in shaping visual narratives that educate, inform and inspire action against antisemitism.

To find out more, go to antisemitism.org/jobs/video-and-content-creator/.

Are you a medical professional, or a recent patient?

We are collecting testimonies on antisemitism in the medical field.

We are interested to hear from doctors and other medical practitioners, staff, patients and anyone else who has encountered antisemitism in medicine over the past year.

If you have been affected, please e-mail us confidentially at [email protected] with the subject: “Medical”.

After eleven months, we are still calling on the police, our ministers and members of Parliament to stop making the same mistakes. But it is clear that public dissatisfaction with these failures is growing and decision-makers are beginning to listen.

We will continue to make our voices heard and remain unrelenting in our fight against anti-Jewish racism.

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Tens of thousands of posts on TikTok use Nazi speeches and marching music

An investigation by Sky News has found more than 72,000 posts on the social media platform TikTok containing recordings of Nazi speeches and marching music in videos, audios and soundtracks.

The investigation included a search of TikTok in early September that revealed 50,023 posts incorporating speeches by Adolf Hitler and other prominent Nazis, including Hitler’s chief propagandist Joseph Goebbels, all spouting antisemitic vitriol. To appeal to a younger and wider audience, the speeches were mostly set to a music genre called Drift Phonk that is popular on TikTok. It is understood that the music in the videos has been used without knowledge or permission of the creators.

Some 50 of the most popular posts had more than 13.7 million ‘likes’ between them.

One of the 72,534 posts consists of an Adolf Hitler speech with a face-paced soundtrack. In the speech, he claims that Jews are working to undermine peace in Europe. This compilation is available on more than 100 posts on TikTok. Another Hitler speech found by Sky News had been used in some 10,300 videos.

Other examples include a post that reportedly blames Jewish people for the ‘Islamisation of Europe’, while another post features an image of an interracial couple accompanied by text stating: “By mixing white with black, white disappears.”

Another post, featuring an image of a Nuremberg Rally accompanied by a Hitler speech, had been ‘liked’ by more than 56,000 users. Comments included “Modern society absolutely needs [Hitler],” which has been ‘liked’ 1,695 times. Another comment says of the Nazi leader: “We miss you.”

Sky also found a further 22,511 posts using sounds from the German marching song Erika. While Erika does not have explicitly political lyrics, it has strong associations with Nazi Germany. Its composer, Herms Niel, was a member of the Nazi Party and served as musical conductor at the Nuremberg rallies. Thousands of TikTok posts using Erika included images of Hitler, swastikas or the Nazi flag.

According to Sky’s analysis, videos using these compilations have attracted high levels of engagement by users of TikTok.

When contacted by Sky News, Pastel Ghost, an artist whose music was used in the creation of this content said that she was unaware that her music was being used in this way and found it “shocking and deplorable”.

A spokesperson for TikTok told Sky News that as soon as the videos had been brought to TikTok’s attention, the content had been “immediately removed for breaching our strict policies against hate speech”.

The spokesperson added: “We regularly train our safety professionals and update our safeguards to detect hateful behaviour on an ongoing basis, and we remove 91% of this type of content before it is reported to us.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has long called for tougher regulations on social media sites and that social networks proactively search for and remove hate speech from their platforms.

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CAA, ten years on

This past weekend marked ten years in the Jewish calendar since Campaign Against Antisemitism was launched.

When we were first founded, our task was daunting, but in the history of Jewish endeavour, the successes have been achieved by small, plucky, single-minded groups using every ounce of their determination and ingenuity to strike blows for our people against seemingly insurmountable odds.

We dedicated ourselves to the fight against antisemitism through pioneering litigation and zero-tolerance enforcement of the law, far-reaching communications campaigns, strident advocacy and innovative means of education.

We have put antisemites behind bars, put antisemitism on the front pages and trained anyone from regulators to schoolchildren in how to identify and address antisemitism.

Our thanks go to you, our supporters, for being with us over the past decade. You have enabled us to ensure that antisemites face ruinous consequences for their conduct, and to expose antisemitism wherever and whenever we see it, without fear or favour.

We are immensely proud of everything that we have achieved in just ten years. There is still much more to do, but, with your support, we are ready to do whatever it takes.

We are enormously grateful to our volunteers, staff, trustees and supporters: we couldn’t have come this far without you.

We are marking our tenth anniversary at one of the worst periods for Jews in living memory. Our work, sadly, is more urgent than ever. But we are as true to our mission today as we were ten years ago, best encapsulated by our motto, taken from this past week’s Torah portion: “Justice, justice you shall pursue.”

If you would like to support our work, you can do so by applying to volunteer or making a donation. We are extremely grateful for any help that you are able to give.

We demand justice just as loudly now as we did ten years ago outside the Royal Courts of Justice, and we will continue to do so.

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An obscene decision

The Foreign Secretary has announced that the Government is suspending some 30 licences for arms exports to Israel following legal advice from the Attorney General, whose views on Israel were well-known before he was appointed.

In the interest of “transparency”, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has published a summary of this legal advice.

This decision comes just weeks after Mr Lammy announced that the Government was resuming funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), after the previous Government suspended funding earlier this year following allegations — which have since effectively been admitted — that some UNRWA staff had been involved in the 7th October Hamas attack and even that at least one hostage was held captive at the home of an UNRWA teacher.

Today, Campaign Against Antisemitism has written to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to ask whether legal advice was sought in relation to the restoration of funding to UNRWA, and for a summary of that advice similarly to be published. Weapons sales to the Jewish state have been suspended because of a supposed “clear risk” that they may be used in ways that breach international law; we are interested to see whether no such risks were identified in relation to the funding to UNRWA.

The Government has ensured that a UN agency that is, at best, reckless to Hamas’s use of its premises and personnel for purposes of terror and, at worst, complicit, has the resources that it wants, while depriving Israel of what it needs to defend its citizens. It is a Government whose decisions thus far have all been hostile toward the Jewish state — decisions announced by a Foreign Secretary who insists that his Government supports Israel while sanctioning it and who wears a yellow ribbon in support of the hostages when he meets Israeli officials but removes it for meetings with the Palestinian Authority.

This latest announcement of arms sale suspensions comes on the day that Israel was burying the six hostages brutally slaughtered in cold blood by antisemitic Hamas terrorists. The British Government is broadcasting that Western allies should not be supplying Israel with the arms that it needs to fight to save the hostages and defeat Hamas. This is obscene.

The announcement also comes on the day that Jeremy Corbyn declared the establishment of a new alliance of five independent MPs who have made Gaza their principal priority. Each of these MPs has a concerning record of rhetoric in relation to the Jewish community or the Jewish state, yet it is they and their supporters whom Labour is choosing to appease with this announcement, while paying lip service to the Jewish community.

British Jews cannot be bought with fine words and hand-wringing every Holocaust Memorial Day. We continue to make every effort to engage with Sir Keir Starmer’s new Government, but, as he himself said as he took over the leadership of the Labour Party, the Jewish community should judge him by his actions and not his words. The events of 7th October and the ongoing captivity of hostages are the worst single antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust, and we join the Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, in condemning the actions of the Foreign Secretary.

We invite you to write to:

  • David Lammy MP, particularly if you live in his Tottenham constituency;
  • Lord Hermer, the Attorney General; or
  • Sarah Sackman MP, the Solicitor General, particularly if you live in her constituency of Finchley and Golders Green.

Continuing to do our part to help the hostages

Our joy at the rescue of hostage Qaid Farhan Al-Kadi from Gaza last week has been displaced by heartbreak at the news that six hostages were murdered by Hamas hours before their own abortive rescue.

This news makes our campaign to encourage MPs to take action all the more urgent.

Later this week, 7th September 2024 will mark eleven months since Hamas abducted 251 Israelis and other nationals from Israel and took them into captivity in Gaza. Of those 251 hostages, 117 have been returned alive, and now 36 bodies have been repatriated. Over 100 still remain, including four who have been held by Hamas since before October 2023.

In a month’s time, on 7th October 2024, we will be marking the one-year anniversary of the massacre perpetrated by Hamas. We must do whatever we can to ensure that no hostage is still in captivity by that date.

That is why we are running a campaign encouraging everyone to write to their MP to educate our Parliamentarians — including the hundreds of new MPs — about this issue and put the hostages back on the agenda. Thanks to so many of you for heeding our call and writing to your MP.

You can write in two easy steps.

  • First, download this Word document, which contains a draft letter that you are welcome to use or amend as you please before sending either as a hard-copy letter, or as an e-mail attachment, or simply as text in the body of an e-mail. Remember to add your MP’s name and your name and postcode so that they know that you are a constituent and that they should respond.
  • Second, find out who your MP is and how to contact them, by clicking here.

If you get particularly supportive or hostile responses, you are welcome to share them with us by forwarding them to [email protected].

Last chance to RSVP for Stories from Students

Since 7th October, Jewish student life on campus has been turned on its head.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has therefore brought together current students and recent graduates from universities across the country to share their stories and answer questions from prospective students and their parents, as well as current students and other interested members of the Jewish community.

This event, taking place this Thursday 5th September at 18:30 in North London, is an important opportunity to hear directly from Jewish students.

It is also a chance for us to come together to show our support and solidarity with those who faced this new generation of hate head-on.

Booking is essential.

Sir Keir Starmer said that the Jewish community should judge him by his actions and not his words. So far, this Government’s words regarding the Jewish state have tried to be reassuring but its actions have been little short of hostile.

This bodes very ill for the coming years, and Sir Keir risks rapidly losing the goodwill with British Jews that he spent years building up.

