, ,

Sir Keir Starmer apologises again for Corbyn years following numerous expulsions and suspensions of Labour officeholders at the local level

Sir Keir Starmer has apologised again for how Jewish members of the Labour Party and the community more generally were treated under his antisemitic predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn.

In his first interview with a Jewish newspaper since his election as Labour leader exactly two years ago, Sir Keir did not apologise for his own role backing Mr Corbyn. Sir Keir also declined to tell the JC whether he believed that Mr Corbyn is antisemitic.

The interview came following numerous expulsions and suspensions of Labour officeholders at the local level.

In Plymouth, Cllr Chaz Singh, the Chair of the Council’s Equalities Working Group, has come under fire for allegedly retweeting a post by a local firm of beekeepers directed at the local ward councillors, which said: “You’re lucky, if you get to see yours! We have three, and they’re as much use as Anne Frank’s drum kit!” The tweet was in reference to a local dispute about sewage. Cllr Singh was criticised by his colleagues for apparently using social media to amplify an offensive analogy to a victim of the Holocaust, and in particular for doing so given his position at the Council and purported status as a champion of diversity.

In Dudley, Cllr Zafar Islam was reportedly suspended from Labour after months of inaction by the Party following a complaint.

The complaint by Labour Against Antisemitism, submitted in September 2021, detailed Cllr Islam’s social media activity, where he claims a “witch-hunt” has taken place against Labour politicians critical of Israel, among other inflammatory remarks.

In London, the former Chair of the Hampstead and Kilburn Constituency Labour Party, Pete Firmin, has reportedly been automatically expelled from Labour over alleged support for factions that have been proscribed by the Party.

In Wales, a former leader of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, has been revealed not to have left Labour after 46 years of his own accord, but rather because he was expelled following disciplinary action. Cllr Hedley McCarthy had reportedly been accused of ‘liking’ antisemitic posts on social media, which he denied, saying that he has “a proven track record of opposing racism of all forms, including antisemitism.”

However, a Labour Party spokesman reportedly said: “Hedley McCarthy was expelled from the Labour Party in January 2022 following the conclusion of an internal disciplinary investigation into antisemitic social media activity. It is therefore incorrect for Hedley McCarthy to claim that he resigned from membership of the Labour Party.”

The local Constituency Labour Party (CLP) reportedly claimed that it had not been aware of the expulsion, relying instead on Cllr McCarthy’s claim that he had left of his own accord. Cllr McCarthy said in response: “I want to apologise to my former colleagues in the Labour group and the CLP for not informing them of the suspension or the eviction letter.” He added that he had been concerned about the confidentiality of the disciplinary process, apparently having been warned that any breach could result in further disciplinary action. “In any case, I left the group in November and didn’t see that the letter was relevant to them by then,” he said, adding: “I am sorry now that I didn’t speak out about these ridiculous accusations.”

The Labour Party was found by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to have engaged in unlawful discrimination and harassment of Jews. The report followed the EHRC’s investigation of the Labour Party in which Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant, submitting hundreds of pages of evidence and legal argument. Sir Keir Starmer called the publication of the report a “day of shame” for the Labour Party.

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

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.

, ,

Students’ unions at Lancaster and Durham courageously act to sustain pressure on NUS

Students’ unions at Lancaster University and Durham University have taken action to sustain pressure on the National Union of Students (NUS) after a series of scandals rocked the national student body.

In an open letter to the NUS leadership this week, the Lancaster University Students’ Union said that it was “deeply disappointed and hurt by the way the Jewish community have been engaged with and treated this year,” making specific reference to the recent scandal involving the inflammatory rapper and activity Kareem Dennis, known as Lowkey.

The letter went on to say that “Our Jewish students have legitimate issues and questions about decisions made by the NUS leadership, which we feel need to be addressed,” in regard to the Lowkey affair, in which the controversial figure was invited to headline the NUS’s centenary conference and the concerns of Jewish students’ were dismissed before media pressure brought about Mr Dennis’ withdrawal from the event.

The letter further noted that “NUS has an uncomfortable history with antisemitism,” and that it is “disconcerting” that individuals who have in the past been “embroiled in allegations of antisemitism” and were disqualified from office “ever felt welcome at all.”

Observing that “Antisemitism is a major issue within the student movement” and that NUS “keep[s] failing the Jewish community,” the letter lamented that “Too many Jewish activists have been pushed out of the student movement, from fear, anxiety, hostility, an environment that encourages antisemitic dialogue, and blatant antisemitic comments and/or actions.”

“The Jewish community,” the letter continued, “has been let down time and time again,” and its authors “look forward to seeing a clear communication of the changes you will make,” as “the Lancaster University Students’ Union Full Time Officer team will not sit back and watch the community go through endless trauma caused by NUS.”

Meanwhile, at Durham University, the Students’ Union put out a statement at the end of March affirming that “Jewish students have legitimate questions about decisions made by NUS in planning their National Conference, and the poor response that came when those decisions were challenged. There has been, unambiguously, a failure to recognise the risk and the reality of antisemitism.”

The statement insisted that “We can only bring about the changes we want to education and society if we do it collectively, through NUS. We’re stronger together. But when some students are excluded from NUS, we are all made weaker.” It concluded by saying that “When we’re at NUS Conference this week, we’ll insist that the NUS leadership recognise the problems they’ve created. We trust in their ability to reflect, and to make changes in partnership with Jewish students and their representatives. We’ll hold them accountable for making our national student movement welcoming for Jewish students.”

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].

, , , ,

“You have to be annoyed about something to joke about it. What annoys me? Antisemitism”: Comedian Elon Gold on using comedy as a weapon against Jew-hatred

The comedian and actor Elon Gold appeared on the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism where he spoke about how he uses comedy to tackle antisemitism.

Speaking on his approach to discussing antisemitism in his comedy, Mr Gold stated that his priority is to consider whether his material is funny and whether he is making “the right point”. 

Describing what constitutes “the right point”, Mr Gold clarified: “If it comes from my heart and from my anger about antisemitism.”

“All of comedy is complaining, and I realised that a few years ago. You have to be annoyed about something to joke about it and to want to deride it, mock it, ridicule it, but first, it has to annoy you. So what annoys me? Antisemitism. It annoys the crap out of me and I’m angry about it because it’s not funny at all, but now I have to find the funny because that’s my job and I happen to be obsessed with finding the funny in hate, because when you do that, when you find the funny in hate, you get to expose the ignorance of bigotry. And you get to mock these bigots.”

Mr Gold outlined what this approach looks like by providing an example of one of his comedy routines that touches upon the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally. “One of my favourite new bits that I’ve been doing lately is mocking those idiots who went to the rallies with the tiki torches going around going ‘the Jews will not replace us.’” Mr Gold joked: “‘And I’m like, ‘the Jews will not replace you? We don’t want to replace you, we just want to put braces on you. Replace you? We just want to manage your portfolio.’”

Discussing why he feels the routine is so impactful, he says that it’s because “It’s got these funny jokes but it’s making a point. Here are these groups of morons walking around with tiki torches going ‘the Jews will not replace us’…what is that message, even? As it turns out, it’s about immigration and it’s a whole thing that it’s their farkakta (nonsense) brains that they think there’s some global conspiracy of the Jews trying to replace them, but it’s all just nuts.

“So it’s my job now to mock these nut-jobs. And I do it from the right place. I know I’m in the right and they’re dead wrong. You can’t justify any sort of racism, homophobia…you’re not right.”

Turning to the subject of offence, Mr Gold has clearly given careful consideration to this issue. “There are bits that I do where I literally do a German accent. And that, you know…you talking about something that’s triggering. The last thing I ever want to do is… let’s say a Holocaust survivor is in the audience, or even the son or grandson of one. And to offend one of them would hurt me deeply. So of course, it’s not my intention to offend, but it is my intention to mock Nazis.”

Mr Gold went on to explain how he differentiates those who may take offence at different types of jokes, for example a dirty joke. “If you’re offended by that, that’s your problem. With antisemitism, with an area as sensitive as that, now we’re not talking about sex, we’re talking about something that people are getting killed over, to this day, and for thousands of years. And I do make it a point not to do any Holocaust jokes. There’s nothing funny about it, and that’s not even a topic I would ever want to bring up.

“However, if Whoopie Goldberg brings it up and says something idiotic like ‘the Holocaust isn’t about race,’ I’m gonna do jokes like ‘oh, the Holocaust isn’t about race? Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s what my great-grandparents heard in the camps.’” In a German accent, Mr Gold jokes: “By the way, this is not about race. This has nothing to do with race, you Jews are always jumping to conclusions!”

Mr Gold goes on to explain his thought behind the joke, saying: “I’m doing the accent, I’m mocking Nazis, but the joke isn’t, God-forbid on the victims. It’s not even on the Holocaust. It’s on Whoopie, and it’s on the Nazis. It’s on the bad guys. Whoopie’s not bad, she said something bad and wrong and it’s my job to correct it with jokes.”

“So to me, I have to say something about this. It’s an impulse, I can’t just ignore it. And by the way, when she said it, again, I wasn’t offended by it. I just said to myself ‘Oh, I have to correct that error.’ And my only weapon is jokes.”

Throughout the interview, Mr Gold touched upon a wide variety of topics which included opening up about an encounter of antisemitism that his family experienced, why he refuses to work on the Sabbath, and his recurring role in the most recent season of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

The podcast with Mr Gold can be listened to here, or watched here.

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, The Sunday Telegraph columnist Zoe Strimpel and actor Eddie Marsan.

, ,

Conservative councillor who claimed America, Israel and Saudi Arabia are a “trilogy of Zionists” and that “Zionism is one of the worst afflictions on the world” resigns from Thomas Deacon Education Trust 

A Conservative councillor who was suspended from the Party last year over social media posts, before being permitted to re-join, has resigned from the Thomas Deacon Education Trust.

The Trust has confirmed to Campaign Against Antisemitism that Ishfaq Hussain was appointed a trustee of the Thomas Deacon Education Trust on 20th September 2021 and that he subsequently stepped down as a trustee on 3rd March 2022. The reasons for his resignation are not spelled out.

Cllr Hussain had apologised for sharing antisemitic tropes on Facebook. In one Facebook post, he accused the “Saudi regime” of being “long standing puppets of America and Israel,” and went on to label them “a trilogy of zionists.” He then remarked that “Islam doesn’t breed terrorists the zionist trilogy do.” Mr Hussain also shared a video that was captioned: “The Jews in Israel are not true Jews.”

Cllr Hussain had also captioned his profile picture: “This person does not recognise the State of Israel.” He also reportedly claimed that “Zionism is one of the worst afflictions on the world” and made other inflammatory comments about “Zionists”.

In his apology, Mr Hussain said: “I recognise Israel’s right to exist and wholeheartedly support a two-state solution. I deeply regret that my frustration at events in Israel and Palestine led me to suggest otherwise. Some of my previous language was ill-judged and offensive. It also echoed antisemitic tropes in ways I had not fully understood. However strongly we feel, we should never let our emotions get the better of us. By doing so, I allowed myself to become part of the problem. I am truly sorry.”

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.

, , ,

Nicola Sturgeon reiterates her Government’s commitment to International Definition of Antisemitism while SNP candidate comes under fire for allegedly breaching it

Nicola Sturgeon has reiterated her Government’s commitment to the International Definition of Antisemitism, even as one of her Party’s candidates in upcoming local elections has been accused of breaching it.

Responding to a comment that her Government included two ministers from the Scottish Greens (the Scottish branch of the Green Party), which was described as having “out-Corbyned Corbyn”, the First Minister and SNP leader told the assembly of 250 Scottish Jews: “I am not able to speak for another political party. But I do speak for and am accountable for every minister in my Government. My Government is a signatory to the IHRA [International] Definition of Antisemitism and all ministers have to be clear that they sign up to that and accept that — and that includes the two Green ministers. There is no tolerance in my government for antisemitism or discrimination, prejudice, racism of any kind. I want to assure you of that very, very clearly.”

Last year, Campaign Against Antisemitism helped to expose the Scottish Greens’ controversial record in relation to antisemitism.

Ms Sturgeon also praised Jewish students, whom she had met recently, for their frankness in discussing the discrimination that they had faced on campus. “I want to make this point very forcibly,” she said, “So long as anyone feels discriminated against, we as a Government have more work to do.”

The First Minister also spoke about Holocaust education, saying: “As generations pass, it is vital that future generations understand what happened. However, understanding the Holocaust is not the same as understanding what it’s like for Jewish communities in countries across the world today.”

On the subject of antisemitism in politics, Ms Sturgeon conceded that the SNP had faced problems. Indeed, Campaign Against Antisemitism’s latest Antisemitism Barometer has shown that 39% of British Jews believe that the SNP is too tolerant of antisemitism.

As it happened, at around the same time, her Party was being urged to fire an SNP candidate in the upcoming local elections after it emerged that he had allegedly tweeted that it was “sickening that Israeli Jews bring up their kids to hate and kill,” using a photo of an American-Jewish family.

The picture in the seven-year-old post is of Bill Bernstein, a kippah-wearing former gun shop owner from Nashville, posing with his daughter Gertrude, both with guns.

Wullie Graham, who is standing in Pollok ward in south Glasgow, was accused by political rivals of having published an antisemitic post and his Party was called on to remove him as a candidate.

In a statement, the SNP said: “Mr Graham has apologised for a post in 2015 that he readily admits was stupid and indefensible. He has taken steps to reach out to the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities as he seeks to make amends and learn from this.”

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.