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The wheels of justice turn slowly. CAA is here to give them a push.

We would like to update you on a number of cases that we have working on.

You may recall this video that was posted back in March and circulated on TikTok. It threatened violence against a named individual, saying that he was being hunted to “dish out the justice” and that once found, they would “drag him away from his family in front of his family”.

We reported the individual to counterterrorism police and commenced a private prosecution. We can now confirm that the CPS has taken up the case and the individual in the video has been charged with communications and terrorism offences and is awaiting trial.

In another case, last October, a social media user published these posts in the wake of a terrorist rocket that fell short and killed people in a Gaza hospital. The explosion was blamed by the BBC and other media outlets on Israel, fuelling antisemitic rhetoric like this. Apologies from the media, even after the damage was done, were few and far between.

One of the posts showed images of long knives. The posts threatened that “There won’t be a f***ing Jew walking the streets of London if this carries on!”

We argued that there is a direct link between inflammatory, unverified, incorrect reporting on Israel and this kind of reaction. We reported the case to the police and, after a considerable period of inaction by the police, we can now confirm that the individual has been charged.

The LGBTQ+ nightclub Adonis announced in its Instagram bio that “definitely no f***ing Zionists” were welcome at its club nights. The promoters also claimed that “Zionism has no place in queer spaces”. After an outcry, the bio was amended to read “no genocidal maniacs plz xx.”

We consider that Adonis’ ban on “Zionists” entering its events may breach criminal, equality, and licensing laws. We wrote to the co-Directors of DL Food and Drink Limited, the company that holds the licence for the premises, The Cause, that hosts Adonis at Silver Building in the Docklands. The company has now announced that Adonis’ event on 7th September will not take place on its premises.

Whilst Adonis sought to backtrack on its inflammatory online comments, the harm has already been done and our lawyers are examining various potential courses of action closely.

There have been several instances of Jewish people being actively or implicitly excluded from LGBTQ+ spaces and parades, and we will always act to ensure that all spaces — especially those that pride themselves on their “inclusivity” — understand that ostracising Jews carries consequences.

In addition, we continue to write to venues alerting them to Reginald D. Hunter’s recent conduct at the Edinburgh Fringe and his social media activity since then, and we are pleased to report that several have already cancelled his bookings. We are continuing to work with the victims and our lawyers are examining legal options.

These are only a selection of the cases that we are working on, and they represent only a fraction of the matters that we have reported to the police. These prosecutions are likely to take months, if not years, but we will see them through to the end.

Doing our part to help the hostages

We were delighted by the news today that one of the hostages, Qaid Farhan Al-Kadi, has been rescued from Gaza.

In just over a week’s time, 7th September 2024 will mark eleven months since Hamas abducted 251 Israelis and other nationals from Israel and took them into captivity in Gaza.

Of those 251 hostages, 117 have been returned alive, and 30 bodies have been repatriated. Over 100 still remain, including four who have been held by Hamas since before October 2023.

In a month’s time, on 7th October 2024, we will be marking the one-year anniversary of the massacre perpetrated by Hamas. We must do whatever we can to ensure that no hostage is still in captivity by that date.

That is why we are launching a campaign encouraging everyone to write to their MP to educate our Parliamentarians — including the hundreds of new MPs — about this issue and put the hostages back on the agenda.

You can write in two easy steps.

First, download this Word document, which contains a draft letter that you are welcome to use or amend as you please before sending either as a hard-copy letter, or as an e-mail attachment, or simply as text in the body of an e-mail. Remember to add your MP’s name and your name and postcode so that they know that you are a constituent and that they should respond.

Second, find out who your MP is and how to contact them, by clicking here.

If you get particularly supportive or hostile responses, you are welcome to share them with us by forwarding them to [email protected].

For those interested, we recently interviewed Eylon Keshet, a relative of the Bibas family, for our podcast. It has been over ten months since Hamas terrorists kidnapped Yarden and Shiri Bibas and their children, baby Kfir and Ariel. You can listen here.

Book now to hear Stories from Students

Since 7th October, Jewish student life on campus has been turned on its head.

CAA has therefore brought together current students and recent graduates from universities across the country to share their stories and answer questions from prospective students and their parents, as well as current students and other interested members of the Jewish community.

This event, taking place at 18:30 on Thursday 5th September in North London, is an important opportunity to hear directly from Jewish students.

It is also a chance for us to come together to show our support and solidarity with those who faced this new generation of hate head-on.

Booking is essential.

British Jews, how are you?

Do want to say your piece on antisemitism in Britain for one of our videos? If British Jews do not speak out about how we are feeling right now, we are less likely to get the action from the authorities that we need.

If you want to speak to camera or would like more information, please e-mail us now at [email protected] with the subject: “British Jews”.

Are you a medical professional, or a recent patient?

We are collecting testimonies on antisemitism in the medical field.

We are interested to hear from doctors and other medical practitioners, staff, patients and anyone else who has encountered antisemitism in medicine over the past year.

If you have been affected, please e-mail us confidentially at [email protected] with the subject: “Medical”.

Become a CAA Student Ambassador!

Are you a student at university in 2024-2025, or do you know somebody who is? CAA’s Student Ambassador programme is an exciting opportunity to work with us in a prestigious year-long initiative.

Student Ambassadors will work closely with our Education Officer and wider team to help us to expose and challenge the rising tide of antisemitism overwhelming UK university campuses.

The contributions of our students is more important now than ever before to the fight against antisemitism.

For further information and details about the programme please visit antisemitism.org/become-a-student-ambassador.

We are grateful to all of you who have answered our invitation to speak on camera about antisemitism or our call for evidence of antisemitism in the medical profession, or applied to become a Student Ambassador or have RSVPed to our Stories from Students event. It is only with the active help of the Jewish community and our allies that we can continue to raise awareness of antisemitism, confront it and deliver justice.

All of the legal cases that we are working on are likely to take months, if not years, before they reach an outcome. But, no matter how slowly the wheels of justice turn, CAA will be there to give them a push.

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Is this summer of riots just the beginning?

The recent riots and counterdemonstrations have come to define this summer. But as they appear to cool off and the country finally gets a break, it remains to be seen whether the Jewish community will get any respite.

As we head into the new academic year and new Jewish year, we are ready for the fight ahead.

Riots, racism and “anti-racism”

Over the last few weeks, the criminal justice system has been woken from its slumber to confront the riots and hooliganism that have been plaguing the cities of Britain.

The rioters

We wrote about how far-right forums, which were being used to organise the riots, were targeting Jews, with messages in one far-right Telegram channel, for example, saying that they “support neither brown nor Jew”, and that Hitler was “the only politician since Roman times to truly care for his people”.

“The Jewish people fabricated the Holocaust – ensuring they would never again be questioned by Europeans while they destroyed their homelands… Today Jewish media, NGOs, finance, business, entertainment and a huge overrepresentation in government, are doing the same all over Europe,” said another.

The counter-demonstrators

While we applauded the strong response by the authorities to the riots, there were two things that we could not help but notice.

The first was that many of the so called “anti-racist” counter-demonstrators exhibited their own flavour of extremism, for which they have not suffered any consequences. The disgraced former academic David Miller, asserted that “the riots have been instigated by the Zionist asset, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon,” in reference to far-right activist Tommy Robinson, while a former Parliamentary candidate for George Galloway’s Workers Party also reportedly shared content claiming that “Tommy Robinson is on Israel’s payroll”.

A video circulated online in which a man claimed that the rioters and Muslims should not be at odds with one another as the rioters are only targeting Muslims because of their “Zionist-backers”. The LBC presenter James O’Brien signposted this video, only to quickly apologise, claiming that he had not watched it in full. A user on X wrote in a post that received over three million views: “What’s happening in England is the perfect example of how Zionists manipulate the media to pin [sic] Christians and Muslims Against each other.” The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) charity also blamed “Zionist financiers” for the riots in a letter to the Home Secretary, and we have submitted a complaint to the Charity Commission.

Perhaps the best example was the “Finchley Against Fascism” WhatsApp messages that we exposed, in which so-called “anti-racist” activists not only referred to Zionism as “fascism” and “racism”, but, astoundingly, the activists were so blinded by their hatred of ‘Zionists’ that they would refuse their help in opposing the rioters.

Opposition to the far-right does not whitewash the racism of the far-left.

We supported the urgent action against the violent riots on our streets, but we have remained vigilant against some of the extremists amongst those counterprotestors who have also themselves been marching on our streets for months and are now trying to portray themselves as anti-fascist moderates.

The criminal justice system

The second thing that we could not but notice over the past few weeks was how, whereas nine months of one type of extremism on our streets was apparently not enough to wake up the criminal justice system, a few days of another type of extremism was. Accordingly, we have called for the resources mobilised to combat the riots now to be trained on the other extremists too.

Those espousing any extremist ideology must be made to face the full force of the law. If we are selective, our society will suffer.

To the authorities, we say that if you believe there to be no double standard in the policing, prosecution and sentencing of the current rioters over the past three weeks versus the violent or antisemitic anti-Israel demonstrators over the past year, at the very least you still need to reckon with why that perception has arisen.

That perception is not limited to the hooligans and thugs who have rightly been bearing the full consequences of their actions: it is widely shared by many law-abiding Britons across the country and by many in the Jewish community, who have suffered the most from failures in policing over the past year.

For ten months, they have been frustrated and let down by a lethargic criminal justice system that was apathetic and at times even hostile to the challenges that they faced; now they see how quickly the system can be mobilised when there is the institutional and political will to do so. Why has that been lacking for so long?

We cannot tackle extremism through double standards. Every type of extremism must be confronted by the full force of the law, no matter the perpetrators.

Reginald D. Hunter at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

A Jewish Israeli couple was reportedly hounded out of comedian Reginald D. Hunter’s show two Sundays ago at the Edinburgh Fringe, whilst audience members shouted insults at them.

The show was described by a reporter for The Telegraph reviewing the performance as “the ugliest Fringe moment [he] had ever witnessed”.

The alleged incident was triggered when Mr Hunter apparently made a joke in which he compared the State of Israel to an abusive wife, who, in a Channel 5 documentary, had accused her husband of being abusive. He is reported to have remarked: “My God, it’s like being married to Israel.”

The Jewish couple, who were in the front row of the audience and said that they were Israeli, responded by shouting “not funny” at the comedian. Audience members reportedly responded by shouting “genocidal maniac”, “you’re not welcome,” “baby-killers”, “f* off” and “free Palestine” at the couple. It is understood that Mr Hunter responded to the couple, saying: “I’ve been waiting for you all summer, where the f* you been? You can say it’s not funny to you, but if you say it to a room full of people who laughed, you look foolish…Look at you making everyone love Israel even more.” After the couple left the show, Mr Hunter reportedly quipped: “That tells me that I still got voltage.”

This is not the first time that the comedian has courted controversy in relation to the Jewish community. In 2006, also during the Edinburgh Fringe, he received backlash after making a joke about Holocaust-denial. At the recent performance, it is understood that he compared the moment to his 2006 controversy and made reference to being unable to access an article in a Jewish newspaper about the incident. He is alleged to have said: “Typical f***ing Jews, they won’t tell you anything unless you subscribe.” He reportedly then added: “It’s just a joke.”

We have spoken with the Jewish couple, as well as additional witnesses. The couple, noting that nobody in the audience came to their aid, told us that they were left in fear of violence. We are writing to venues currently scheduled to host Mr Hunter to ensure that they are fully aware of his conduct at the Edinburgh Fringe. We are encouraged to see that the first venue has decided to cancel his planned appearance. Our lawyers are exploring legal options and we urge anyone present at the show to contact us in confidence at [email protected].

We are also contacting Police Scotland, which opened and then closed an investigation, with additional evidence for them to review.

While Mr Hunter has released a statement in which he stated that he “regrets any stress caused”, the word “sorry” and a fulsome apology were noticeably missing. His social media activity since the incident does not indicate remorse. The victims reject this non-apology from Mr Hunter. The venue’s statement portraying the incident simply as audience members “choosing to leave” is appalling and wilfully overlooks the facts. Their claims that staff supported the couple during their exit do not chime with the victims’ accounts whatsoever. Our lawyers are also considering legal action in relation to the venue.

We will continue to support the victims and ensure that Mr Hunter faces the consequences of his actions.

This incident may remind some of another incident earlier this year, involving comedian Paul Currie. Incidentally, Mr Currie was also performing at the Fringe, having been booted by numerous other venues following our letters. We are aware of reports that he “banned Zionists” from his Fringe show. Our lawyers are also looking into that.

Are you a medical professional, or a recent patient?

We are collecting testimonies on antisemitism in the medical field.

We are interested to hear from doctors and other medical practitioners, staff, patients and anyone else who has encountered antisemitism in medicine over the past year.

If you have been affected, please e-mail us confidentially at [email protected] with the subject: “Medical”.

Meanwhile, Dr Wahid Shaida, who referred to the 7th October Hamas terrorist attacks as “resistance” and then denied that they even occurred, has had his suspension lifted by NHS England.

While working as a GP, Dr Shaida also chaired meetings for the Islamist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir, which has since been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the British Government. We have written to NHS England and to the GMC about this shocking decision.

We also wrote to the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) regarding the scheduling of its annual conference over Rosh Hashanah. Although unable to change the date at this late stage, the RCGP did at least apologise and regret the clash.

University encampments

For months, we have seen hideous anti-Israel encampments erected on campuses across Britain, physical embodiments of the exponential rise of Jew-hatred in our universities, which were already hotbeds of antisemitism.

We have been closely monitoring what different universities have done to address (or not address) the encampments. The full report can be read here, or the specific responses of universities can be read below:

These encampments have had a grossly detrimental effect on the Jewish campus experience, and it is shameful that, exceptions notwithstanding, universities did not quickly act to remove them and sanction participants in line with their codes of conduct and legal duties.

In addition to the impact on Jewish students, several wider student activities are also known to have been disrupted by the encampments, hampering learning and student life on campus.

Some universities moved faster than others to address the encampments, some capitulated to the anti-Israel protesters while others held firm. In all cases, precedents have been set.

Some universities have had regard to the effect on Jewish students and staff; some seem not to care. Several seem more concerned with the commercial impact of the encampments – removing them as summer open days approached – than they did with the welfare of current students, which is particularly galling.

We will continue to expose antisemitic activity on university campuses, hold universities to account and support Jewish students.

While we are on the subject of encampments, Minouche Shafik has had to resign as President of Columbia University after becoming one of the symbols of the Ivy League’s abysmal treatment of Jewish students and its failure, if not refusal, to tackle antisemitism.

The prospect of her now coming to work for David Lammy in the Foreign Office is, at best, tone deaf. At worst, it is a slap in the face to Jews on both sides of the Atlantic, who are hearing the message that failing to tackle antisemitism and abuse of Jews has no impact on your career advancement, and apparently qualifies you to craft foreign policy, including in relation to the Jewish state.

Become a Campaign Against Antisemitism Student Ambassador!

Are you a student at university in 2024-2025, or do you know somebody who is? Our Student Ambassador programme is an exciting opportunity to work with us in a prestigious year-long initiative.

Student Ambassadors will work closely with our Education Officer and wider team to help us expose and challenge the rising tide of antisemitism overwhelming UK university campuses. The contributions of our students is more important now than ever before to the fight against antisemitism.

For further information and details about the programme please visit antisemitism.org/become-a-student-ambassador.

Book now to hear Stories from Students

Since 7th October, Jewish student life on campus has been turned on its head.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has therefore brought together current students and recent graduates from universities across the country to share their stories and answer questions from prospective students and their parents, as well as current students and other interested members of the Jewish community.

This event, taking place at 18:30 on Thursday 5th September in North London, is an important opportunity to hear directly from Jewish students.

It is also a chance for us to come together to show our support and solidarity with those who faced this new generation of hate head-on. Booking is essential.

Media bias and the BBC

Two recent incidents — one in Gaza that reportedly killed Gazans and one in the Golan Heights that killed Israeli children — illustrated media bias at the BBC more clearly than ever. The screenshots below speak for themselves, and you can read our full analysis here.

Notwithstanding the struggle to get the BBC to report fairly – with more than 200 people from across the television and film industry writing to the Corporation demanding that it open an urgent investigation into alleged “systemic problems of antisemitism and bias” – there are occasionally admissions and reversals.

For example, you will recall that, a few weeks ago, BBC Newsnight allowed a panelist – the climate activist Mikaela Loach – to say: “The Lancet yesterday, in one of their reports, said that the death toll [in Gaza] is probably more likely to be more than 186,000 people.” The host did not challenge this assertion – which was false on multiple levels – but we did. Following our complaint, the BBC has acknowledged that the widely-propagated “186,000” is “not a statement of fact”.

We also complained about a recent BBC Four Front Row radio segment in which the actress and provocateur Miriam Margolyes referenced “vile Jews”. The BBC did not apologise but agreed to “remove it from the programme”.

This summer will be remembered as one of riots being confronted by a determined criminal justice system, in stark contrast to the policing that we have seen over the past year. But it remains to be seen whether the extremists will now call it a day or be back in force on our streets and campuses, online and in our workplaces, as the country returns from the summer break.

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“This is not an act of resistance”: Relative of kidnapped Bibas family opens up about life after 7th October

Eylon Keshet, a relative of the Bibas family who were kidnapped and taken as hostages to Gaza by Hamas terrorists on 7th October, appeared on the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism where he spoke candidly about how he is coping with the ongoing situation and his thoughts on those who claim the terrorist attacks were an act of “resistance”.  

This podcast can be listened to here or watched here.

Mr Keshet is the cousin of Yarden Bibas who is married to Shiri Bibas and are the parents of baby Kfir and his five-year-old brother Ariel. The Bibas family lived on the Nir Oz kibbutz, close to Gaza, where a quarter of the community were killed, kidnapped or injured in the 7th October attacks.

In the podcast, Mr Keshet told our host that the current situation for him and his family is “very surreal”.

He said: “You learn to very artificially control your feelings and just get through the day because if you keep thinking about it, you can’t operate. It’s too much for the mind to handle. It’s so nightmarish.”

When asked how he is coping with the situation, he revealed that he feels like he is “on the verge of crying any minute…it feels like torture.”

Almost immediately after Hamas’ barbaric attacks were carried out on 7th October, missing persons posters of the hostages appeared all over Britain and around the world. 

Less than a week after the attacks, there were scenes of people tearing down the posters. Videos and photos of people defacing the posters and scrawling slurs on them have become a shamefully common phenomenon.

Posters of Kfir and Ariel Bibas have also been vandalised.

Speaking about these incidents, Mr Keshet said: “How could you rip posters of Kfir and Ariel? And try to politicise it? What kind of monster do you have to be? What kind of ignorant [person] do you have to be to try to merge these issues together?”

“Hamas is a terrorist organisation that has done horrific stuff… there is no merit in it. There is only sadism and destruction in mind,” he added. 

Describing scenes of the biggest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Mr Keshet said:  “They decapitated heads, they killed elderly people. This is not an act of resistance.”