, , ,

Jewish woman wearing Ukrainian pin badge confronted with Nazi salute on the London Underground

It has been reported that a man performed a Nazi salute at a Jewish woman on the London Underground when he saw that she was wearing a Ukrainian pin-badge.

Charlotte Saloman, 37, was travelling between Paddington and Baker Street on 5th April when the incident took place. Ms Saloman was first alerted to the potential danger when she noticed a man whom she believes to have been in his early 30s boarding the train and who soon began staring at her and her badge.

Ms Salomon said: “He sat opposite me and stared at my pin. Then he stood up, did a halfway-up arm salute, and moved further down the carriage. At first, I was puzzled, then I realised what the gesture was. I made eye contact with another passenger. They looked confused as well.”

Ms Salomon, Deputy Chair of the Saffron Walden Conservatives Association, was on her way to the House of Lords to take part in an event about women fighting antisemitism.

After sharing her account of the incident on Twitter, Ms Salomon received messages of support, but others contained offensive sentiments, including one that read “Heil Hitler” followed by a swastika.

It has been reported that the police are now investigating this incident.

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

, ,

After pressure, YouTube finally removes channel that allegedly inspired Texas hostage-taker as platform accused of ignoring warnings by moderator

YouTube has bowed to pressure and finally removed a channel from its platform that allegedly inspired the Texas hostage-taker, as the platform is accused by a moderator of ignoring his warnings.

After weeks of pressure, including in particular from the JC, the social media network has removed the channels belonging to Israr Ahmed and Wagdy Ghoniem, which boasted 3.5 million subscribers between them.

Malik Faisal Akram, the Briton who took four hostages at the Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville before being shot dead by the FBI, was reportedly obsessed with two hardline Pakistani clerics popular on YouTube, one of whom was Israr Ahmed. Mr Ahmed had 2.7 million subscribers on the social media network and was particularly popular with Mr Akram, according to the JC. On his videos, he reportedly called Jews “the ultimate source of evil [and] the biggest agents of Satan”, adding that they “control the banking system of the world.” In another video, entitled “History of the Jews”, Dr Ahmed claimed that Jews had been acting against humanity for over 2,000 years. “The name of Jews became an expletive,” he said. “They became akin to pigs.”

Testimony from moderator-turned-whistleblower and counter-terrorism expert, Khaled Hassan, reportedly prompted the company to act. Mr Hassan, who worked for Crisp, a content moderation firm contracted to YouTube, repeatedly raised the issue of antisemitism on YouTube, according to the JC. This included flagging Mr Ahmed’s channel and that of the Egyptian Jihadist and Muslim Brotherhood leader Wagdy Ghoniem, who is banned in the UK.

Mr Hassan’s report to YouTube warned that Mr Ahmed’s videos “pose[d] a serious risk of inciting hatred against Jews [and] a realistic possibility of leading to real-world violence” and was submitted in October last year, but was reportedly ignored. In January, Mr Akram targeted the Colleyville synagogue after watching Mr Ahmed’s videos, according to his friends and acquaintances.

YouTube reportedly said that, “upon review, we removed the channels belonging…to Israr Ahmad for violating our hate speech policies, and a further eleven videos have been removed as either a result of this circumvention or for violating our Violent Extremism and hate speech policies.”

Mr Ghoniem’s channel had been taken down “for circumvention of our terms of service,” according to the technology company. This came after Mr Hassan’s report had pointed out that he “has been on the list of extremists banned from entering the UK for inciting terrorism since 2009,” has been wanted on terrorism charges in America since 2004, and an Egyptian court had convicted him for leading a terrorist cell in 2014.

Mr Hassan’s report recounted how Mr Ghoneim had falsely claimed that Egypt’s President “is secretly a Jewish person working on advancing the interests of Israel while causing harm to Egypt’s economy and national security”. Mr Hassan claimed that the failure to remove Mr Ghoneim’s videos amounted to “promoting radical ideologies and enabling radical/terrorist groups to recruit members into their ranks.”

Although YouTube’s publicly-stated policy is that all “hate speech” that promotes “violence or hatred against individuals or groups” based on race or religion “is not allowed” and will be “removed,” Mr Hassan told that JC that he believed this policy to be a “sham”.

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.

, ,

Justice Minister Lord Wolfson defends the International Definition of Antisemitism, saying that it’s “Calumny to say that the fight against antisemitism shuts down free speech”

Justice Minister Lord Wolfson has defended the International Definition of Antisemitism against claims that it shuts down free speech.

Speaking at a conference held at the Tottenham Hotspur Football Stadium, Lord Wolfson said that there is no conflict between the British Government’s embrace of the Definition and its commitment to freedom of speech, maintaining that “It’s calumny to say that the fight against antisemitism in some way shuts down free speech, it simply doesn’t.”

Lord Wolfson said that the Definition had no implications for freedom of speech, making a clear distinction between free speech and hate speech. He said that “Antisemitism is hate speech, and all democracies have drawn a line between free speech and hate speech. There are things you cannot say because they are defamatory, and there are things you cannot say because they are racist.”

The Under-Secretary for Justice even said that he disapproves of the word “antisemitism”, preferring “anti-Jewish racism”. There are, he said, some people who fail to see that antisemitism is a problem, despite their vocal commitment to anti-racism in all its forms.

He also explained that those who have attempted to claim that the Definition prevents criticism of Israel are wrong because there is a difference between criticising the policies enacted by the Israeli government and applying a double standard to Israel, singling it out for criticism in a way that would not be done to another country.

In July 2017, Campaign Against Antisemitism published an opinion of expert counsel on the adoption of the Definition. David Wolfson QC (now Lord Wolfson) and Jeremy Brier, who acted pro bono, drew up the nine-page opinion. The opinion includes a detailed assessment of the definition itself, considers the application of the Definition in difficult cases, and contains useful advice for politicians and public bodies, such as universities, which are considering using the Definition.

The opinion states that: “The Definition is a clear, meaningful and workable definition. The Definition is an important development in terms of identifying and preventing antisemitism, in particular in its modern and non-traditional forms, which often reach beyond simple expressions of hatred for Jews and instead refer to Jewish people and Jewish associations in highly derogatory, veiled terms (e.g. ‘Zio’ or ‘Rothschilds’). Public bodies in the United Kingdom are not ‘at risk’ in using this Definition. Indeed, this Definition should be used by public bodies on the basis that it will ensure that the identification of antisemitism is clear, fair and accurate. Criticism of Israel, even in robust terms, cannot be regarded as antisemitic per se and such criticism is not captured by the Definition. However, criticisms of Israel in terms which are channels of expression for hatred towards Jewish people (such as by particular invocations of the Holocaust or Nazism) will in all likelihood be antisemitic.”

The full opinion can be accessed here.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has also produced a primer on the relationship between the International Definition of Antisemitism and freedom of speech.

, ,

Further concerns raised after revelation that newly-elected NUS President reportedly praised cleric who called for Jews to be killed

Further concerns have been raised after more troubling tweets from the newly-elected President of the National Union of Students (NUS), Shaima Dallali, have surfaced. 

This most recent batch of tweets has come to light mere days after we reported that Ms Dallali was forced to apologise when, in 2012, during an escalation of tensions between Israel and the antisemitic genocidal terrorist group Hamas, the then-hopeful NUS candidate tweeted the words “Khaybar Khaybar, ya yahud, Jaish Muhammad, sa yahud.” 

Translated into English, this chant means “Jews, remember the battle of Khaybar, the army of Muhammad is returning.” It 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.

Ms Dallali issued a statement on 23rd March, saying: “Earlier today I was made aware of a tweet I posted ten years ago. During Israel’s assault on Gaza I referenced the battle of Khaybar in which Jewish and Muslim armies fought. I was wrong to see the Palestine conflict as one between Muslims and Jews. The reference made as a teenager was unacceptable and I sincerely and unreservedly apologise.”

Shortly after her apology, it came to light that Ms Dallali’s output on Twitter reportedly included other inflammatory messages as well, including one from 2018 in which she said: “So your special forces invade the Gaza Strip, attempt to kidnap a Hamas commander, kill him and others. Then cry about Hamas being the terrorists. Makes perfect sense. #GazaUnderAttack.” Hamas is an antisemitic genocidal terrorist organisation that is proscribed in the UK.

Other alleged tweets expressed support for Jeremy Corbyn, the antisemitic former leader of the Labour Party. On 17th November 2020, Ms Dalalli wrote a response to Mr Corbyn’s readmission to the Labour Party, saying that “He should never have been suspended in the first place.” A few months later, on 5th January 2021, Ms Hallami tweeted that “Jeremy Corbyn was too good for this godforsaken country.” At present, these tweets have not yet been deleted, though it has been reported that several others have.

However, a new set of historic tweets from Ms Dallali has now come to light, one of which includes the antisemitic “From the river to the sea” chant. The chant of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” only makes sense as a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state — and its replacement with a State of Palestine — and is thus an attempt to deny Jews, uniquely, the right to self-determination, which is a breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Additionally, Ms Dallali reportedly referred to a preacher who condemned actions taken by Hamas as a “dirty Zionist” and has also raised money for the controversial activist group CAGE which, while it does not advocate violence, has previously been criticised for promoting problematic or extreme views, which they deny.

Ms Dallali also allegedly said that the cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who has been described as an “Islamist theologian”, was the “moral compass for the Muslim community at large”. In January 2009, Mr al-Qaradawi said on Al-Jazeera TV that he would “shoot Allah’s enemies, the Jews.” In a sermon that took place in that same month, he again spoke of Jewish people and called upon God to “kill them, down to the very last one.”

In a 2010 interview on BBC Arabic, Mr Yusuf al-Qaradawi reportedly said: “Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon the [Jews] people who would punish them for their corruption. The last punishment was carried out by Hitler. By means of all the things he did to them – even though they exaggerated this issue – he managed to put them in their place. This was divine punishment for them. Allah willing, the next time will be at the hand of the believers.”

Replying to UJS’s tweet about the “bridges broken” over the past few weeks in regard to NUS’ booking of the controversial rapper Lowkey, Ms Dallali said that her hands “are outstretched to all students and staff that work in our movement, including Jewish students, and would love to arrange a meeting once I’m in office,” though in the past, she has lashed out at UJS over Twitter, accusing them of having “a history of bullying pro-Palestine sabbs [sabbatical officers] and activists.” In that same tweet, she added: “You speak one word of solidarity and they’re after you. UJS and their likes need to be called out.”

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].

, ,

Neo-Nazi gang members who shared antisemitic material convicted of terror and firearm offences

It has been reported that four members of a neo-Nazi gang who shared antisemitic material with each other via the social media platform Telegram have been convicted under anti-terrorism and firearms legislation.

Concerns have previously been raised over the alleged increase in neo-Nazi content on Telegram. Last year, the far-right group Patriotic Alternative was found to have created neo-Nazi channels dedicated to sharing vile messages, antisemitic conspiracy theories, and images glorifying Hitler.

Samuel Whibley, 29, Daniel Wright, 29, Liam Hall, 31, and Mr Hall’s girlfriend Stacey Salmon, 29, were convicted of fifteen offences, including counts relating to the encouragement of terrorism and the publication and dissemination of materials related to it, as well as firearms offences.

The jury at Sheffield Crown Court heard that all four defendants shared antisemitic videos, memes, and images, including material celebrating Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. Ms Hall confessed to finding material online in which Jews were alleged to control the media and banks, as well as to watching videos made by neo-Nazis in an attempt to see “both sides of the argument” about Hitler.

The court heard that the group communicated with each other using a public Telegram channel set up by Mr Whibley under the name Oaken Hearth. This was, jurors heard, used as “a gathering place for British white nationalists.” Mr Whibley then audited prospective members, who had to prove they were white by taking a selfie before answering questions about their involvement in neo-Nazi groups.

Mr White joined the chat using the name “Gott Mit Uns”, words found on the belts of Nazi soldiers during the Second World War.

The group also shared racist material aimed at Black people, while Mr Whibley reportedly praised Christchurch mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant, Norwegian neo-Nazi terrorist Anders Breivik, and Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.

Mr Justice Spencer will sentence all four defendants at a later date.

In October, a teenage neo-Nazi was been jailed for eleven years after using Telegram to plot terrorist acts.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has been monitoring and acting against the threat from the far-right for years and continues to support the authorities following suit.

In 2020, members of the proscribed National Action group were sentenced to prison, having engaged, amongst other activities, in far-right stickering and recruitment campaigns.

Campaign Against Antisemitism continues to monitor and report on far-right stickering campaigns, including by the far-right Hundred Handers group.

Image credit: Counter Terrorism Policing Northeast

, ,

Jewish lawyer owed £26,500 payout in religious discrimination case reportedly “desperate” after still not being paid after four months

A Manchester-based Jewish lawyer who won £26,500 in compensation on the grounds of religious discrimination has still not been paid, reportedly leading to a severe decline in his mental health.

According to court documents, NNE Law Limited, run by Ali Nazokkar, dismissed litigation executive Philip Bialick after he took a pre-arranged break for the Passover festival in April 2020.

Mr Bialick began his employment at the firm in January 2020, booking annual leave a month later in anticipation of the festival in April. In March, the UK entered its first pandemic lockdown, but the firm claimed that, “since the courts are not closed…our line of work is considered essential,” and therefore that he should attend work. Two days later, Mr Bialick fell ill and self-isolated, in accordance with NHS guidance.

His isolation period ended on 8th April, when he expected to go on leave to observe the festival. But NNE reportedly said that he should return to work on 9th April, the second day of Pesach.