Yarden and Shiri Bibas, along with Kfir and Ariel, all remain in captivity in Gaza.

Podcast Against Antisemitism, produced by Campaign Against Antisemitism, talks to a different guest about antisemitism each week. It streams every Thursday and is available through all major podcast apps and YouTube. You can also subscribe to have new episodes sent straight to your inbox.

Previous guests have included comedian David Baddiel, television personality Robert Rinder, writer Eve Barlow, Grammy-Award-winning singer-songwriter Autumn Rowe, and actor Eddie Marsan.

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RMT and Unison leaders address inflammatory protest outside Downing Street

Last night at a protest outside Downing Street, amid the sort of docile policing that we have come to expect in situations like these, an anti-Israel crowd provided passersby with a whole panoply of antisemitic rhetoric and incitement to violence.

They called for the ethnic cleansing of Jews, chanting that ‘Palestine is Arab, Zionists out!’ They screamed for ‘Intifada’, yearning for more of the violent campaign of terror that left over 1,000 Jews dead in recent decades. They shouted ‘No Zionists here!’ whether oblivious to or in full knowledge of the fact that the overwhelming majority of Jews are Zionists. They accused Israel of ‘harvesting Palestinian organs’, a popular reinvention of the ancient blood libel. Then they heard from Eddie Dempsey of the RMT union and Liz Wheatley of Unison, who apparently felt comfortable in this sort of crowd.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “After almost a year of this rhetoric at such demonstrations, it stretches credulity that these union leaders did not know or anticipate that such chanting would feature. If their unions wish to distance themselves from this language, they must immediately discipline these individuals and set out steps to ensure that in future their representatives do not risk being associated with these messages, which have undoubtedly contributed to the unprecedented surge in antisemitism over the past ten months.”

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Jewish couple reportedly hounded out of comedy show whilst audience members allegedly shout “genocidal maniac” at them

A Jewish Israeli couple was reportedly hounded out of comedian Reginald D. Hunter’s show on Sunday, whilst audience members were said to have shouted “genocidal maniac”, among other insults, at them. 

The show, which was part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, was described by a reporter for The Telegraph reviewing the performance as “the ugliest Fringe moment [he] had ever witnessed”. 

The alleged incident was sparked when Mr Hunter apparently made a joke in which he compared the State of Israel to an abusive wife, who, in a Channel 5 documentary, had accused her husband of being abusive. He is reported to have remarked: “My God, it’s like being married to Israel.”

The Jewish couple, who were in the front row of the audience and said that they were Israeli, responded by shouting “not funny” at the comedian. Audience members reportedly responded by shouting “genocidal maniac”, “you’re not welcome,” “f*** off” and “free Palestine” at the couple. 

It is understood that Mr Hunter responded to the couple, saying: “I’ve been waiting for you all summer, where the f*** you been? You can say it’s not funny to you, but if you say it to a room full of people who laughed, you look foolish…Look at you making everyone love Israel even more.”

After the couple left the show, Mr Hunter reportedly quipped: “That tells me that I still got voltage.”

This is not the first time that the comedian has courted controversy in relation to the Jewish community. In 2006, also during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, he received backlash after making a joke about Holocaust-denial. 

At Sunday’s performance, it is understood that he compared the moment to his 2006 controversy and made reference to being unable to access an article in a Jewish newspaper about the incident 

He is alleged to have said: “Typical f***ing Jews, they won’t tell you anything unless you subscribe.” 

He reportedly then added: “It’s just a joke.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The events described at the Edinburgh Fringe are extremely concerning. Comedians are rightly given broad latitude, but they also have a responsibility to their audience. Reginald D. Hunter has laughed off his Holocaust jokes and another supposed joke about ‘typical f***ing Jews’ in the past, but watching on and cracking jokes as Jews are hounded out of your show is a sickening low that cannot be disguised as comedy.

“We have seen this before in recent months, and venues must stand extremely firm against this kind of behaviour. Our lawyers are examining this incident and we urge anyone who was present at the show to contact us in confidence at [email protected].”

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Neo-Nazi rhetoric used on far-right forums as riots sweep across Britain

Far-right forums, which are being used to organise riots, are reportedly being used to target Jews. 

A series of far-right riots across Britain began in response to the murder of three children in Southport last week, which was falsely attributed to an asylum-seeker.

The first riot in Southport, which began as an anti-immigration protest, was organised on a forum which is allegedly partially run by a neo-Nazi. According to the CST, the neo-Nazi is alleged to have previously incited attacks on synagogues abroad and was also reported to the police last year for suspected involvement in violent antisemitism. 

Messages in “Southport Wake Up”, a far-right Telegram channel, have reportedly said that they “support neither brown nor Jew” and claimed that “our nation is our land and our people.” Another message in the channel described Hitler as “the only politician since Roman times to truly care for his people”. In the same message, they wrote: “The Jewish people fabricated the Holocaust – ensuring they would never again be questioned by Europeans while they destroyed their homelands […]

“Today Jewish media, NGOs, finance, business, entertainment and a huge overrepresentation in government, are doing the same all over Europe.

“The fight will be long brothers, but we will succeed. Never capitulate.”

It is also understood that Matthew Hankinson, a convicted neo-Nazi, whom a judge previously described as a man with a “deep hatred of ethnic minorities and Jews”, attended the riot in Southport. Mr Hankinson was sentenced in 2018 for membership of National Action, which was proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the British Government following pressure by Campaign Against Antisemitism and others. 

At one of the riots, a man was spotted with a swastika tattooed on his back. 

The riots, which have led to asylum centres and police stations being set on fire and have targeted offices of immigration lawyers, have occurred in numerous cities, including Liverpool, Plymouth and Belfast, and have sometimes led to violent pushback from counter-protesters who have also been making inflammatory statements in relation to Jews. 

For example, there have been reports of counter-protesters chanting, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free.” The genocidal chant ‘From the River to the Sea’, which is regularly heard at anti-Israel protests, refers to the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, and, whether intended or not, is widely understood to represent a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state — and its replacement with a Palestinian state. It is reasonably interpreted to be a call for the annihilation of half the world’s Jews, who live in Israel. 

There have also been claims that ‘Zionists’ are responsible for the far-right riots in an attempt to target Muslims.

Prof. David Miller, an academic obsessed with anti-Jewish conspiracy theories, who was fired by the University of Bristol in 2021 one month after Campaign Against Antisemitism commenced a lawsuit on behalf of students against the institution, said online: “The riots have been instigated by the Zionist asset, Stephen Taxley-Lennon (‘Tommy Robinson’), who has been working for the State of Israel since 2009 as part of the so-called ‘counterjihad’ Islamophobia movement established by the state.”

Mehmoona Ameen, a former Parliamentary candidate for George Galloway’s Workers Party, also reportedly shared content that claims that “Tommy Robinson is on Israel’s payroll”. It is understood that Ms Ameen has a history of sharing inflammatory rhetoric online, including an image of a mural which features Jewish bankers beneath a pyramid playing Monopoly on a board carried by straining, oppressed workers.

A video has also circulated online in which a man claims that rioters are targeting Muslims because of their “Zionist-backers”, and that the rioters and Muslims should not be at odds with one another. 

Similarly, a user on X wrote in a post that received over three million views: “What’s happening in England is the perfect example of how Zionists manipulate the media to pin Christians and Muslims Against each other.”

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Making mendacious, dehumanising, demonising, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth of Jews controlling the media,” is an example of antisemitism. 

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What have universities done about anti-Israel encampments?

For months, we have seen hideous anti-Israel encampments erected on campuses across Britain, physical embodiments of the exponential rise of Jew-hatred in our universities, which were already hotbeds of antisemitism.

So, what action have universities taken?

University of Birmingham

  • Already one day after an encampment was set up on campus on 9th May, University of Birmingham’s Director of Legal Services issued the protesters with a warning: “Your occupation at the premises is a trespass. The University requires you to leave the premises immediately. Failure to do so will result in the University taking legal action and/or reporting your trespass to law-enforcement officers without further notice.”
  • On 11th June, the Vice-Chancellor issued a statement: “The rights to protest and to freedom of speech do not include setting up a camp and occupying University land, to the detriment of the rest of the University community.”
  • On 10th July, the University secured a High Court order “for the possession of campus land,” which was the site of the encampment.
  • The next day, bailiffs reportedly arrived at the encampment and removed it from the University’s campus.

University of Nottingham

  • On 5th July, after the encampment had been at the University of Nottingham for nearly one month, the University asked for a possession order against protesters in the encampment on campus. In written submissions, the University’s legal representative, Katharine Holland KC, argued that the encampment was “unlawful” and that the University had “a duty to safeguard university assets”.
  • On 10th July, the University secured a High Court order “for the possession of campus land,” which was the site of the encampment.
  • On the same day, the University served protesters with eviction notices. The protesters packed up the encampment, with only a few remaining until bailiffs arrived.

London School of Economics

  • On 14th June, one month after students set up the encampment, London School of Economics obtained an interim possession order, which required protesters to leave the occupied site of the encampment.
  • District Judge Kevin Moses acknowledged the students’ right to protest, but also said: “What it does not do is give parties an unfettered right to occupy other parties’ premises with a view to protesting, particularly when they are required to leave.”
  • On 27th June, the University was granted an indefinite possession order, forbidding students from setting up encampments.


Organisers of the encampment responded, calling the move “an extremely concerning act of repression”.