Mr Bialick explained that he had booked time off for religious reasons and could not come to work but, the next day, the firm asserted that it had no alternative but to terminate his contract.

Though it is reported that Mr Bialick and Mr Nazzokar were friends of long-standing, their relationship is said to have deteriorated due to these events.

However, it is understood that Mr Bialick has still not received the financial compensation owed to him. Mr Bialick is reported to have said that his mental health has declined and that he has faced serious financial difficulties since his dismissal, though he has since been hired by a rival firm. This has been compounded by the fact that he has not yet received any of the money that he is owed.

A spokesperson for NNE Law said: “I would like to advise that the reason the judgement has not yet been satisfied is due to an application having been made for a stay of execution of the order as there are grounds for appeal which are currently being pursued.”

Speaking frankly about the state of his mental health, Mr Bialick said: “It was really bad. I had no money at all. I went pretty much off the rails. My mental health deteriorated massively. I didn’t know where to turn.

“I was really upset and angry about how they treated me. I was desperate at the time as there was no work so I applied for an employment tribunal straight away. Since then I’ve been chasing them and instructed bailiffs.”

“I have lost a lot of money. I’m getting to the point now where I’m desperate. I’m waiting for this money to come through and if it doesn’t I’m in trouble,” he said.

Image credit: Google

, , ,

Anti-vaccination protesters trivialise the Holocaust by wearing yellow stars, says Nazi-hunter Dr Efraim Zuroff

Dr Efraim Zuroff, the Chief Nazi Hunter at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, appeared on the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism where he said that he believes anti-vaccination protesters who wear yellow Stars of David are trivialising the Holocaust.

Much of the rhetoric that has emerged from anti-vaccination conspiracy theorists has compared lockdowns to the Holocaust. These crude and inflammatory comparisons have included protesters donning yellow stars bearing the word “Unvaccinated”, a comparison that has been made across the world, including in the United Kingdom, Canada, Ukraine and elsewhere.  

Such symbolism is reminiscent of the kind of insignia Jews in Germany and occupied Europe were forced to wear by the Nazis. Those wearing such items in 2021 do so in order to compare the persecution of the Jewish people with protective measures sanctioned by governments and other administrative bodies in order to deal with the pandemic. Anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination networks have become known as hotbeds of antisemitic conspiracy theories and tropes.

“It’s Holocaust trivialisation,” Dr Zuroff said. “In other words, to, in a sense, turn the Holocaust into a far more trivial event than it was in fact.”

He continued: “It’s very ironic but in a certain sense, I have to say that there’s a small silver lining here which goes to prove the success of the people who have devoted their lives to promoting Holocaust education, Holocaust research, Holocaust commemoration. In other words, the Holocaust has become the ultimate tragedy, and that’s why everyone who has a cause wants to connect that cause or to claim that it’s similar to the Holocaust…related to the Holocaust, because that’s the most effective tool.”

However, Dr Zuroff went on to lament the negative effect that wearing the yellow star has on the Holocaust. 

“It’s a horrible thing because it basically turns the Holocaust into something much, much more minor than it actually was.”

Throughout the interview, Dr Zuroff touched upon a wide variety of topics which included highlights from his storied career, the details of ongoing trials of alleged Nazi war criminals, and explained the difference between Holocaust denial and distortion.

The podcast with Dr Zuroff can be listened to here, or watched here.

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, The Sunday Telegraph columnist Zoe Strimpel and actor Eddie Marsan.

, , , ,

Glasgow museum displays works looted from Jews by the Nazis but refuses to identify which works

It has been reported that items displayed in the collection of a Glasgow museum may have been looted from their Jewish former owners by the Nazis.

The Burrell Collection, which dates back to acquisitions made by the wealthy shipowner Sir William Burrell in 1944, already knew that two works on display were stolen from their Jewish owners by the Nazis in the 1930s. Glasgow City Council even paid out a large amount of money in compensation to the works’ would-be heirs. 

However, Glasgow Museums curator Martin Bellamy has recently published a book, A Collector’s Life: William Burrell, which maintains that even more works than previously acknowledged can be proven to have belonged to Jewish owners who relinquished their treasures as part of the practice known as “forced sale”. 

This was part of the wider policy of “Aryanisation”, in which Jews in Germany and Austria were forced to register property or assets – including life insurance, stocks, furniture and works of art – valued above a certain amount. They also lost favourable financial incentives available to non-Jews, and were forced to be part of the highest tax bracket irrespective of their actual income. If they chose to leave the country, they were forced to hand over half of their assets and exchange what remained at the least favourable rate of exchange of their destination.

Glasgow Life, a charity that administers the 9,000-piece collection, has admitted that works acquired under these circumstances are on display. They do not, however, identify precisely which works were acquired in this manner.

Scottish historian Sir Tom Devine said: “As long as the provenance of these items is established by experts and curators, it should always be made public. The question the public will ask is, ‘What do they have to hide?’ I find the refusal rather curious. Curators of museums always want the truth to be out, and unvarnished at that.”

Speaking on behalf of the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, Ephraim Borowksi said: “I suggest that the point to be made is that this isn’t a question of law, but morals. Given the scale of the Holocaust, there may be no surviving family members to make a formal legal claim. It’s up to public galleries to acknowledge the dubious history of items in their collection.”

The Burrell Collection, which has recently undergone a £70 million renovation, will open to the public on 5th April.

, , ,

“I will kill you all, Hitler should come back”: Man in Stamford Hill knocks on neighbours’ door yelling abuse at 4am on Jewish Sabbath

It has been reported that a man woke up his Jewish neighbours at 4:00 by knocking on their door and yelling antisemitic abuse.

The man was said to have shouted: “I will kill you all, Hitler should come back.”

The alleged incident took place on 19th March and is understood to have occurred in the Stamford Hill area of North London on the morning of the Jewish Sabbath and lasted for approximately one hour.

It was also alleged that, yesterday, the same man told a six-year-old girl: “Get inside, I will kill you”, before threatening to burn her house down.

Both incidents were reported yesterday by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD 4735 28/03/22

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

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2020 showed that three in five British Jews believe that the authorities, in general, are not doing enough to address and punish antisemitism.

, ,

Teenagers throw stones at Jewish homes and children in Stamford Hill

It has been reported that teenagers in Stamford Hill have targeted Jewish homes.  

Stamford Hill Shomrim have reported that the vandals had thrown stones at Jewish homes and children playing in gardens from garage roofs on Knightland Road.

Anybody with information should call Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number 4608254/22.

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

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2020 showed that three in five British Jews believe that the authorities, in general, are not doing enough to address and punish antisemitism.

, ,

Reality TV star Dawn Ward cleared of antisemitism charges

Reality television star and property developer Dawn Ward has been found not guilty after she was accused of shouting antisemitic abuse at two Jewish brothers and slapping one of them in the face.

The 48-year-old Real Housewives of Cheshire star was accused of going on a “rant” at brothers Jake and Sam Jacobs at London Euston station after having “too many glasses of wine” at the Ritz hotel with her agent.

A jury heard that, on 29th October 2019, Ms Ward overheard the brothers asking aloud why their trains were delayed. She is alleged to have demanded of them: “Why do you lot always complain?”

Prosecutor George Wedge acknowledged that Ms Ward was referring to the Jacobs’ Jewish identity. Ms Ward, however, claimed that she had no idea that the Jacobs brothers or Sam Jacobs’s girlfriend Samantha Eisner, were Jewish.

Inner London Crown Court heard that the brothers chose to overlook Ms. Ward’s comments, only for her allegedly to become violent. She is alleged to have called Jake Jacobs a “fat c***” and a “Jewish p***k” and slapped him in the face. She also allegedly referred to Ms Eisner as a “little disease.”

Ms Ward has been cleared of two counts of racially and religiously aggravated harassment, causing alarm or distress.

After being cleared of two counts of causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress and one count of possessing cocaine, Ms Ward is reported to have said: “I am still prone to tears and crying as I write this post. I don’t believe I will ever truly get over this…Anybody who remotely knows me knows I stand for equality of race, religion and sexuality and I will continue to live my life to these values and raise my children to do the same.”

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

, ,

University of Bristol’s Appeal Panel upholds termination of David Miller’s employment

It has now been reported publicly that, last month, the University of Bristol’s Appeal Panel upheld the University’s decision last year to terminate the employment of David Miller, which took place one month after Campaign Against Antisemitism brought a lawsuit on behalf of current students against the institution, amidst an outcry from the Jewish community and its institutions.

Our legal case against the University concerned alleged unlawful harassment on the basis of Jewish ethnicity and Judaism, amounting to breaches of the Equality Act 2010, as well as breaches of contract. We launched proceedings in late August and the University swiftly realised that it was putting itself in legal jeopardy by sustaining Prof. Miller’s employment at the institution.

A number of brave students at the University stepped forward to act as complainants in the litigation. We also wish to thank Asserson Law Offices, led by senior partner Trevor Asserson, and barristers Derek Spitz of One Essex Court and Benjamin Gray of Littleton Chambers.

The lawsuit related to Prof. Miller’s speech on a Zoom webinar in February last year in which he said that the “Zionist Movement” is “the enemy” that must be engaged, that it is “the enemy of world peace,” and that those associated with Zionism, including Jewish students on Bristol campus, “must be directly targeted”. Taken together, the implication of Prof. Miller’s remarks is that all decent people who support “world peace” should view Bristol Jewish Society and the Union of Jewish Students, and Jewish people, including those who identify with those bodies, and the vast majority of Jewish students as an “enemy” that must be “directly targeted”.

He also said that interfaith work between Jewish and Muslim groups is “a trojan horse for normalising Zionism in the Muslim community”. He also claimed that Jewish students, by virtue of being Zionist, “encourage Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism”.

Prof. Miller has a long record of inflammatory statements about the Jewish community. 

Bristol had come under increasing pressure from the Jewish community, which was united in its disgust at Prof. Miller’s comments and the drawn-out investigation that the University was conducting with no apparent end in sight. But the University failed to act for months. Prof. Miller’s statements and the University’s failure to condemn them and take swift action against him were the subject of a great deal of attention from the Jewish community as well as hundreds of academics and Parliament, including a written question by Lord Austin and an intervention from Robert Halfon MP. Prof. Miller was also defended by an array of controversial ‘usual suspects’ whose interventions did nothing for his collapsing credibility.

We thank others in the Jewish community, MPs and academics for the pressure that they brought to bear on the University of Bristol.

The legal claim that we spearheaded contended that Prof. Miller’s statements sought to create a hostile environment for Jewish students. It further alleged that the University was liable for Prof. Miller’s conduct, and was further liable in its own right, for unlawful conduct in breach of the Equality Act, and for its breach of its contract with students.

Other than a final call for prospective claimants, we minimised the public profile of the case in order to protect the identities of the brave student claimants who not only believed that enough is enough but that, in order for things to change, they must also act on that belief. We are enormously grateful to them for their courage. Despite the lower public profile of the case, the University was in no doubt about our intentions and resolve. A month after the launch of the lawsuit, Prof. Miller was fired for gross misconduct.

In a statement exemplifying just why Prof. Miller has no place on a university campus, the Support David Miller campaign said this week: “Support David Miller – a volunteer-led anti-racism campaign, composed of academics, students and independent researchers – has repeatedly expressed concerns that the University of Bristol’s disciplinary processes have been compromised by assets of a hostile foreign state. The State of Israel and its assets in the UK seek to eliminate all critics of Zionism from UK university campuses. Zionism is the racist ideology that professes a G-d-given right of European and other Jewish colonisers to occupy and seize Palestinian land, homes and resources.  Professor Miller has been subjected to this censorship campaign because of his research showing that Zionist campaign groups have funded and promoted Islamophobia in the UK and abroad.”

Prof. Miller, who has indicated his intention to appeal the University’s latest decision to the Employment Tribunal, said: “I’ve been targeted by a pernicious witch-hunt, led by known assets of the State of Israel in the UK and funded by the dirty money of pro-Israel oligarchs. This is an attempt at entryism and political intimidation. The University of Bristol has wilted under this new wave of McCarthyism. The University treated this appeal as a mere formality, with a pre-determined outcome. I’ll be challenging the University’s perverse decision at an Employment Tribunal, to help stop our fundamental rights of free expression and academic freedom being further corroded at the behest of a hostile and illegitimate foreign regime.”

Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “This ruling is a further vindication of the courageous Jewish students on whose behalf we brought proceedings against the University of Bristol last year. Following the launch of our lawsuit and an outcry from across the Jewish community, it was clear to the University that it would be held to account in court and had to act to protect Jewish students in accordance with the law, and David Miller was fired within a month. Universities across the country should be warned that we will do whatever it takes to defend Jewish students from racists on campus by upholding their rights in court where necessary.”

The case was the latest step by Campaign Against Antisemitism to defend the rights of individual Jewish students. We believe that universities and students’ unions must be robustly held to account when they fail to defend Jewish students or when they allow their lecturers to discriminate against or harass 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]. 

, ,

Labour’s NEC proscribes Labour Left Alliance, reportedly due to its stance on antisemitism

The Labour Party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) has proscribed the Labour Left Alliance, reportedly due to the faction’s stance on antisemitism.

Labour Left Alliance is a member-based group with close links to Labour Against the Witchhunt and Labour In Exile Network, which were among four groups banned by the NEC last July. Labour Against the Witchhunt has since disbanded, with its members focusing their energies on other groups instead.

Twenty members of the NEC voted in favour of the proscription of Labour Left Alliance at yesterday’s full meeting, while eleven voted against.