University of Bristol

  • On 1st July, two months after the encampment was set up at the University of Bristol, the Vice-Chancellor of the University confirmed that the University had “taken legal action to disperse the encampment.”
  • In a statement, the Vice-Chancellor said: “Some individuals linked to the encampment have gone beyond what is an acceptable expression of their views. The behaviour of some has become aggressive, abusive, and has involved allegations of physical assault and damage to property.”
  • At a hearing in Bristol County Court, the University was refused an immediate possession order and, instead, another hearing was scheduled for 19th July.

On 11th July, organisers of the encampment announced the decision to close down the encampment, stating: “The thousands of pounds in legal fees […] is better spent given to Palestinian mutual aid funds.”

University of Oxford

  • Following a sit-in at the University of Oxford’s offices on 23rd May, which resulted in a lockdown and sixteen arrests, a spokesperson for the University said: “It is clear that the actions of some of the protesters involved in the encampment have created a deeply intimidating environment for many members of our community, including our Jewish students and staff and members of the local Jewish community.”
  • On 27th June, nearly two months after students erected an encampment, the University published an open letter, asking students to “vacate university land” and stating that if the encampment is not “disbanded” by 7th July, the University would apply for a possession order.
  • The letter also states that the University has “listened to [the protesters] and other student and staff concerns during our meetings this year. [The University] has acted as a result of these meetings.”
  • The letter also committed the University to several academic initiatives, including, a “review of the University’s investment policy” and a commitment “to work on a collegiate University crisis scholarship scheme for students normally resident in Gaza and the West Bank”.

On 7th July, students shut down the encampment and said in a statement online: “Admin shut down our camp to distract from their complicity in this genocide. They will not shut down our movement.”


Newcastle University

  • On 21st June, nearly two months after an encampment was set up at Newcastle University, the University threatened to take legal action against the anti-Israel protesters.
  • A spokesperson for the University said: “What began as a peaceful student-led demonstration has become a focus for disruptive activism attracting people who are not connected with the university. This has resulted in the targeting of university activities, people and property.”
  • Protesters responded two days later, posting a photo on Instagram of a letter of “notice to quit”, with the caption: “Today we issued a ‘Notice To Quit’ to the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. They can sit in their ivory tower and issue pseudo legal forms to us, but this will only anger us more. WE ARE NOT MOVING. YOUR NOTICE TO QUIT DOES NOT SCARE US.”
  • On 19th July, organisers of the encampment announced their decision to “decamp”, whilst still accusing the University of being “complicit in genocide”.

SOAS

  • On 9th July, just over two months since it was established, police arrested seven people at the SOAS encampment on suspicion of possession of drugs, assault of an emergency worker and the obstruction of police. Three of the people arrested were students at the University.
  • In a statement issued on 12th July, the University said it “had no involvement” in the police arriving at the encampment three days prior, but announced that because of “these actions”, it was supporting the University of London’s decision to seek legal assistance to dismantle the encampment.
  • In the same statement, the University said that it was aware of some behaviour resulting in “many members of the staff and student body feeling unsafe”. It also said that “this kind of behaviour is a reflection of anti-democratic, populist behaviour that is incompatible with SOAS’ values, and potentially with the law.”

According to a social media post by protesters, the University served them with “accelerated proceedings for eviction” on 30th July.

Queen Mary University

  • On 6th June, only weeks after the encampment was set up, Queen Mary University began legal proceedings in the High Court. After the first hearing date the next day, however, proceedings were adjourned until July.
  • In its application notice to the Court, the University cited concerns about the proximity of the encampment’s rallies on 1st and 3rd July to the Novo Cemetery, Jewish Sephardi cemetery on the University’s campus.
  • On 10th July, the Court granted the University a possession order.
  • On 11th July, members of the encampment put out a statement on Instagram which claimed that they had met with the University’s management, which told them that “they are not willing to negotiate with [them] and are unlikely to meet with [them] again unless [they] do not leave on [their] own accord.”


Protesters on the encampment refused to comply with the court order, resulting in bailiffs arriving at the site to evict them on 12th July.

University College London

  • On 4th June, just over a month after students set up an encampment at University College London (UCL), the University’s Provost issued a statement, with reference to an “end of year awards event”: “A group of students that have been protesting on the Main Quad with tents and banners deliberately targeted these student events. Their activities were intimidating and escalatory, including the physical assault of members of UCL security staff, damage to property, and reports of unacceptable antisemitic tropes in chants. I want to assure you that we are taking immediate action against this behaviour and have instigated disciplinary proceedings against those students involved.”
  • In the same statement, the Provost announced that the University had had to postpone and cancel other events.
  • On 15th July, the Provost said: “We have formally advised the protestors that we intend to follow the course of action taken by many other UK universities with similar protests in place and apply for a court order to remove them if they do not choose to go of their own volition.”

The encampment remains on the University’s campus.

University of Cambridge 

  • On 31st May, weeks after an encampment was set up, the Pro-Vice Chancellor for the University of Cambridge issued a statement, which said: “We were glad to meet our students as we have been willing to do from the first day of the protest. While we understand some will see it as a negotiation, we see it as a constructive dialogue with our students.”
  • The University also announced that it had rearranged degree ceremonies in May, due to the expansion of the encampment into Senate House Yard. 
  • On 23rd July, the University agreed to a number of commitments, which are “contingent on the encampment closing down”. This includes “working with the Task Force and the Working Group to review [its] approach to responsible investment” and “reviewing the guidelines that inform academic and industry research ties and collaborations with companies including those falling within the arms/defence category […] in dialogue with the Working Group and Task Force”. 
  • Towards the end of its statement, the University said: “We are also aware that the students would like their views to be represented in the consideration of these important issues and have proposed to set up their own task force, which will form part of the working group that we intend to establish. We welcome this engagement. We expect that this task force will elect its own members, and will be self governing. Members of the task force will become part of the wider working group, which will be expected to make recommendations to subsequent meetings of the relevant governance committees that oversee policies in relation to research, investments and partnerships.”

The encampment at the University remains, but organisers have said that they “are planning to undertake a process of decamping” following the University’s statement. 

University of Leeds

  • Six weeks after the encampment was set up, the University of Leeds announced that it was commencing legal proceedings.
  • On 4th June, the Leeds University Union cancelled the student Summer Ball due to “safety concerns”.
  • In a statement, the Interim Vice-Chancellor and President said: “The behaviour of the protestors and occupiers of the Ziff Building, including the wearing of face coverings, harassment of staff, and vandalism and graffiti on buildings has created an atmosphere that is significantly intimidating to many in our community and which the University deems unacceptable.”
  • Later in June, the encampment shut down, after 47 days in total.

Organisers of the encampment said in a statement that they had “achieved much” and vowed to “be back in September”.

Goldsmiths University

  • On 1st May, protesters entered the library at Goldsmiths University, expanding the already five-week-long encampment on campus, despite the University’s security staff trying to prevent entry, occupying two floors of the building.
  • After just two days, the University announced that its senior management team was “working to meet a set of commitments” and encampment organisers declared “victory” on the group’s social media.
  • The University agreed to several of the protesters’ demands: to rethink the University’s supposed adoption of the International (IHRA) Definition of Antisemitism (it had been adopted alongside a controversial, competing and contradictory definition, rendering the adoption useless from the point of view of fighting antisemitism); to rename a lecture theatre after a Palestinian journalist; and even to create an installation to “memorialise” the anti-Israel protesters’ “occupation”.

Goldsmiths is in the middle of an independent inquiry into antisemitism, which will doubtless need to address the encampment and the University’s capitulation to protesters’ demands.

These encampments have had a grossly detrimental effect on the Jewish campus experience, and it is shameful that, exceptions notwithstanding, universities did not quickly act to remove them and sanction participants in line with their codes of conduct and legal duties.

In addition to the impact on Jewish students, several wider student activities are also known to have been disrupted by the encampments, hampering learning and student life on campus.

Some universities moved faster than others to address the encampments, some capitulated to the anti-Israel protesters while others held firm. In all cases, precedents have been set.

Some universities have had regard to the effect on Jewish students and staff; some seem not to care. Several seem more concerned with the commercial impact of the encampments – removing them as summer open days approached – than they did with the welfare of current students, which is particularly galling.

We will continue to expose antisemitic activity on university campuses, hold universities to account and support Jewish students.

If you wish to report an incident to us, please send us an e-mail [email protected] in confidence.

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University Rector removed from university court over comments which made students “fear for their safety”

Stella Maris, the Rector of the University of St Andrews has reportedly been removed from her position on the University’s court over comments which made some students “fear for their safety”.

In November last year, Ms Maris sent an e-mail to the University’s student body, in which she accused Israel of “genocidal attacks”. The statement came just under two months after Hamas carried out barbaric attacks in Israel on 7th October 2023, murdering over 1,200 Israelis and taking some 250 people hostage.

Since the attacks, antisemitism in Britain has skyrocketed, including a reported 1,350% increase in hate crimes against Jewish people in the wake of the massacre. 

It is understood that before sending the e-mail, the Rector met with students from the University’s Jewish Society to discuss a statement that she had prepared regarding Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

However, once the e-mail was sent out, the Jewish Society published a statement online: “The Rector of St Andrews, Stella Maris, published a statement regarding the events in Israel and Gaza, which was e-mailed to all students at the University. The Rector is elected by students as a representative voice. However, her words were divisive, harmful and not based on fact. Whilst constructing this statement, [Ms] Maris met with the Jewish Society, but her published statement was significantly different to that which was shared with us, deliberately misleading members of our community […]”

It was also reported that a letter was sent to Ms Maris, signed by over 1,400 current students and alumni, which said: “We are concerned that your letter does not demonstrate equal care for Palestinian and Israeli lives. Moreover, your letter does not show any appreciation for how your inflammatory and unfounded accusations of ‘genocide,’ ‘apartheid,’ and ‘occupation’ concerning the Jewish state will further embolden attacks and hatred against the Jewish students whom you were elected to care for. It is unacceptable for the Rector to be selective in their responsibility to represent all students.”