The ban on another group, Alliance for Workers’ Liberty, was divided on the same lines, while the vote to ban Socialist Labour Network was split nineteen to eleven. The latter two groups are not believed to have been proscribed in connection with antisemitism.

A spokesperson for the Labour Party said: “The NEC has decided that these organisations are not compatible with Labour’s rules, or our aims and values.”

The Labour MP and Corbyn ally, Clive Lewis, tweeted: “Proscription lists; mass expulsions; the centralisation of power. It’s naive to think the ‘crisis of democracy’ and the slide to authoritarianism afflicting western polities won’t affect our own political institutions.”

However, the NEC declared that there are no plans to proscribe another controversial pro-Corbyn group, Momentum. It is reported that NEC papers read: “Custom and practice also establishes that the definition of a ‘political organisation’ does not include organisations that are compatible with the aims and values of the Labour Party…This includes networks of members, such as Sikhs for Labour or the Labour Muslim Network; single issue campaigns, such as Labour for a Green New Deal; and ginger groups, such as Labour First, Momentum, and Progress.”

A meeting earlier this month of Labour Left Alliance featured questions from Tony Greenstein and Gerry Downing, both of whom have been expelled from the Labour Party. Mr Downing was a founder of Labour Against the Witchhunt, and at this meeting he referenced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Jewish identity and declared his support for Russia in its invasion of its neighbour. Tina Werkmann, who was chairing the meeting, then said about Mr Downing’s comments: “About Zelenskyy being Jewish I think this is a very dodgy territory to go down it’s not his Jewishness that is the problem it’s that he’s a Zionist and he works with fascists. Zionism and fascists they can work very well together and they have done in the past and they go hand in hand in Britain as well. So that’s not an issue. But I don’t think we need to peddle antisemitism crap here in this section.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism: “We commend the NEC for banning Labour Left Alliance, which is another important step in the fight against antisemitism and antisemitism-denial in the Labour Party. It is regrettable that Momentum has been given a new lease on life, however, which risks the Party looking like it only goes after low hanging fruit. We have always been clear that this process would take years, and yesterday’s NEC vote shows that progress is being made, but slowly.”

The Labour Party was found by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to have engaged in unlawful discrimination and harassment of Jews. The report followed the EHRC’s investigation of the Labour Party in which Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant, submitting hundreds of pages of evidence and legal argument. Sir Keir Starmer called the publication of the report a “day of shame” for the Labour Party.

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

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.

Image credit: Harry’s Place

, , ,

NUS elects President who tweeted antisemitic chant and said that Jeremy Corbyn should never have been suspended from Labour Party

A student politician who was forced to apologise for tweeting an Islamist chant threatening Jews has been elected President of the National Union of Students (NUS).

Last week, it was revealed that the then-hopeful NUS candidate Shaima Dallali was forced to apologise for tweeting the words of an antisemitic chant. In 2012, during an escalation of tensions between Israel and the antisemitic genocidal terrorist group Hamas, Ms Dallali tweeted the words “Khaybar Khaybar, ya yahud, Jaish Muhammad, sa yahud.”

Translated into English, this chant means “Jews, remember the battle of Khaybar, the army of Muhammad is returning.” It 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.

Ms Dallali issued a statement on 23rd March, saying: “Earlier today I was made aware of a tweet I posted ten years ago. During Israel’s assault on Gaza I referenced the battle of Khaybar in which Jewish and Muslim armies fought. I was wrong to see the Palestine conflict as one between Muslims and Jews. The reference made as a teenager was unacceptable and I sincerely and unreservedly apologise.”

Ms Dallali is currently the President of the City, University of London students’ union. Last year, prior to Ms Dallali’s tenure as President, the union organised a controversial campus-wide referendum on the International Definition of Antisemitism after reportedly failing to consult Jewish students.

It has now come to light that Ms Dallali’s output on Twitter also included other inflammatory messages, including one last May allegedly saying that “organisations like UJS [the Union of Jewish Students] have a history of bullying pro-Palestine sabbs [sabbatical officers] and activists. You speak one word of solidarity and they’re after you. UJS and their likes need to be called out.”

Another alleged tweet from 2018 read: “So your special forces invade the Gaza Strip, attempt to kidnap a Hamas commander, kill him and others. Then cry about Hamas being the terrorists. Makes perfect sense. #GazaUnderAttack.” Hamas is an antisemitic genocidal terrorist organisation that is proscribed in the UK.

Other alleged tweets expressed support for Jeremy Corbyn, the antisemitic former leader of the Labour Party. On 17th November 2020, Ms Dalalli wrote a response to Mr Corbyn’s readmission to the Labour Party, saying that “He should never have been suspended in the first place.” A few months later, on 5th January 2021, Ms Hallami tweeted that “Jeremy Corbyn was too good for this godforsaken country.” At present, these tweets have not yet been deleted, though it has been reported that several others have.

Last week, the Chair of the Education Select Committee, Robert Halfon MP, excoriated NUS for failing to send a representative to attend his recent hearing, particularly given that the hearing took place just days after a scandal involving the rapper Kareem Dennis, known as Lowkey, who was due to headline the union’s centenary conference. After initially dismissing the concerns of Jewish students, who pointed out the rapper’s inflammatory record, the union came under media scrutiny and eventually Mr Dennis withdraw from the event.

In an attempt at an apology, NUS grotesquely alleged that “Whilst we welcome genuine political debate, we’ve been sad to see the use of harassment and misinformation against Lowkey.” Swiping at Mr Halfon, NUS has asserted that “MPs and education leaders are accountable to us not the other way round,” declared that “Old school bullying culture is never acceptable including at Government committees [sic],” and that “Elected student leaders aren’t required to take endless levels of abuse in their roles.”

Concerns were also raised about the outgoing President of NUS and one of her Vice Presidents.

NUS’s handling of Jewish concerns over the booking of Lowkey was discussed on the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism.

Binyomin Gilbert, Programme Manager at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Shaima Dallali’s election as NUS President only a week after the Lowkey scandal is just the latest indication that this union does not even aspire to represent Jewish students. She has not even taken office and has already had to apologise for one historic antisemitic tweet while rapidly deleting many other inflammatory social media posts. If she wishes to show that she personally has learned a lesson and seeks to lead a truly inclusive union, she should commit to meeting with Jewish students and educate herself on their concerns and also announce that NUS under her leadership will recommit to the International Definition of Antisemitism. If she cannot bring herself to do that in short order, the Government should end its enormous grant to NUS.”

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].

, ,

CAA appeals to Attorney General as Nicholas Nelson handed absurdly lenient sentence following antisemitic harassment

The defendant in a criminal case that resulted from first-of-its-kind litigation by Campaign Against Antisemitism has been handed an absurdly lenient sentence today at Southwark Crown Court which we are appealing to the Attorney General’s Office, which has the power to refer sentences for certain offences, which she believes to be unduly lenient, to the Court of Appeal.

The eighteen-month sentence, suspended for two years, was the culmination of first-of-its-kind litigation by Campaign Against Antisemitism to unmask an anonymous antisemitic online troll.

When the defendant was unmasked as a result of our litigation, we realised that he was a repeat offender with a long history of obsessive antisemitic harassment. He had committed the offences, for which he was today sentenced, whilst apparently already subject to a suspended sentence for other antisemitic offences. This would appear to demonstrate his contempt for the supposedly deterrent suspended sentences that he had already been handed.

Nonetheless, instead of going directly to prison, the defendant, Nicholas Nelson, 32, was instead ordered to undertake just 30 days of rehabilitation activity and 220 hours of unpaid community service. He must also pay a modest victim surcharge and is subject to a restraining order.

Handing down the suspended sentence, referring to Mr Nelson’s “horrible tirades”, Judge Charles Gratwicke said that the defendant was “not the person you were two or three years ago.” However, he accepted that “Nobody sitting here in this courtroom who has read the newspaper can feel anything but revulsion, sickness and downright anger at the type of hate that you engaged in.”

Mr Nelson had pleaded guilty at Peterborough Crown Court in January to racially aggravated harassment under section 31(1)(b) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and with sending an electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety under 1(1)(a) of the Malicious Communications Act 1988, after he repeatedly sent abusive antisemitic e-mails and messages to Oscar-nominated Jewish writer Lee Kern and hateful messages to communications strategist Joanne Bell, and harassing a staff member at the Board of Deputies, a Jewish charity, over the telephone.

Mr Kern contacted Campaign Against Antisemitism, which funded a case on his behalf led by Mark Lewis, the esteemed lawyer who is also an Honorary Patron of Campaign Against Antisemitism.

The abusive communications came from accounts that Mr Nelson had worked hard to make anonymous. Victims of abuse from anonymous accounts usually have nowhere to go, because only rarely will the police track down the sender, and the cost of private action is usually beyond victims’ means.

However, a new legal initiative devised by Campaign Against Antisemitism together with counsel breaks through that barrier. It has enabled us to identify the anonymous troll by obtaining a special kind of court order which has its origins in the pharmaceutical industry and has never before been used to unmask an anonymous abuser sending antisemitic messages. The court order requires an internet service provider to disclose details of the owner of an online account so that legal proceedings can be issued.

We used this legal device to identify Mr Nelson and criminal proceedings were commenced, leading to him pleading guilty. Mr Nelson had called for another Holocaust, called Mr Kern Shylock, spoke of Jews being used for gun practice, called Jewish women whores, shared obscene sexual fantasies involving Hitler, and glorified the proscribed genocidal antisemitic terror group, Hamas.

Mr Nelson, who lives in Cambridgeshire and was a vigorous supporter of Jeremy Corbyn, also previously sent abusive messages to two Jewish women Labour MPs, branding one a “vile useless c***” and the other a “traitor” who should “end yourself”. At the end of 2018 he pleaded guilty to the same charge and was given a twenty-week suspended sentence for twelve months and ordered to complete 160 hours unpaid work. In 2020, he pleaded guilty to three charges of sending communications of an offensive nature to two other Labour MPs, one of whom is Jewish and the other is an active campaigner against antisemitism. In addition to the charges that Mr Nelson pleaded guilty to today in relation to Mr Kern and Ms Bell, Mr Nelson also pleaded guilty to harassing a member of staff at the Board of Deputies over the telephone.

Mr Kern said: “I have noted the immediacy with which custodial sentences have been handed out for first time offenders who have engaged in other forms of racism. Yet here we have a repeat offender who has embarked upon an unparalleled campaign of hatred against Jews and has been spared prison again and again. Why are antisemitic hate crimes not deemed as criminal as those of other forms of racism? What exactly does it take for a person found guilty of repeated racially motivated crimes against Jews to actually go to prison? This is a disgrace and an embarrassment and sends a clear signal to Britain’s Jews that when it comes to receiving justice, they don’t count.”

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Today’s sentence is deeply disappointing. Nicholas Nelson has, for years, obsessively harassed Jews and sent them violent and obscene messages day after day. Instead of sending him to prison where he belongs, Judge Gratwicke has spared a man who deserves no leniency. We are now referring this absurd sentence to the Attorney General’s Office.

“Though the sentence has been regrettable, the fact that Mr Nelson was convicted proves the efficacy of our new legal device to unmask internet trolls who hide behind anonymous e-mail addresses in order to abuse Jewish victims. This game-changing approach is the most significant development in the legal fight against online hate in years. We have been grateful for the cooperation of the police and prosecutors. We will continue to devise innovative legal mechanisms to protect the Jewish community and deliver justice to victims of antisemitism, including in ways previously thought impossible.”

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

Image credit: JC

, ,

NUS under fire on several fronts after failing to attend Education Committee hearing in wake of Lowkey scandal

After a representative from the National Union of Students (NUS) failed to attend a hearing of the House of Commons Education Select Committee, the controversial union is coming under fire on several fronts.

The Chair of the Committee, Robert Halfon MP, excoriated NUS for failing to send a representative to attend his hearing on Tuesday, particularly given that the hearing took place just days after a scandal involving the rapper Kareem Dennis, known as Lowkey, who was due to headline the union’s centenary conference. After initially dismissing the concerns of Jewish students, who pointed out the rapper’s inflammatory record, the union came under media scrutiny and eventually Mr Dennis withdraw from the event.

In an attempt at an apology, NUS grotesquely alleged that, “Whilst we welcome genuine political debate, we’ve been sad to see the use of harassment and misinformation against Lowkey.” Swiping at Mr Halfon, NUS has asserted that “MPs and education leaders are accountable to us not the other way round,” declared that “Old school bullying culture is never acceptable including at Government committees [sic],” and that “Elected student leaders aren’t required to take endless levels of abuse in their roles.”

Mr Halfon has expressed his deep dissatisfaction with NUS’s handling of this crisis and its record.

However, fresh revelations about NUS are prompting yet more concern.

An investigation by the Jewish News has concluded that “NUS leaders have quietly dropped a commitment to the International Definition of Antisemitism.” The investigation noted that the outgoing NUS President, Larissa Kennedy, ‘liked’ a tweet celebrating the passage of a resolution calling on Queen Mary University of London and its students’ union to adopt the Jerusalem Declaration, which is a wrecking document intended to undermine the globally-recognised Definition. It also observed that references to the Definition on the NUS website have all but disappeared, despite a statement by the union in 2020 declaring that “NUS is in full support of all efforts to tackle antisemitism and has adopted the [International] Definition of Antisemitism.”

The newspaper also claimed that Sara Khan, an ally of Ms Kennedy’s who was promoted to the new Vice-President Liberation and Equality position, allegedly posted on Twitter: “Is it kind of… antisemitic to homogenise all Jews into an ‘ethnoreligion’? like, both erasing Palestinian Jews, & letting white supremacist/settler Jews off the hook?” In a further post, she allegedly said that she “did some learning” and had concluded that “Judaism as an ethnoreligion refers to the shared heritage of all Jews as identity is passed down through maternal lineage but this is not the same as being a single ethnic group.” She then reportedly wondered: “Imagine thinking the billions of Muslims whether South Asian or Arabic or Eastern European were the same ethnic group. I can’t.” According to the report, Ms Khan also regularly spells “Israel” as “Isra*l”.

Ms Kennedy and Ms Khan allegedly also “played a leading role” in “facilitating” a launch event for last year’s online NUS Decolonialise Education campaign at which Mr Dennis delivered the keynote speech. The report points out numerous inflammatory aspects of this campaign.

Approached by the Jewish News for comment on the allegations in its report and for clarification on whether NUS was still committed to the International Definition of Antisemitism, a spokesperson for the union reportedly said: “Thanks for e-mailing. We won’t be commenting on this.”

Meanwhile, an NUS presidential candidate favoured to win the election to replace Ms Kennedy has been forced to apologise for tweeting the words of an antisemitic chant. Shaima Dallali tweeted the words ““Khaybar Khaybar, ya yahud, Jaish Muhammad, sa yahud” in 2012.

The “Khaybar Khaybar, ya yahud, Jaish Muhammad, sa yahud” chant, translated in English as “Jews, remember the battle of Khaybar, the army of Muhammad is returning”, 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.

Ms Dallali, who is the President of the City University London students’ union, issued a statement yesterday, saying: “Earlier today I was made aware of a tweet I posted ten years ago. During Israel’s assault on Gaza I referenced the battle of Khaybar in which Jewish and Muslim armies fought. I was wrong to see the Palestine conflict as one between Muslims and Jews. The reference made as a teenager was unacceptable and I sincerely and unreservedly apologise.”

Last year, prior to Ms Dallali’s enture as President, City University students’ union organised a controversial campus-wide referendum on the International Definition of Antisemitism after reportedly failing to consult Jewish students.

These NUS scandals come after Campaign Against Antisemitism published polling earlier this month in its latest Antisemitism Barometer showing that a staggering 92% of British Jews believe that antisemitism in universities is a problem.

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].

, ,

Boris Johnson calls for “irreversible change” after branding British universities too “tolerant of casual or indeed systematic antisemitism”

The Prime Minister has called for “irreversible change” after branding British universities too “tolerant of casual or indeed systematic antisemitism”.

Boris Johnson was responding to a question by Andrew Percy MP in the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions.

Mr Percy, who is the co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Antisemitism, said: “Sadly, in my role as chair of the all-party group against antisemitism, the news is not so positive. We have recently heard from Jewish students who are suffering record antisemitic attacks on university campuses, including allegations of their work being marked down by their own professors. This is completely outrageous, and one would expect the National Union of Students to be on their side, but instead of helping the students it has been inviting somebody who is engaged in antisemitic conspiracy theories—a rapper—to a conference. Will the Prime Minister do everything in his power to ensure that campuses are a safe place for British Jewish students?”

Mr Johnson responded: “Our universities have, for far too long, been tolerant of casual or indeed systematic antisemitism. I hope that everybody understands the need for change—for rapid and irreversible change—but it is also important that we have an antisemitism taskforce devoted to rooting out antisemitism in education at all levels.”

We commend Mr Percy for drawing attention to this issue, and the Prime Minister for his commitment to tackling the problem.

The exchange comes shortly after Campaign Against Antisemitism published polling in its latest Antisemitism Barometer showing that a staggering 92% of British Jews believe that antisemitism in universities is a problem.

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].

, ,

Controversial councillor who joked about “Jew process” and was expelled from Labour Party now joins Greens

A controversial councillor infamous for joking about “Jew process” and who was expelled from the Labour Party has now been welcomed to the Green Party.

Jo Bird, who re-joined the Labour Party in 2015 when Jeremy Corbyn was running for the Party’s leadership, has a long history of controversy relating to Jews, including renaming ‘due process’ in the Labour Party as “Jew process”, for which she was suspended; supporting the expelled Labour activist Marc Wadsworth, who was thrown out of the Party after a confrontation with Jewish then-MP Ruth Smeeth; and worrying about the “privileging of racism against Jews, over and above — as more worthy of resources than other forms of racism.”

Elected to Wirral Council in August 2018, Cllr Bird is a member of Jewish Voice for Labour, the antisemitism-denial group and sham Jewish representative organisation, and she has described Labour’s institutional antisemitism as based on mere “accusations, witch-huntery and allegations without evidence”.

Cllr Bird appears to have been expelled from the Labour Party for her association with the proscribed antisemitism-denial group, Labour Against the Witchhunt. Cllr Bird said on Facebook: “I’m delighted to say that the Labour Party have expelled me today. They say its [sic] for speaking at a meeting (more than three years ago) and signing a petition (early 2020) – organised by Labour Against the Witchthunt, which they banned only four months ago. I’m not free from the Labour Party’s hostile environment, where Jewish people like me are 31 times more likely to be investigated for talking about the racism we face.” She concluded by stating that “this racist Labour party is so different to the Party I joined in 2015. The Labour Party is dying as a vehicle for social justice.”

Cllr Pat Cleary, who leads the now six-strong contingent of Green councillors on Wirral Council, said in a statement this week that “hardworking people like Jo are very welcome in the Green Party.”

The move comes just after Campaign Against Antisemitism published new polling that shows that a majority of British Jews believe that the Green Party is too tolerant of antisemitism, making it only the second party, after Labour, to cross that threshold.

Recently, the controversial former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, was denied membership of the Green Party, while inflammatory former Deputy Leader, Shahrar Ali, was dropped as the Party’s Spokesperson for Policing and Domestic Safety, but not over allegations of antisemitism, which have dogged him in the past.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has extensively documented alleged antisemitism among officers of the Green Party of England and Wales, including the Party’s former Equalities and Diversity Coordinator who now holds the International Coordinator portfolio, on which the Green Party has failed to act.

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.

, ,

“These days, any criticism of Israel is deemed ‘antisemitic’,” says inflammatory columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown in her latest use of Livingstone Formulation

The controversial columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, has deployed the Livingstone Formulation yet again, asserting that “These days, any criticism of Israel is deemed ‘antisemitic’.”

Ms Brown made the claim in a column this week for the i newspaper on Israel’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The “Livingstone Formulation”, named by sociologist David Hirsch after the controversial former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, is used to describe how allegations of antisemitism are dismissed as malevolent and baseless attempts to silence criticism of Israel. In its report on antisemitism in the Labour Party, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found that suggestions of this nature were part of the unlawful victimisation of Jewish people in the Party.

Late last year, Ms Brown made a similar claim, arguing in an article that “any criticism of the state [of Israel] is deemed antisemitic by apologists and diehard allies, and suggesting that this is motivating a “purge” of Labour Party members. In the article titled “The UN is warning of spiralling violence, yet the West has forgotten the Palestinians” for the i newspaper, Ms Alibhai-Brown also wrote that “a report from Jewish Voice for Labour accused Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party of purging Jewish members who call Israel to account.”

That was not Ms Alibhai-Brown’s first offence of this nature either. The year before, she replied to journalist Stephen Bush’s reaction to being appointed to lead a Jewish charity’s review of racial inclusivity in the Jewish community by tweeting: “maybe ask them about the Palestinians.” The review was concerned with British Jews and was unrelated to Israel, a distinction that Ms Alibhai-Brown is apparently incapable of apprehending.

Previously Ms Alibhai-Brown also expressed her opposition to the Labour Party’s adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism, describing the fringe minority of Jewish individuals who agreed with her as “good Jews”.

Newspapers and television broadcasters who host Ms Alibhai-Brown must think again before giving a platform to someone who takes such positions.

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

Campaign Against Antisemitism monitors traditional media and regularly holds outlets to account. If members of the public are concerned about reportage in the media, they should contact us at [email protected].

, ,

Broadcaster Angela Epstein reveals her son was rounded upon for wearing skullcap

The journalist and broadcaster Angela Epstein appeared on the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism where she revealed that her son was nearly assaulted by three men after they had seen him wearing his skullcap, or kippah.

When Ms Epstein was asked by our host whether she was surprised that polling by Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that a shocking 46% of British Jews said that they do not display visible signs of their Judaism due to antisemitism, she replied that she was not.

“Antisemitism is the oldest hatred documented in terms of people’s disregard, hatred, dislike for cultures that they feel are alien to them,” Ms Epstein said. “I completely understand why in certain circumstances, loathe as we are to admit it considering our history, that people would want to not display their Jewish credentials.”

Ms Epstein went on to reveal that the issue of Jewish visibility was a personal one to her after her son was nearly attacked. 

“One of my kids was rounded upon by three Arab-speaking men when he was travelling recently in Europe. They were staying in the same place…the night before they had seen him and he wasn’t wearing his kippah and they were perfectly friendly. And the next day, when they saw him and he was, they rounded upon him,” Ms Epstein said.

She added: “Fortunately, the German police were very good and they have since been arrested.”

Ms Epstein stated that the incident was an example of what happens “when you display your Judaism in certain situations,” adding: “There are lots of people who are amenable and reasonable but equally, it’s an age-old hatred and we still haven’t found out why they don’t like us.”

Throughout the interview, Ms Epstein touched upon a wide variety of topics, including her Jewish Ukrainian heritage, how her last name can sometimes conjure unwanted connotations, and what it means to be a Jewish mother.

The podcast with Ms Epstein can be listened to here, or watched here.

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, The Sunday Telegraph columnist Zoe Strimpel and actor Eddie Marsan.

, ,

Swastikas daubed on Peterborough building three months after similar incident

Reports have surfaced that swastikas have been spray-painted on a building in Peterborough.

A Twitter user posted photographs of the graffiti on the social media platform, adding that he tried to report the incident to the police but was not able to because the wall was not his property. 

Mr Griffiths speculated that the property may belong to Cross Keys Homes, Peterborough’s largest provider of independent living accommodation tailored to the needs of elderly and vulnerable residents.

In an exchange over Twitter with Cambridgeshire Police, Mr Griffiths was informed that the crime can be reported online, only for him to reportedly find the link broken and himself unable to report damage done to a property that did not belong to him.

This is not the first such incident to be reported in recent months in the area. In December, we reported that local residents had conveyed their outrage after swastika graffiti was found on walls in a nearby shopping centre.

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

, ,

Jewish people in Edgware reportedly pelted with eggs

Jewish people in Edgware have reportedly been pelted with eggs in public over the last two weekends.

According to the Community Security Trust, there have been several reports of such incidents.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has previously reported on occupants of a car hurling eggs at recognisably-Jewish Edgware residents, and the words “Hail Hitler, f*** Jews” scrawled on the wheelie bin of an Edgware workplace owned by a Jewish businessman.

CST has asked for witnesses and victims to come forward. Anybody who has any information that might help the investigation is asked to report to the police on 101 and CST on 0800 032 3263.

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

, , ,

Police investigate football fans’ “f****** Jew” chant on train

West Midlands Police are reportedly looking into a video that appears to show football fans singing a song targeting Jewish people on a Birmingham train.

The video, uploaded to Twitter by Tottenham Hotspur fan @N17_SAUL, appears to show Arsenal supporters singing on their way to a fixture with Aston Villa on Saturday 19th March.

The song, which refers to the Jewish religious practice of circumcision in the context of Arsenal’s rivalry with Tottenham, ends with the words “f****** Jew.”

One fan is then reported as saying “Love that one,” amid the laughter of other members of the group.

A spokesman from Tottenham Hotspur is reported to have said: “Antisemitism in any form is wholly unacceptable and we support all efforts to kick it out of the game. We hope that those individuals conducting this vile chant are identified and dealt with in the strongest way possible.”

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

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2020 showed that three in five British Jews believe that the authorities, in general, are not doing enough to address and punish antisemitism.

, ,

Success for Jewish students after Lowkey removed from NUS conference programme following outrage from CAA and other Jewish groups

Following the revelation by LBC’s Theo Usherwood that the rapper Kareem Dennis, known as Lowkey, would be headlining the National Union of Students’ (NUS) centenary conference, Campaign Against Antisemitism and other Jewish groups expressed outrage that a union meant to represent all students, including Jews, would consider the inflammatory activist to be a suitable keynote speaker. NUS has now reportedly confirmed that Mr Dennis will not be appearing at the conference.

Mr Dennis is a patron of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). A month-long investigation by Campaign Against Antisemitism in 2017 exposed extensive antisemitic bigotry amongst PSC supporters on social media. Mr Dennis has previously described Israel as a “racist endeavour” in direct and deliberate contravention of the International Definition of Antisemitism, described Zionism as “antisemitic”, spoken of the “Zionist lobby” in the context of global capitalism, has reportedly backed the disgraced former Labour MP Chris Williamson, defended the disgraced academic David Miller, and has repeatedly supported the antisemite Jeremy Corbyn.

More recently, Mr Dennis has reportedly claimed that the “mainstream media” has “weaponised the Jewish heritage” of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “stave off” inquiries about far-right groups in Ukraine. He has also appeared on the disgraced former MP Chris Williamson’s show on Press TV, an Iranian state-owned news network whose British broadcasting licence was revoked by Ofcom in 2012. Mr Dennis has appeared alongside the disgraced academic David Miller.