Regarding the e-mail, the University’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Sally Mapstone, said: “We are utterly dismayed that the rector, on this occasion, put her right to freedom of expression ahead of her duty to represent all students, and to be concerned for their welfare.”

Ms Stella responded to allegations of antisemitism online, saying that she would “not have antisemitism weaponised” against her. 

She also reportedly shared a graphic, which said, “I don’t hate Jewish people, please stop being weird,” and another that claimed Zionism is “an ideology based on racial elimination”.

An independent investigation was then launched. 

Chaired by Judge Lady Ross, then Morag Ross KC, the investigation concluded that Ms Maris had exercised “poor judgment”. 

It added that while Ms Maris had been entitled to free speech, she ignored the possibility that her comments could “encourage antisemitic behaviour by others”.

The University concluded in its investigation that Ms Maris had made some students “fear for their safety”.

Although Ms Maris will remain in her position as Rector until the end of her term in October 2026, she will be barred from sitting on the University’s governing court.

Ms Maris, who intends to appeal the decision, said: “It is clear that I have been removed from court because I called for an end to Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians, and I will not apologise for doing so. As a young, neurodiverse black woman with limited financial resources, I have faced the full force of the university, including a KC investigation, all because I made a statement supported by the overwhelming majority of students, calling for an end to a genocide.”

An apology has been issued by Ray Perman, the Chairman of the University’s court, to all those affected by Ms Maris’ comments.

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].

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Anjem Choudary sentenced to life in prison with minimum term of 28 years

Anjem Choudary, one of Britain’s leading Islamists, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 28 years after he was found guilty of directing terror group Al-Muhajiroun and encouraging support for it through online meetings.

He was arrested and charged with three terrorism offences last year: directing a terrorist organisation, being a member of a proscribed organisation, and addressing meetings to encourage support for a proscribed organisation. He was recently convicted and a sentence has now been handed down at Woolwich Crown Court.

Mr Choudary, born in the UK and of Pakistani descent, failed his first-year medical exams at the University of Southampton due to his party lifestyle, but eventually graduated in law, later becoming Chairman of the Society of Muslim Lawyers. He became radicalised in the 1990s, launching al-Muhajiroun in the UK – later banned under terror laws – in 1996 with Syrian-born Islamist, Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed.

The Jihadist group became linked to international terrorism, antisemitism and homophobia as it sought a world subject to Sharia law, and praised the 9/11 highjackers. The group disbanded in 2004 following its proscription but is believed to have continued to operate under different aliases. According to The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Choudary was involved in recruiting Muslims to undergo weapons training in the UK in order to fight for Osama Bin Laden’s International Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders, and in 2010 he was linked to those involved in an al Qaeda plot to bomb the London Stock Exchange.

Mr Choudary praised the murderer of drummer Lee Rigby in 2013, in response to which comments then-Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Let’s be clear about Anjem Choudary: he does have absolutely despicable and appalling views, an absolutely classic case of that poisonous narrative of extremism and violence that we need to confront and defeat.”

In 2016, Mr Choudary was convicted of supporting the Islamic State in connection with speeches posted on YouTube. He was jailed for five years and six months. At the time he was jailed, he had reportedly been linked to fifteen terror plots dating back approximately twenty years, and had connections to hundreds of British jihadists who had travelled to Syria to fight.

He was released from Belmarsh prison after serving half of his sentence, although he remained subject to some 25 licence conditions.

In 2021, he was reported to have suggested that the MP Sir David Amess may have been murdered because of his “rumoured pro-Israel views”.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer has consistently showed that large majorities of British Jews consider the threat from Islamists to be very serious.

Image credit: Metropolitan Police Service

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Expelled former Conservative mayor apologises following exposure of “offensive and inappropriate comments”

Councillor Atiqul Hoque, the former Conservative Mayor of Salisbury, has apologised after a number of “offensive and inappropriate” messages were leaked.

In a published statement, issued on his behalf, it said: “Cllr Atiqul Hoque in considering the content of his texts which were reported in the Salisbury Journal and the response which they have occasioned, has reflected and revisited those words and the offence that they have cased. He wishes to offer an unreserved apology.

“He wholeheartedly regrets and apologises for any hurt and or offence that he may have caused when his words were reported in the Salisbury Journal. His texts, written in haste, were clumsy.

“He intended no offence to anyone and apologises without reservation. Cllr Hoque is opposed to violence from whatever source and is deeply committed to peace and the inclusion of all people of whatever religion, racial or cultural persuasion.”

Cllr Hoque was expelled from the Conservative Party in February, following complaints from a whistleblower regarding a number of messages on WhatsApp and a post on Facebook. At the time, the Party confirmed that Cllr Hoque had been expelled for sending “offensive and inappropriate comments”.

One of the alleged messages appeared to refer to “Zionist pay masters”.

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Making mendacious, dehumanising, demonising, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions,” is an example of antisemitism.

Our representing polling also shows that eight in ten British Jews consider themselves to be a Zionist. Only six percent do not.

Another of the alleged messages said: “Don’t forget who planted crucifixion of our beloved Jesus Christ peace be upon him, they are good at that,” appearing to reference the accusation that Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus Christ, a conspiracy which has fuelled centuries of anti-Jewish violence and rhetoric.

He also reportedly shared a photo of a published letter, published less than two months after Hamas, an antisemitic genocidal terror group, carried out barbaric attacks in Israel on 7th October, with the caption: “Faith RESTORED […]” The letter included the statement: “Despite being Jewish, I do not support the genocide and ethnic cleansing by Israel. My religion has taught me compassion and to strive for universal peace. It certainly does not advocate violence, death and destruction.”

Cllr Hoque now sits as an Independent councillor on Salisbury City Council.

Campaign Against Antisemitism advocates for zero tolerance of antisemitism in public life. To that end we monitor all political parties and strive to ensure that any cases of concern are properly addressed.

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Jewish student allegedly physically assaulted at school which already has alleged history of racist bullying

A Jewish student at Desborough College, a school in Maidenhead, was allegedly physically assaulted by fellow students. 

According to the father of the student, his son, whose identity has been kept anonymous, has experienced multiple incidents of bullying following the barbaric attacks carried out by Hamas, an antisemitic genocidal terror organisation, in Israel on 7th October last year.

Since the attacks, antisemitism in Britain has skyrocketed, including a reported 1,350% increase in hate crimes against Jewish people. 

In November last year, the student was allegedly physically attacked by students who were shouting, “f*** Israel” and performing Nazi salutes. The students also allegedly threatened to hurt or kill him if he reported the incident. The school sanctioned these students in January but did not exclude them.

Earlier this year, another student allegedly shouted at the Jewish boy: “From the river to the sea, Palestine must be free.” The genocidal chant ‘From the River to the Sea’, which is regularly heard at anti-Israel protests, refers to the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, and, whether intended or not, is widely understood to represent a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state — and its replacement with a Palestinian state. It is reasonably interpreted to be a call for the annihilation of half the world’s Jews, who live in Israel. 

In March, whilst waiting for a bus after school, two students allegedly approached the victim and accused him of “supporting the genocide of Palestinians”. In a separate incident, also in March, another student allegedly shouted at his friends when the victim was with them: “Stop talking to [name] because he supports genocide.”

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the State of Israel” is an example of antisemitism.

According to a “Stage 2 outcome letter” addressed to the father of the Jewish pupil from the Pioneer Educational Trust, the trust that oversees the school, three complaints were made to the Trust, which were summarised as follows:

1) “Handling of incidents involving religiously aggravated assaults and malicious communications and the failure of AM (Assistant Master) to address these incidents in a timely manner according to practices and policies advertised by the school’ extending to ‘the lack of cooperation, imposition of unnecessary hurdles for parents seeking resolution, and misguided responses that do not align with the official policies of the school.

2) “Recent incident of repeat victimisation outside the school is a direct result of its inability to enforce the school’s own policies.

3) “The school failed to change the timetable of one of the perpetrators and effectively put him into the same class with [the victim] causing stress and anxiety to [the victim].”

For all three complaints, the Trust resolved to deliver “a management response” where there had been a “failure to apply school policies and practices”. 

For the first complaint, the Trust recommended “further training” in terms of pastoral care and “timely and appropriate communications with parents” for its school leaders, as well as “further messaging and support to staff about the school’s policy on mobile phones”. 

Regarding the second complaint, the Trust committed to an “appropriate package of leadership training to ensure and assure school policies and practices are implemented robustly” and to “continue to implement a programme of anti-racist education, including assemblies, tutor programme and PSHE (Personal Health and Social Education)”.

The school reportedly has a recent history of racist bullying, when a black student found dozens of notes on their desk, including one that said: “Go back to the plantation.” 

The police became involved in an investigation into that incident, and Desborough College said regarding the matter: “Our aim as a school is to provide a safe, nurturing and welcoming environment so that every pupil, colleague and family member feels welcome in our community.”

The father escalated the complaint further through the school’s complaints procedure as he felt that the school’s response to the recent alleged antisemitic incidents was inadequate and failed to address the issue at hand. He thought that, given that the school has an alleged history of racist bullying, its promises were too vague and had no immediate resolution.  

The complaint was considered by the Trust’s Complaint Appeal Panel, which partially upheld one of the father’s requests for the Trust “to conduct a thorough investigation into the School’s leadership, policy and application of policy and whether it is sufficient to ensure a ‘secure, inclusive environment that actively combats racism, including anti-semitism [sic]’”.

According to a letter sent to the Jewish student’s father, the Panel stated: “It is noted that the Director of Education has been tasked with regular oversight and review of the school’s policies and procedures and that the School and the Trust have multiple layers of scrutiny over policy and performance as a matter of course.

“In light of the seriousness of the issue and the crucial importance to the Trust, the Panel recommends an appropriate sub-committee of the Trust Board (which should include any appropriate link-Trustees) is convened by the Chair of the Trust Board and to which the Director of Education should report with his periodic review. It is important to the Trust Board that the anti-racist policy and procedure at Desborough is comprehensive and effective and the subcommittee should be assured of that on behalf of the Trust Board in addition to usual reviews.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism is assisting the family of the victim.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “It is harrowing that a Jewish child has had to endure such vile bullying apparently for the mere fact that he is Jewish. Schools should be environments where pupils are taught values of tolerance and harmony, not where pupils can expect to be verbally and violently assaulted because of their ethnicity. The school’s response has been utterly lacklustre and has, understandably, failed to inspire the confidence of the victim’s family that the school understands the gravity of these incidents or that their child will be protected. We are continuing to support the victim and his family throughout this painful ordeal.”

If you are concerned about antisemitism at your child’s school, please contact us in confidence on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].

Image credit: Google

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Lawyer in Manchester Airport case says he has been chosen by Allah to “challenge the Zionist regime”

Akhmed Yakoob, a lawyer who is representing two brothers that were involved in an incident with police at Manchester Airport, has reportedly claimed the he has been chosen by Allah to “challenge the Zionist regime”.

In a speech at a mosque in Dewsbury in April, he is reported to have said: “I know now why Allah has put me in this position, it’s to challenge the Zionist regime, challenge the elites of this country and the world.”

It has also been alleged that he has described Zionism as a “fascist ideology” and claimed that Zionists “control everything”.

Mr Yakoob also ran as an independent Parliamentary candidate for the Birmingham Ladywood seat in the recent General Election and previously as a candidate for West Midlands Mayor.

Earlier this year, Campaign Against Antisemitism published screenshots of his alleged online activity, which included posts with the text, “WILL YOU GUYS SUPPORT ME?! Anti Zionism is NOT Anti Semitism [sic],” and “ANTI ZIONISM IS NOT ANTI SEMETISM [sic]!!”

Mr Yakoob was also alleged to have said: “So this general election can be a slap on the faces of the political elites who are ruled by the Zionist lobby.”

According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Making mendacious, dehumanising, demonising, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions,” and “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g. by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour,” are examples of antisemitism.

Our lawyers are looking at a potential regulatory complaint to the SRA.

It is understood that brothers Mohammed Fahir Amaaz and Amaad Amaaz contacted Mr Yakoob after a video circulated online, which appeared to show a police officer kicking one of their heads at Manchester Airport.

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Anjem Choudary found guilty of terror offences

Anjem Choudary, one of Britain’s leading Islamists, has been found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of directing terror group Al-Muhajiroun and encouraging support for it through online meetings.

He had been arrested and charged with three terrorism offences last year: directing a terrorist organisation, being a member of a proscribed organisation, and addressing meetings to encourage support for a proscribed organisation.

Mr Choudary, born in the UK and of Pakistani descent, failed his first-year medical exams at the University of Southampton due to his party lifestyle, but eventually graduated in law, later becoming Chairman of the Society of Muslim Lawyers. He became radicalised in the 1990s, launching al-Muhajiroun in the UK – later banned under terror laws – in 1996 with Syrian-born Islamist, Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed.

The Jihadist group became linked to international terrorism, antisemitism and homophobia as it sought a world subject to Sharia law, and praised the 9/11 highjackers. The group disbanded in 2004 following its proscription but is believed to have continued to operate under different aliases. According to The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Choudary was involved in recruiting Muslims to undergo weapons training in the UK in order to fight for Osama Bin Laden’s International Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders, and in 2010 he was linked to those involved in an al Qaeda plot to bomb the London Stock Exchange.

Mr Choudary praised the murderers of Drummer Lee Rigby in 2013, in response to which comments then-Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Let’s be clear about Anjem Choudary: he does have absolutely despicable and appalling views, an absolutely classic case of that poisonous narrative of extremism and violence that we need to confront and defeat.”

In 2016, Mr Choudary was convicted of supporting the Islamic State in connection with speeches posted on YouTube. He was jailed for five years and six months. At the time he was jailed, he had reportedly been linked to fifteen terror plots dating back approximately twenty years, and had connections to hundreds of British jihadists who had travelled to Syria to fight.

He was released from Belmarsh prison after serving half of his sentence, although he remained subject to some 25 licence conditions.

In 2021, he was reported to have suggested that the MP Sir David Amess may have been murdered because of his “rumoured pro-Israel views”.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer has consistently showed that large majorities of British Jews consider the threat from Islamists to be very serious.

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Foreign Secretary announces UK will restore UNRWA funding

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, has announced that the UK will restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Under the previous government, funding was halted in January this year, following allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved with the Hamas terrorist organisation.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This is a deeply regressive and dangerous step. The UN and its agencies like UNRWA do not recognise Hamas as a terrorist organisation, which means that they are less inhibited in their activities and their hiring processes than they would be if they had to operate under UK law, which rightly does recognise Hamas as the antisemitic genocidal terror group that it is.

“UNRWA’s official educational curricula have promoted antisemitism and violence, referring to the Jewish state as the ‘enemy,’ teaching mathematics by counting ‘martyred’ terrorists, using phrases like “Jihad is one of the doors to Paradise” in grammar lessons, and more.

“UNRWA teachers have glorified terrorism and some UNRWA personnel have been found to be members of Hamas, and UNRWA schools and premises have been used as storage facilities for munitions and launching pads for rockets.

“UNRWA prefers to downplay its failures rather than address them, the body lacks proper oversight and has constantly faced allegations of corruption. If one wants to know how Gazan society became radicalised, start with its schools. They are run by UNRWA.

“It is not only disappointing but dangerous that David Lammy and the FCDO have chosen to restore funding to this nefarious organisation.”

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What does this election result mean for British Jews?

The Labour Party arrives in Government as levels of anti-Jewish racism have skyrocketed and rocked the Jewish community for months. Our polling of British Jews is proof of the widespread fear that antisemitic extremists in our country are now completely out of control, with the effects of their hatred most visible on our streets and our campuses.

So far, precious little has been done to tackle this outpouring of hatred and we are making urgent proposals to the new Government, seeking firm action to halt the surge of Jew-hatred in Britain.

Labour has had to confront rampant antisemitism in its midst in recent years, and we hope that at this time of need it will do what is necessary to confront antisemitism in society, and defend this country’s Jewish community.

Two other noteworthy local results were in Islington North and Rochdale:

Jeremy Corbyn comfortably won his London seat as an Independent. This is the man who led Labour from being an anti-racist party to becoming the first ever political party found by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to have unlawfully discriminated against, harassed and victimised Jews, following our referral. At a time of record-breaking antisemitism, the man who used to call Hamas his “friends” and oversaw the normalisation of Jew-hatred in one of the most shameful episodes of modern British politics is back making our laws. Many British Jews will find it hard not to read into this.

George Galloway narrowly lost his Rochdale seat, which he had won in a by-election earlier this year (the Labour candidate was suspended by the Party in relation to antisemitism allegations which we helped to publicise). Given Mr Galloway’s track record and the situation currently faced by Jews in this country, it seems unlikely that many in the Jewish community will be mourning his departure from the institution that makes our laws.

But the real stories of this election were beneath the surface.

First, the fragmentation of our politics. While the Labour Party won a landslide, it was with fewer votes than Jeremy Corbyn had won, and with one of the smallest vote shares of any winning party in modern British history. The Conservatives, meanwhile, suffered their worst-ever defeat, in an election with one of the lowest turnouts in recent times.

Taken together, it meant that the main parties haemorrhaged more vote share than ever to smaller parties, with the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and the Greens all breaking records in votes or seats. Numerous candidates for the latter two parties faced serious antisemitism allegations during the campaign following our revelations, albeit not those who ultimately won seats. In Northern Ireland, meanwhile, Sinn Fein became the largest party for the first time.

Regardless of one’s political views, this result clearly represents heightened scepticism about our nation’s institutions – a feeling apparently shared across the Channel as well, judging by the recent French election results. While the Jewish community may share some of this disillusionment, given the failures of the authorities to act decisively against the antisemites over the past several months, it also cannot be forgotten that political and societal instability also tend to pose unique risks to the Jews.

Second, the Gaza vote. One of the biggest stories from this general election has been the rise of sectarianism in our politics. The emergence of single-issue pressure groups purporting to represent particular communities risks pitting certain communities against others. It is an extremely worrying omen for our politics, and all major parties must be absolutely resolute in their rejection of its implications.

The prospect of a handful of MPs – some of whom have records of grossly inflammatory language – bringing what seems to be a single-minded obsession with Gaza to Parliament is not a positive development.

Jeremy Corbyn declared on election day, “Today, Palestine is on the ballot,” and promised that he would “stand up for the people of Gaza” and fight for “an end to the occupation of Palestine”. He was joined in victory by four other Independents who ran on the Gaza issue: Ayoub Khan in Birmingham Perry Barr, Adnan Hussain in Blackburn, Iqbal Mohamed in Dewsbury and Batley, and Shockat Adam in Leicester South – where Shadow Cabinet member Jonathan Ashworth was defeated.