When Jewish students raised concerns about the choice of act for the union’s conference, NUS reportedly advised them that they could use an “existing safe space” which was to be “designated for students who are sensitive to loud noise” during Mr Dennis’ performance. In response to worries about how Jewish students would react if the performance went ahead, NUS reportedly replied that it was more concerned about the reaction from other students if it were cancelled.

However, after pressure, NUS insisted that Mr Dennis would only be headlining the “Liberation Conference”, due to run for two days immediately following the National Conference and intended to “bring together Black*, Disabled, LGBT+, Trans and Women Students together to build communities of activists and plan our campaigning work.” After further pressure, NUS has reportedly removed Ms Dennis from the programme completely.

The controversial Labour Party MP, Zarah Sultana, will still be appearing at NUS’s National Conference. Labour has yet to investigate an outstanding complaint against Ms Sultana by Campaign Against Antisemitism.

When Mr Dennis’ appearance was first publicised, Binyomin Gilbert, Programme Manager at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “NUS knows exactly what it is doing by headlining Lowkey. He has previously described Israel as a ‘racist endeavour’ in direct and deliberate contravention of the International Definition of Antisemitism, described Zionism as ‘antisemitic’, spoken of the ‘Zionist lobby’ in the context of global capitalism, reportedly backed the disgraced former Labour MP Chris Williamson and has repeatedly supported the antisemite Jeremy Corbyn as well as Jew-baiting conspiracists including David Miller.

“Headlining such a person is bad enough, but telling appalled Jews to go and stand in the corner whilst everyone else dances is segregationist and disgusting. Instead of showing solidarity with Jews, NUS is literally casting Jews aside. This is sickening hypocrisy from a union that proclaims itself to be ‘anti-racist’.”

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]. 

, ,

CAA outraged after NUS suggests Jewish students who feel excluded by rapper Lowkey headlining centenary conference should literally segregate themselves

Campaign Against Antisemitism has expressed outrage after it was reported that the National Union of Students (NUS) responded to Jewish complaints about an inflammatory rapper headlining the union’s centenary conference by suggesting that the Jewish students literally segregate themselves.

Jewish students reportedly expressed concern after learning that the rapper Kareem Dennis, known as Lowkey, would be headlining a conference of a union ostensibly meant to represent them.

Mr Dennis is a patron of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). A month-long investigation by Campaign Against Antisemitism in 2017 exposed extensive antisemitic bigotry amongst PSC supporters on social media. Mr Dennis has previously described Israel as a “racist endeavour” in direct and deliberate contravention of the International Definition of Antisemitism, described Zionism as “antisemitic”, spoken of the “Zionist lobby” in the context of global capitalism, has reportedly backed the disgraced former Labour MP Chris Williamson, defended the disgraced academic David Miller, and has repeatedly supported the antisemite Jeremy Corbyn.

More recently, Mr Dennis has reportedly claimed that the “mainstream media” has “weaponised the Jewish heritage” of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “stave off” inquiries about far-right groups in Ukraine. He has also appeared on the disgraced former MP Chris Williamson’s show on Press TV, an Iranian state-owned news network whose British broadcasting licence was revoked by Ofcom in 2012. The disgraced academic David Miller has appeared alongside Mr Dennis.

When Jewish students raised concerns about the choice of act for the union’s conference, NUS reportedly advised them that they could use an “existing safe space” which was to be “designated for students who are sensitive to loud noise” during Mr Dennis’ performance. In response to worries about how Jewish students would react if the performance went ahead, NUS reportedly replied that it was more concerned about the reaction from other students if it were cancelled.

The controversial Labour Party MP, Zarah Sultana, will also be appearing at the event, it has been reported. Labour has yet to investigate an outstanding complaint against Ms Sultana by Campaign Against Antisemitism.

 Binyomin Gilbert, Programme Manager at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “NUS knows exactly what it is doing by headlining Lowkey. He has previously described Israel as a ‘racist endeavour’ in direct and deliberate contravention of the International Definition of Antisemitism, described Zionism as ‘antisemitic’, spoken of the ‘Zionist lobby’ in the context of global capitalism, reportedly backed the disgraced former Labour MP Chris Williamson and has repeatedly supported the antisemite Jeremy Corbyn as well as Jew-baiting conspiracists including David Miller.

“Headlining such a person is bad enough, but telling appalled Jews to go and stand in the corner whilst everyone else dances is segregationist and disgusting. Instead of showing solidarity with Jews, NUS is literally casting Jews aside. This is sickening hypocrisy from a union that proclaims itself to be ‘anti-racist’.”

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]. 

, ,

Reality TV star Dawn Ward allegedly calls Jewish brothers a “f***ing disease,” court hears

Reality television star and property developer Dawn Ward is alleged to have shouted antisemitic abuse at two Jewish brothers and slapped one of them in the face, a court has heard.

The 48-year-old Real Housewives of Cheshire star is accused of being under the influence of alcohol when she went on a “rant” at brothers Jake and Sam Jacobs at London Euston station.

Jurors heard that, on 29th October 2019, Ms Ward overheard the brothers asking aloud why their trains were delayed. She is alleged to have demanded of them: “Why do you lot always complain?”

Prosecutor George Wedge acknowledged that Ms Ward was referring to the Jacobs’ Jewish identity.

Inner London Crown Court heard that the brothers chose to overlook Ms. Ward’s comments, only for her allegedly to become violent. She is alleged to have called Jake Jacobs a “fat c***” and a “Jewish p***k” and slapped him in the face. She also allegedly said to them: “Shut up, you f***ing disease.”

The brothers then informed the police and Ms Ward was arrested before authorities allegedly discovered cocaine on her person.

Ms Ward has denied aggravated intentional harassment and possession of the illegal drug.

Jake Jacobs is reported to have said: “For a long time, it made me really sad, because what my parents and grandparents have gone though it’s brought it all back. I couldn’t believe in this current climate; I was naive to think it doesn’t happen. But when it happens to you it really affected me for a long period of time.”

The trial continues.

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

, ,

University of Reading adopts the International Definition of Antisemitism

The University of Reading has reportedly adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Late last year, a spokesperson, when asked why the University had not yet adopted the Definition, said that the University “takes an active and vocal lead in countering racism and discrimination,” and that a working group considering the findings of a race equality review conducted in May was due to report at the end of 2021.

The adoption comes as Campaign Against Antisemitism publishes polling in its latest Antisemitism Barometer showing that a staggering 92% of British Jews believe that antisemitism in universities is a problem.

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].

, , ,

“He said the Holocaust is a hoax on live TV…it destroyed my heart”: Rabbi of Indonesia’s only synagogue on bringing Holocaust education to his country

Rabbi Yaakov Baruch, the rabbi of Indonesia’s only synagogue, Shaar HaShamayim, appeared on the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism to discuss why he feels compelled to create education on the Holocaust for his country.

Rabbi Baruch discussed how, in partnership with Israel’s Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center, he created Indonesia’s first ever Holocaust exhibition. His motivation behind the creation partly stemmed from his desire to commemorate his own relatives who were killed during the Holocaust, stating that his grandmother lost 40 relatives. Rabbi Baruch also wants to educate Indonesians about the Holocaust, which he believes is desperately needed. 

Rabbi Baruch said that he believes that many Indonesians are still either ignorant of the atrocities of the Holocaust or think that it may have not occurred at all, with some even posting swastikas and images of Adolf Hitler to their social media accounts. He revealed that many visitors to his Holocaust exhibition thanked him for his work, saying that they never imagined that such events could have taken place. Rabbi Baruch said: “Many Indonesians don’t know about [the Holocaust], and [those] who know the Holocaust know mostly from Holocaust denial groups.”

Rabbi Baruch told our host that during a televised appearance in Indonesia, he was confronted by a Holocaust denier. “When I was on local TV talking about the Holocaust museum…he said that the Holocaust is a hoax on live TV. It so destroyed my heart. But what I can do is, I can tell him that this is not a hoax, that’s why I’m doing this.”

Despite this, however, Rabbi Baruch is pleased that the exhibition has largely received positive feedback from locals of all backgrounds, including the local government, though some Muslim groups had criticised it and accused Rabbi Baruch’s exhibition of attempting to normalise relations with Israel. However, this has not deterred him.

“I tell them what we do is nothing to do with the conflict in the Middle East…the Holocaust happened before the State of Israel, before the [creation] of Indonesia, even. I just want to share the history,” he says.

The podcast with Rabbi Baruch can be listened to here, or watched here.

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, The Sunday Telegraph columnist Zoe Strimpel and actor Eddie Marsan.

, , ,

Ofcom sanctions Rinse FM for airing Jay Electronica song containing “antisemitic hate speech”

UK media regulator Ofcom has sanctioned London-based radio station Rinse FM after they aired a song that was deemed to have contained “antisemitic hate speech.”

On 12th July 2020, Rinse FM’s presenter introduced the song “Better in Tune with the Infinite” by Jay Electronica as “one of my absolute favourites”. A complaint was then made over the following lyrics: “The synagogues of Satan might accuse or jail me. Strip, crown, nail me, brimstone hail me…To the lawyers, to the sheriffs, to the judges. To the debt holders and the law makers. [Bleeped] you, sue me, bill me.”

In their report, published on 19th July 2021, Ofcom stated that it referred to the International Definition of Antisemitism in making their assessment, citing the following paragraph: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

The regulator deemed the lyrics to have negative connotations containing antisemitic tropes, stating: “In our view, the UK listeners would be likely to understand the phrase ‘synagogues of Satan’ to be a reference to the Jewish place of worship, and that it makes an explicit association between Jewish place of worship and Satan. We considered that UK listeners would have understood this association to suggest that Jewish people are evil or worship the Devil, which is a well-established antisemitic trope.

“Immediately following the reference to the ‘synagogues of Satan’ were the lyrics ‘Strip, crown, nail me, brimstone hail me’ which we considered to be a reference to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In our view, the juxtaposition of the lyrics may have evoked for UK listeners the antisemitic allegation that Jewish people are collectively responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

“These words were later followed by the lyrics ‘To the lawyers, to the sheriffs, to the judges. To the debt holders and the law makers’, whom the artist addresses with ‘[Bleep] you, sue me, bill me’. In the context of the preceding lines and in particular, reference to the phrase ‘synagogues of Satan’, we considered that some UK listeners may have interpreted these references to be references to the Jewish community.”

Ofcom initially made its decision about Rinse FM’s airing of the song in July 2021. The radio station responded in October that year claiming that it was not always possible for an under-resourced station to “nip in the bud” any material that might be considered “controversial”. This was, however, rejected in the regulator’s most recent ruling, which said: “We consider that Rinse FM was treated fairly during the investigation process and in line with Ofcom’s procedures for investigating breaches of content standards for television and radio. During the investigation process, the licensee made representations in response to Ofcom’s request for formal comments [and] it was given the opportunity to respond to Ofcom’s preliminary view on the breaches”.

This is not the first time the rapper was accused of antisemitism. In 2020, he was criticised over the lyrics: “And I bet you a Rothschild I get a bang for my dollar…The synagogue of Satan want me to hang by my collar.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism monitors traditional media and regularly holds outlets to account. If members of the public are concerned about reportage in the media, they should contact us at [email protected].

, ,

Bailiffs appointed to obtain £10,000 from antisemitic aristocrat Piers Portman after Courts Service says he failed to pay compensation

Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service has informed Campaign Against Antisemitism that it has appointed bailiffs to obtain £10,000 from the disgraced antisemitic aristocrat Pier Portman.

The Hon. Piers Portman, the youngest living son of the 9th Viscount Portman and heir to 110 acres of West End real estate, was sentenced in October 2021 to four months in prison and ordered to pay over £20,000 after being found guilty of calling Gideon Falter, Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Chief Executive, “Jewish scum” in a confrontation at a courthouse in 2018. Mr Portman was denied leave to appeal in December.

When Mr Portman was originally sentenced at Southwark Crown Court, His Honour Judge Gregory Perrins said that Mr Portman has “strongly-held antisemitic beliefs”, and that he had “deliberately targeted Mr Falter because of his role in prosecuting Alison Chabloz.” Ms Chabloz is an antisemite who has been repeatedly imprisoned following work by Campaign Against Antisemitism.

In scathing sentencing remarks, HHJ Perrins told Mr Portman: “You said you’re an honourable British gentleman. You’re anything but.”

HHJ Perrins then imprisoned him for four months, with the possibility of release on licence after two months, and ordered him to pay a £10,000 fine, make an additional £10,000 compensatory payment to the victim, Mr Falter, and pay court costs.

Mr Falter intends to donate the entire £10,000 to Campaign Against Antisemitism when the bailiffs obtain it from Mr Portman.

Mr Portman, 50, was prosecuted after approaching Mr Falter, Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Chief Executive, at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 14th June 2018 following the sentencing of Alison Chabloz, a notorious Holocaust denier and antisemite. Campaign Against Antisemitism had brought a private prosecution against Ms Chabloz which the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) took over, and which ultimately led to a conviction and landmark legal precedent. Mr Falter had testified against Ms Chabloz, who has since been repeatedly sent to prison over her antisemitic statements, including denying the Holocaust and claiming that Holocaust survivors had invented their suffering for financial gain.

Mr Portman followed Mr Falter out of the courtroom and confronted him in the lobby of the court building, where an enraged Mr Portman came close to Mr Falter and said: “I’m Piers Portman. I have written to you before. Come after me, you Jewish scum. Come and persecute me. Come and get me.”