We have published an exposé on these new MPs.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Wes Streeting and prominent backbencher Jess Phillips were among several more Labour MPs who only narrowly escaped defeat by other Gaza candidates, whose presence was felt in many constituencies across the country.

As a Parliamentary grouping, this Gaza caucus is level with Reform UK on five MPs, outranking the Greens and Plaid Cymru.

It is difficult to think of another instance in modern times when a foreign policy issue in which Britain is not directly involved has captured so much attention at home as to bring our streets to a standstill week after week, undermine many of our major institutions, and bring more MPs to Parliament than even some long-established parties – with numerous more candidates only narrowly missing out.

Why this foreign policy issue in particular? The Jewish community believes that it knows why, and it will take a fundamental reset of our political culture to convince British Jews that they have nothing to fear from this ominous development.

What we do know is that all of the attention on Gaza in the UK is not bringing peace to the Middle East but spreading hatred here at home. We have sought to promote that message.

BBC lets Gaza propaganda go unchallenged

One of the reasons that Gaza candidates do so well is that our broadcasters allow unverified statistics and propaganda to go unchallenged – and sometimes even repeat it.

Recently, BBC Newsnight allowed a panelist – the climate activist Mikaela Loach – to say: “The Lancet yesterday, in one of their reports, said that the death toll [in Gaza] is probably more likely to be more than 186,000 people.” The host did not challenge this assertion.

For context, the so-called “report” to which Ms Loach was referring is simply a letter to The Lancet – the prestigious medical journal – by readers with documented hostility toward Israel. It is not a peer-reviewed study nor a figure which the journal has endorsed. It is not even an estimate of current deaths. It is a speculative estimate about a future, final death toll that includes excess deaths and other categories. Indeed the letter itself acknowledges that even Hamas, a proscribed antisemitic genocidal terror organisation, estimates the current death toll at around 37,396, a figure that does not differentiate between combatants and non-combatants and which has been revised downwards considerably by the United Nations.

Given how controversial these statistics have proven, it is not possible that the host of a debate on Newsnight could plausibly plead ignorance of this issue.

We are submitting a complaint to the BBC. It will be just the latest of the many complaints that we have submitted to our national broadcaster in recent months.

While our broadcasters are failing in their duty, one social media company is making an effort.

Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has announced: “We will now remove speech targeting ‘Zionists’ in several areas where our process showed that the speech tends to be used to refer to Jews and Israelis with dehumanising comparisons, calls for harm, or denials of existence.”

Our polling shows that eight in ten British Jews consider themselves to be a Zionist. Only six percent do not.

While there is still more work to be done in combatting online antisemitism, this is certainly a step in the right direction.

“They use the Holocaust as a sort of cover”

Last week, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Redbridge National Education Union (NEU) hosted an event “in association with” the Newham, Tower Hamlets and Redbridge branches of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). According to an online flyer for the event, the supposed conference would include “workshops on antisemitism and anti-Zionism”.

Attendees at the antisemitism workshop were told: “They use the Holocaust as a sort of cover”; “It makes me very angry when people talk about the Jewish community because there’s no such thing”; and “Israel is nothing to do with being Jewish”; among other outrageous remarks.

It appears that this so-called workshop was rife with antisemitism, from comparisons of Israel to Nazi Germany, to allegations that the Jewish state was somehow complicit in the murder of its own people on 7th October, to characterising Israel as a ‘racist endeavour’, to describing Zionism as a virus, to the wild claim that Israel ‘wanted the Holocaust to happen’.

Both the PSC and NEU have long histories of causing distress to the Jewish community. You can listen to excerpts from the here, which we have published exclusively.

No expulsion for Sir Alan Duncan

The former Conservative MP and Minister, Sir Alan Duncan, recently suggested on-air that members of the House of Lords were working at the behest of the Israeli state, and that was not the first time that he had made such an assertion. We submitted a complaint to the Party and urged the Conservatives to expel him as a member.

However, a spokesperson for the Conservative Party has now said: “Following a two-month investigation, an independent panel has reviewed the complaint and dismissed it.”

At a time when antisemitism is at an all-time-high, invoking conspiracy theories and tropes about dual loyalty only inflames the situation for British Jews. This is a shameful decision, and we are aware of members resigning from the Party in response.

The new Government comes into office facing an array of challenges. For the Jewish community, skyrocketing antisemitism is among the most important. Sir Keir Starmer has shown a willingness to confront antisemites in his own party. Now he must do it in wider society, and ensure that the authorities do so as well.

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Attendees at PSC “antisemitism training” at local National Education Union event told “Israel is the biggest amplifier of antisemitism there is”

Last night, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Redbridge National Education Union (NEU) hosted an event “in association with” the Newham, Tower Hamlets and Redbridge branches of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). 

PSC is known to regularly organise national anti-Israel demonstrations and earlier this year, its Director, Ben Jamal, encouraged thousands of protestors to “ramp up pressure on MPs” and flood into Parliament “so that they would have to lock the doors of Parliament itself”.

The event, which took place in Newham, East London, was titled, “How to talk about Palestine in our schools”. According to an online flyer for the event, the supposed conference would include “workshops on antisemitism and anti-Zionism”. 

Approximately 40 people attended the event, which was open to parents, carers, youth-workers and the general public. Attendees were split into smaller workshops to talk about specific topics. 

Several people, including three children, attended a workshop on antisemitism and anti-Zionism, which was led by two representatives of the PSC. The discussion in the workshop was primarily focused on criticising the widely-accepted International Definition of Antisemitism, which was reportedly dubbed “the bad one”, whilst promoting the adoption of the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, which was allegedly referred to as “the good one”. 

The Jerusalem Declaration is a wrecking document intended to undermine the globally-recognised Definition.

In the supposed critique of the International Definition, the PSC representatives allegedly said: “Speak against Israel, oh you’re antisemitic,” and “If people say something against Israel, they say it is antisemitic.” 

Another reported comment regarding the Definition was: “They use the Holocaust as a sort of cover because it says once you’ve got Holocaust in there, it must be right.”

During the workshop, the PSC session leaders allegedly claimed that “Israel is nothing to do with being Jewish” and are understood to have told attendees that “if you’re anti-racist you’re anti-the-State-of-Israel.” 

One of the representatives allegedly stated: “Israel is a racist endeavour.” According to the International Definition, “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination (e.g. by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour)” is an example of antisemitism. 

Organisers were also heard saying: “A large proportion of the people killed on October the 7th were killed by the Israeli army,” before going on to later claim that Israel has not fought for its hostages that currently remain in Gaza. 

On 7th October last year, Hamas, an antisemitic genocidal terror organisation, carried out barbaric attacks in Israel, massacring over 1,200 Israelis and taking some 250 hostage. The event has since been described as the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. 

Astonishingly, these claims were not the only controversial statements that were heard at the workshop. One PSC representative was heard stating: “The Nazis were ashamed of the gas chambers, sadly Israel is not ashamed of what it’s doing in Gaza,” and “Gaza is not an open-air prison camp, it is an open-air ghetto in the same way that our ancestors were kept in ghettos before they were murdered.”

According to the International Definition, “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is an example of antisemitism. 

In yet another sickening comparison to the Holocaust, a representative allegedly said: “Like the Nazis, [Israel] wanted to keep the Holocaust quiet because it didn’t play into their narrative.” 

Attenders were also given supplementary written materials, which included a “further reading” list. On the list was Norman Finkelstein’s The Holocaust Industry. Mr Finkelstein is a controversial American activist who once praised Holocaust-denier David Irving at a pro-Corbyn meeting of Labour Against the Witchhunt, an antisemitism-denial group of former and expelled Labour members.

Other claims that were heard throughout the event were: “They [Israel] wanted the Holocaust to happen,” and “Israel is the biggest amplifier of antisemitism there is.”

A clear theme throughout the workshop was opposition to Zionism, the embodiment of the Jewish right to self-determination. Attendees reported that organisers compared Zionism to a “virus” and asserted that “too many Jews” have been “injected” with it. 

Eight in ten British Jews consider themselves to be a Zionist. Only six percent do not, according to our representative polling. 

This is not the first time that the PSC has found itself at the centre of an antisemitism-related controversy, with many of its rallies being host to antisemitic placards and rhetoric. A month-long investigation by Campaign Against Antisemitism in 2017 exposed extensive antisemitic bigotry amongst PSC supporters on social media. Last year, the PSC Brixton published an Instagram post calling Zionists “brainwashed racists” who should be fired from their places of work.

The General Secretary of the NEU also has a controversial record when it comes to antisemitism.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism: “It appears that this so-called workshop was rife with antisemitism. This conference had it all, from comparisons of Israel to Nazi Germany, to allegations that the Jewish State was somehow complicit in the murder of its own people on 7th October, to characterising Israel as a ‘racist endeavour’, to describing Zionism as a virus, to the wild claim that Israel ‘wanted the Holocaust to happen’.

“What makes the whole thing even more appalling, is that it was organised by the National Education Union ‘in association with’ members of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Both organisations have a long history of causing distress to the Jewish community. The only silver lining of this conspiracy-fuelled event is that it was so very poorly attended.”

We are seeking to recruit a General Counsel an Executive Assistant an Education and Outreach Intern to join our London office

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Campaign Against Antisemitism is a volunteer-led charity dedicated to exposing and countering antisemitism through education and zero-tolerance enforcement of the law. Everything that we do is done by people who volunteer their time, using donations contributed by members of the public. Join the fight against antisemitism by subscribing to our updates, volunteering, or donating.