Mr Portman was referring to a 1,527-word e-mailed screed previously sent to Campaign Against Antisemitism in which he denounced his former wife and her divorce lawyer, Baroness Fiona Shackleton each as a “greedy, grasping and lying manipulator of the system that happens to be Jewish.” He accused his former wife of “playing the Talmud inspired ‘Tyrant posing as a victim.’” Noting in the e-mail that he had a “Harrow Public School education”, Mr Portman defended the term “Holohoax”, writing that “I fail to see how the fabricated word has anything to do with hating anyone. Surely it is merely an expression created by people that believe they have been lied to,” and questioning how the terms “Jew” and “Jewboy” could be antisemitic.

He concluded his e-mail by taunting Campaign Against Antisemitism to “Come and pick on me…come and have a do with me…come and perform your charity on me.”

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

Image: Piers Portman, right, leaves Southwark Crown Court with conspiracy theorist Matthew Delooze

, , ,

Russian invasion of Ukraine sees plethora of Nazi references, involvement of actual neo-Nazi soldiers, and divides opinion on the global far-right

The Russian war on Ukraine has elicited a plethora of Nazi comparisons and is witnessing actual neo-Nazi soldiers on the battlefield. The war has also divided opinion within the far-right globally, as discussed on this week’s episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism.

President Putin of Russia justified his war on Ukraine in part by claiming that he needed to “denazify” the country, a stance that was reinforced by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and apparently also adopted by China. Mr Lavrov also compared the United States to Hitler, stating: “Napoleon and Hitler, they had the objective to have the whole of Europe under their control…Now Americans have got Europe under their control. And we see the situation has really demonstrated what role the EU is playing in the context of the global situation. They are just fulfilling a role. So we see, like in Hollywood, there is absolute evil and absolute good and this is unfortunate.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy has compared Mr Putin to Hitler and described the invasion of his country as “pure Nazism”. The comparisons drew condemnation from Yad Vashem Israel’s Holocaust museum, for “trivilisation” of the Holocaust.

The Holocaust references became particularly acute when reports emerged of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center being hit by a Russian missile aiming for a nearby Kyiv television mast. Mr Zelenskyy then called for Jewish people around the world to speak out against the Russian invasion, saying: “For any normal person who knows history, Babyn Yar is a special part of Kyiv, a special part of Europe…It is a place of prayer and a place of remembrance for the 100,000 people killed by the Nazis…Who do you think you are, to make it a target for your missiles?” It subsequently emerged that the Memorial had not been damaged. 

While war inevitably gives rise to unpleasant and inflammatory rhetoric, the presence of actual neo-Nazis on the battlefield has been a greater cause for alarm. In particular, attention has been drawn to Ukraine’s Azov Battalion, a neo-Nazi militia that formed during the 2014 War in the Donbas and has since been subsumed into the Ukrainian National Guard, putting neo-Nazi troops on the Government’s payroll. In 2020, Facebook came under pressure following the revelation that a network of 80,000 white supremacists was operating on its platform In more than 40 neo-Nazi websites, where merchandise sales were funding the Azov Battalion and the Misanthropic Division, another far-right Ukrainian group. One of the Azov Battalion’s Facebook pages at the time was reportedly called “Gas Chambers”, and visitors were directed to websites featuring imagery of white skinheads standing next to murdered Jews and black people.

Marking International Women’s Day, NATO tweeted a message of solidarity with Ukrainian women, only to delete the tweet after observers noticed that a female soldier in one of the images was displaying a neo-Nazi sun symbol on her uniform.

All this being said, the Azov Battalion ran in Ukraine’s 2019 election but won only two percent of the vote, which is markedly lower than far-right gains in other Eastern European countries. Indeed, Ukraine voted overwhelmingly to elect Volodymyr Zelenskyy as President, a Jewish man whose family was partially wiped out during the Holocaust.

On the Russian side, it was reported that the Russian President hired the Wagner Group, a collective of mercenaries who have been described as a private paramilitary organisation, to assassinate Mr Zelenskyy. The head of the group is Dmitry Utkin, a reported neo-Nazi. Photographs of Mr Utkin show Nazi SS tattoos on his shoulders and a Nazi-style eagle, or Reichsadler, on his chest.

In addition to those on the ground, the global far-right has also been divided in its stance on the war. Some on the far-right have expressed regret that two “white” nations are engaged in a “brother war”, with sympathy shown for Ukrainian civilians. Others are backing Ukraine, and the Azov Battalion in particular, inferring that if the Battalion is opposing Mr Putin, he must be the real enemy. Yet others are siding with Russia, which is viewed by its far-right supporters as the saviour of the white race, in contrast to Ukraine, which has supposedly been heading towards self-destruction through efforts to integrate with Western, liberal Europe.

One thing that the far-right does agree on, predictably, is that the Jews (or, as they are sometimes more subtly described in these circles, “globalists”) have masterminded the war. Whether it is because Mr Zelenskyy is Jewish (as are, for that matter, several senior Ukrainian politicians), or because Mr Putin is supposedly in thrall to Jewish oligarchs, the far-right agrees that the Jews are to blame. For example, Nick Griffin, the former leader of the BNP, posted on his Telegram channel: “#IStandWithRussia against NATO and those Jesus referred to as the Synagogue of Satan,” while the former KKK leader David Duke too has said that the war is a conspiracy by Jews to kill non-Jews.

Full analysis of this topic is available in Episode 15 of Podcast Against Antisemitism.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has expanded our coverage of antisemitism worldwide. Please contact us if you would like to share feedback or volunteer to assist with this project.

, , ,

Dr Dara Horn discusses why Holocaust education may not be working

The multi-award-winning author and scholar of Hebrew and Yiddish literature, Dr Dara Horn, appeared on the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism where, among other topics, she discussed her mixed feelings towards Holocaust education.

Dr Horn said: “In the United States, there was this idea in the Jewish community about 30 or 40 years ago that Holocaust education was going to prevent antisemitism…you had the opening of this massive Holocaust museum in Washington, you started having mandatory curricular about the Holocaust in schools and other Holocaust memorials opening around the United States, you started having Hollywood movies about this, and a lot of that came from the Jewish community.

“The idea was that people would go to these museums or learn about this in school. They’d learn where hatred can lead, what the world did to the Jews and they would then stop hating Jews. It wasn’t a ridiculous idea but 30 years later and what’s interesting is there’s much higher levels of antisemitism now in the United States than there were 30 years ago, so maybe we should reevalute this?”

Dr Horn continued: “What it’s come to mean is that Holocaust education is the only education that people have about antisemitism and so what that has come to mean is that antisemitism consists of murdering six million Jews.”

Referring to her newest book, People Love Dead Jews: Reports From a Haunted Present, Dr Horn says: “I list a bunch of things that aren’t the Holocaust, and I list everything from trolling Jews on social media to expelling entire Jewish communities from entire countries and seizing all their assets, which of course happened in many, many countries in the Islamic world in the twentieth century. I was like, ‘all of those things are not Holocaust, none of them are a big deal!’”

“When somebody is trolling you on social media and they’re photoshopping your face into a gas chamber, the problem is not that that person doesn’t know about the Holocaust. It’s not an education problem,” Dr Horn added.

During the discussion with our host, Dr Horn also discussed her reaction to the Colleyville synagogue attack, why she decided to learn Talmud and whether Yiddish is making a comeback.

The podcast with Dr Horn can be listened to here, or watched here.

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, The Sunday Telegraph columnist Zoe Strimpel and actor Eddie Marsan.

, ,

Two instances of antisemitic vandalism discovered in Sheffield in as many weeks

A member of the public discovered a yellow star sticker with the letter “J” in the middle appended to a cash machine at a post office on London Road in Sheffield this week.

The discovery, reported to Campaign Against Antisemitism, came within two weeks of the appearance of antisemitic graffiti, including swastikas and references to Hitler and the Nazis, in a popular park.

The graffiti, discovered by a local runner on a pathway in Boleshill Park, Crookes, is believed to have been written using ash from a fire.

The runner reportedly said “It wasn’t actually paint, but they lit a fire and used the ash to make the graffiti. I rubbed it with my foot, thinking it was white paint but it started to come out.”

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

, ,

American School in London reportedly downgraded by Ofsted after controversy over diversity education and staff meeting that sparked antisemitism allegations

The American School in London has reportedly been downgraded by Ofsted, the schools regulator, after a recent controversy over diversity education and a staff meeting that sparked antisemitism allegations.

The report, seen by the JC, apparently observes that pupils at Britain’s most expensive school “spend much time repeatedly considering identity (including analysing their own characteristics) rather than learning, for example, geographical knowledge,” and that older pupils at the St John’s Wood school felt “underprepared” because “the middle-school humanities curriculum…leads to a focus on social issues rather than subject knowledge and skills.”

The headteacher of the school – which counts several famous alumni and children of numerous celebrities – resigned at the end of last year, well short of the end of her ten-year term, after complaints were made by parents about the content of diversity education at the school, both to the media and directly to Campaign Against Antisemitism.

Concerns centred around the teaching of “critical race theory” and other controversial ideas, including “white privilege”. Campaign Against Antisemitism received concerning reports about the school apparently teaching that Jews are part of a privileged elite. A “Privilege Power” chart was reportedly disseminated, which appeared to show Jews just below Protestants and Catholics at the upper end of the “Spirituality-Religion” segment of the chart.

The introduction of racially-segregated after-school clubs reportedly upset numerous parents, many of whom are American.

In addition, allegations arose about a staff meeting in which the words “Nazi”, “swastika”, “Hitler” and “skinheads” were used by faculty members during what was described as a heated conversation about how some parents have reacted to the diversity curriculum.

The school denied that the inflammatory terms were used to describe parents but did not clarify in what context the terms were used. A spokesperson for the school did concede that remarks made during the meeting “could cause offence to the community,” with numerous Jewish families sending their children to the school.

Concerningly, the school’s statement noted that “There were questions asked about whether the response to racism is always as strong and immediate as the response to antisemitism.” This suggestion by one teacher, apparently in connection with parents, caused offence among colleagues, who passed on their concerns to parents and trustees.

Although the headteacher has resigned, concerns remain that the culture and curriculum are the product of wider thinking among senior staff.

Do you or your friends/family have stories of schoolteachers or pupils facing antisemitism at schools in the UK? Contact us at [email protected] or call +44 (0)330 822 0321.

Image credit: Google

, ,

Jewish lawyer fired after not going to work on Pesach wins compensation

A Manchester-based Jewish lawyer who was fired after not going to work on Pesach is due to receive around £26,500 in compensation.

According to court documents, NNE Law Limited dismissed Philip Bialick after he took a pre-arranged break for the Passover festival in April 2020.

Mr Bialick began his employment at the firm in January 2020, booking annual leave a month later in anticipation of the festival in April. In March, the UK entered its first pandemic lockdown, but the firm claimed that, “since the courts are not closed…our line of work is considered essential,” and therefore that he should attend work. Two days later, Mr Bialick fell ill and self-isolated, in accordance with NHS guidance.

His isolation period ended on 8th April, when he expected to go on leave to observe the festival. But NNE reportedly said that he should return to work on 9th April, the second day of Pesach.

Mr Bialick explained that he had booked time off for religious reasons and could not come to work but, the next day, the firm asserted that it had no alternative but to terminate his contract.

Speaking at the employment tribunal, Judge Leach said: “We accept that the dismissal had a devastating impact on him and that he was affected mentally and emotionally.” 

He added: “As for taking into account that this was a one-off act, the effect of the discriminatory treatment was to dismiss the claimant without notice or pay in lieu of notice. Whilst it was a one-off act, it was a serious one, effectively the most serious sanction an employer could impose on an employee for refusing to attend work on Passover High Holiday.”

Image credit: Google

, ,

Jewish couple confronted by man performing Nazi salute in North London

It has been reported that a Jewish couple were confronted by a man performing the Nazi salute in North London.

CCTV footage shows a visibly Jewish man and woman walking down the street when a man walking in the opposite direction appears to perform the salute before walking off.

The incident took place in Clapton Common and was reported yesterday by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol. 

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD 3759 08/02/22

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

, , ,

“F*** Jews”: Jewish woman and six-year-old child flee after being screamed at in Stamford Hill

It has been reported that a Jewish woman and a six-year-old child were screamed at by a man in North London, prompting them to run for safety. 

The man reportedly shouted “F*** Jews” to the woman and child and stood in close proximity to the two.

The incident took place at a bus stop in Stamford Hill and was reported yesterday by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol. 

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD 7322 05/03/22

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

, , ,

Woman’s alleged repeated taunting of Jewish schoolgirls with dog reportedly leads to injury in Stamford Hill

A woman’s alleged repeated taunting of Jewish schoolgirls with her dog has reportedly led to an injury.

It was reported that the woman routinely and intentionally scares the schoolgirls with her dog when the children leave the school at the end of the day, recently prompting one girl to run away and injure her foot in the process. It is understood that, rather than taking the dog for a walk, the woman travels by bus to the school, alights, approaches the children, gives the dog more slack on the leash so that it can get closer to the children, and, after terrorising them, she returns to the bus and goes home. This has reportedly occurred on multiple occasions.

This latest incident occurred on Amhurst Park and was reported today by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: 4605853/22

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

Image credit: Google

, ,

Police investigate antisemitic graffiti in Derbyshire

Police are investigating antisemitic graffiti reportedly found in Derbyshire.

The graffiti was said to have been found in an underpass to Gosforth Lane in Dronfield.

A spokesperson for Dronfield Police Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “Unfortunately, it would appear that some people still think it acceptable to engage in anti-social, criminal damage in Dronfield in the guise of graffiti.

“More disturbingly is the fact that this graffiti is offensive and contains antisemitic comments. This is totally unacceptable and any identified offenders will be dealt with by way of a robust response as this crime is motivated by hatred.”

“This must stop,” the spokesperson added.

, ,

Antisemitic tropes from 13th century England still exist today, says The Licoricia of Winchester Appeal trustee

Two trustees from The Licoricia of Winchester Appeal, Danny Habel and Tony Stoller, appeared on the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism where they spoke on the life of Licoricia of Winchester and the recent statue unveiling.

Licoricia was a Jewish businesswoman who has been described as “the most important Jewish woman in medieval England” and a leader in her community. She lived in the 13th century and was murdered in 1277, just thirteen years before King Edward I expelled the Jews from England. 

“At a time when women really were very nondescript and not in the histories much, ​​she stood out,” Mr Habel told our host. “She was a businesswoman. She made the most of it on her own as a single mother with five children in a very hostile society.

“As time went on, she was obviously a bold woman. She was close to Henry III…she would go into the royal court and address the king and the courtiers in French, in their language. She would be dealing with people in the local community in English. As part of her very confrontational business of finance, she would be in court quite often acting on her own behalf in Latin. So, she was able to face up to people, but at the time same, she was a community leader.”

Mr Stoller agreed that Licoricia was “highly significant,” though added that this did not necessarily protect her completely. “She was imprisoned for eight months in order to get money out of her at one stage…You lose Henry III, you get Edward I, you get extremely antisemitic demands by Simon De Montfort and the barons…Licoricia is murdered, we don’t think we know why. The guess is this might have been a way of somebody avoiding paying back money that was owed to her.”

When asked about the lessons that could be learned from Licoricia’s story, Mr Habel noted that “In Licoricia’s time, there were certain tropes and concepts about the way people thought about Jews and strangely enough, they’re exactly the same as today.” Mr Habel said that some of the tropes levelled against Jews included the belief that they were all rich, that they were responsible for the death of Christ, and that they were evil. 

When asked if the trustees had any message for Podcast Against Antisemitism’s listeners, Mr Stoller said: “Come and look at the statue of Licoricia of Winchester, and then think about it. And if you can’t look at the statue, then go onto our website and take a virtual tour, and see what it is and see if you are as inspired as we are.” 

The podcast with The Licoricia of Winchester Appeal can be listened to here, or watched here.

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, The Sunday Telegraph columnist Zoe Strimpel and actor Eddie Marsan.

, ,

“I will carve a swastika on your forehead with a knife,” Jewish man reportedly told

A Jewish man was reportedly threatened following a dispute regarding employment, in which he was told: “I will carve a swastika on your forehead with a knife.”

The incident, which was reported today by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol, is now reportedly being dealt with by the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Hate Crime Investigators.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD 3590 02/03/22

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

, ,

Antisemitic Cambridgeshire neo-Nazi sentenced to over eight years in prison

A man who sported a moustache in the style of Adolf Hitler’s and wore a Nazi armband to his trial has been sentenced to jail for more than eight years, after being found guilty of terror offences and stirring up racial hatred.

Matthew Henegan, 35, distributed leaflets in Cambridgeshire, where he resides, and possessed a document titled “How To Make Armour Piercing Bullets”, which apparently contains information likely to be useful in terrorism. In the raid of his home, investigators reportedly found a Nazi armband and leaflets which referred to Hitler as “your saviour”.

In addition, Mr Henegan asserted that Jewish people masterminded the COVID-19 pandemic and created an hour-long film in which he claimed that Jewish people controlled the police, economy and media. He reportedly referred to Jews as “kikes”, adding that they were filthy and sadistic and branded them “creatures”.

The content was published in documents and videos labelled “Corona Virus Hoax Full Edition”, “Corona Virus Hoax Supplement” and “Corona Virus Hoax Update – How You Are Being Controlled” which was then stored on archive.org, a publically accessible online database. 

During the trial, jurors watched excerpts from Mr Henegan’s films, one of which included the statement: “One (you) given a standing command upon my death to slaughter the kike, for they will come to slaughter you as they already do and you will enter your children into the same slave stage that you live in today. Colonisation is what the kike is doing here with us, they merely turn film into their perverted dream and our reality. The power of the Aryan far exceeds the kikes and I will lead you to victory over these vile sadistic creatures. Your Fuhrer.”

Mr Henegan reportedly appeared at last year’s preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey wearing dark glasses, a hairband and an armband with a red swastika. According to a report, the judge asked the defendant’s lawyer: “Can you see what he’s wearing?”, and ordered Mr Henegan to leave the courtroom. The defendant asked: “Are we done for the day then?” The judge replied: “We are not.” The defendant replied: “I have a right to freedom of expression, freedom of dress, freedom of religion. They are rights not for debate.” The judge instructed the lawyer to give his client advice and said: “Next time it will not be out in the public corridor.” Mr Henegan returned to the courtroom with a jacket, with the armband no longer visible.

Mr Henegan told the jury on Monday: “You may see me, with my moustache, and think of it as a Hitler moustache, rather than Charlie Chaplin or Oliver Hardy. It is clearly your diseased mind that influences your thoughts.”

When Mr Henegan was asked if he was a National Socialist, he replied: “Yes, “I do not pretend otherwise.”

Despite denying all charges, Mr Henegan was convicted at the Old Bailey for publishing, distributing or possessing material intended to stir racial hatred on six counts and one count of possessing a document useful to a terrorist after approximately eleven hours of jury deliberation. 

He refused to addend Winchester Crown Court, where Judge Nigel Lickley QC sentenced him on 2nd March to eight years and one month in prison with an extended licence period of four years, and made him subject to a counter-terrorism notification order for 30 years. Judge Lickley said: “You created racist material designed to be inflammatory, to cause upset and incite racial hatred of the Jewish faith. In the context of the pandemic enveloping the world, you distributed material designed to incite racial hatred.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “On top of every other misery that this pandemic has inflicted on the world, it has also been treated as a pretext for racists to promote antisemitic conspiracy theories. Among them is Matthew Henegan, who calls himself the Fuhrer, came to court with a Nazi armband and says that Jews control the media and police and are behind a supposed ‘Covid hoax’. We welcome the conviction and strong sentence of this abominable individual, which keeps him out of society and keeps the rest of us safe from the danger that he poses.”

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

Image credit: Cambridgeshire Police

, ,

Court hearing for man who allegedly punched Jewish men to the ground

A court hearing was held today for man who was arrested after visibly Jewish men were punched to the ground in North London in January.

Police in Haringey arrested a man after two visibly Jewish men were viciously punched to the ground in Stamford Hill. CCTV footage shows a man striking blows to the two Jewish men’s faces and bodies.

The victims, Israel Grossman and Erwin Ginsberg, were promptly treated by Hatzola, a volunteer-run emergency medical service, and were hospitalised. It is understood that one victim sustained severe bruising, a broken nose and a fractured wrist, while the other also suffered bruising and injuries to his wrist and eye.

The incident reportedly took place on Cadoxton Avenue and was reported by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

Malaki Thorpe, 18, of Fairview Road N15, appeared in Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court shortly after the incident and was charged with two counts of racially aggravated ABH and one count of possession of an offensive weapon.

He was remanded in custody, and did not attend today’s hearing at Wood Green Crown Court. Today the court determined that he is to undergo a mental health assessment to determine his fitness to stand trial, and the case is due to progress in the coming months.

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

, ,

CAA publishes latest Antisemitism Barometer, showing detrimental impact of antisemitism surge, with British Jews also pointing fingers at criminal justice system, Labour Party, Green Party, universities and social media

Today, Campaign Against Antisemitism publishes our latest Antisemitism Barometer, comprising a survey of the British public’s views toward Jews and a poll of the Jewish community.

The Barometer’s poll of the British public’s views towards Jews utilises the Generalised Antisemitism Scale. The survey was designed and analysed by Dr Daniel Allington of King’s College London, with fieldwork carried out by YouGov.

  • Using the twelve-question Generalised Antisemitism Scale, the survey shows that 57% of British adults do not harbour any antisemitic views; they did not affirm a single one of the twelve statements.
  • The other side of the coin, however, is that there is deeply troubling normalisation of antisemitism, as 43% of British adults did affirm at least one antisemitic statement, although over half of them only agreed with only one or two antisemitic statements.
  • 11% of British adults have entrenched antisemitic views, affirming four or more antisemitic statements. 
  • The most popular antisemitic statement was that “Israel treats the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews”, with which 24% of British adults agreed. That view is antisemitic under the International Definition of Antisemitism adopted by the Government.

The Barometer also includes a separate survey of British Jews designed and analysed in consultation with Dr Allington and carried out by Campaign Against Antisemitism and Jewish community partners. The survey reveals that:

  • The events of 2021, when antisemitism surged on British streets and campuses, online, in workplaces, schools and hospitals and in other institutions, have left their mark. British Jews are now less optimistic about their future in the UK, and a record 46% also decline to display visible signs of their Jewish identity due to antisemitism.
  • The antisemitism that arose during the conflict between Hamas and Israel weighed particularly heavy with British Jews, almost eight in ten of whom disclosed that the various demonstrations in the UK during the conflict caused them to feel ‘intimidated as a Jew’.
  • British Jews’ confidence in the criminal justice system is lower than ever: the Crown Prosecution Service has always performed poorly in our polling, but for the first time ever, a majority of British Jews do not believe that the police or the courts do enough to protect them either.
  • British Jews reserve significant opprobrium for political parties: over eight in ten British Jews still feel that the Labour Party is too tolerant of racism against Jews, belying Sir Keir Starmer’s claim to have “shut the door” on antisemitism in his Party. For the first time, a majority of British Jews also believe that another party is too tolerant of antisemitism: the Green Party.
  • In the first ever poll on the subject, almost all British Jews believe that antisemitism in universities (92%) and on social media (96%) is a problem, underscoring the need for urgent action.

Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “The events of 2021 have left their mark on Britain’s Jews. Antisemitic incidents broke new records, particularly during the conflict between Hamas and Israel, with almost eight in ten British Jews feeling ‘intimidated as a Jew’ and many now questioning our community’s future in the UK.

“It is not just the perpetrators who are faulted by the Jewish community, but also those tasked with protecting us. For the first time, a majority of the Jewish community now does not trust the police, CPS and courts to protect them. If the next commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and Director of Public Prosecutions wish to restore the confidence of British Jews in their institutions, they should urgently adopt the recommendations set out in our report.

“British Jews also point the finger at political parties, with over eight in ten British Jews still feeling that Labour is too tolerant of racism against Jews, belying Sir Keir Starmer’s claim to have ‘shut the door’ on antisemitism in his Party.

“Jewish life on campus is thriving, but there is no excuse for Jewish students or faculty to be forced to think twice about their educational or professional trajectory because of concerns over antisemitism. As our polling demonstrates for the first time, there is a clear consensus that British Jews are alarmed by antisemitism in universities. Given the strength of sentiment, it is vital that a minority of universities stop refusing to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism, and that all institutions actually apply the Definition when allegations of racism toward Jews arise.”

“Britain cannot be content when almost half of a long-established minority community avoids disclosing identifying signs in public, or when a broad majority considers one of the two major political parties to be too tolerant of racism. It is not too late to make the right changes in politics, at universities, online and to criminal justice, but our recommendations are increasingly urgent.”

The full Barometer is available at antisemitism.org/barometer.

, ,

Royal Court Theatre publishes encouraging report on Rare Earth Mettle controversy but “the proof of the pudding will be in the eating”

The Royal Court Theatre has published a report into last year’s Rare Earth Mettle controversy.

The theatre, which is considered to be a significant cultural voice but has a history of controversy relating to the Jewish community, received backlash after a play late last year, Rare Earth Mettle, from writer Al Smith and director Hamish Pirie, used the name “Hershel Fink” for the character of a greedy Silicon Valley billionaire.

The theatre issued two apologies when the controversy first arose in November 2020, with questions raised over how the character came to have such a name and the failure of senior figures at the theatre either to notice the problem or to respond properly to concerns raised earlier in the process by Jewish colleagues.

This week, the Sloan Square-based theatre has published its full report, which comes at the conclusion of an investigation. The report explains that, over the course of successive stages of redrafting, the context and background for how the central character came to have what was, by the end, a clearly Jewish name, had been removed without adequate substitute, and that there were “structural weaknesses” that meant that this problem was not identified earlier.

As for the failure to heed the warnings and concerns by those who did identify the problem, Mr Pirie, who is an Associate Director at the Theatre and is at the centre of the scandal, expressed his remorse. Oddly, the review included a reference to medical treatment that Mr Pririe was apparently undergoing at the time which may have affected his judgment, but the report was at pains to insist that Mr Pririe did not himself rely on this in explaining his conduct, and his apology, reproduced in full in the report, makes no reference to this or any excuse.

The report notes that “a number of contributors were severely shocked and saddened by these events, especially as the Royal Court prioritises inclusivity and support for marginalised groups.”

The report proceeds to list numerous actions that the theatre will now be taking, including “both urgent and long-term specialist training on issues relating to antisemitism”, ensuring Jewish representation in creative teams, introducing new systems to record complaints, inject more senior oversight, and provide wellbeing resources to staff, among other policies. 

Last December, in Episode 4 of Podcast Against Antisemitism, we discussed the controversy at the Royal Court Theatre with the critic and journalist who broke the story, Kate Maltby. You can listen to the episode here or watch it here.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The Rare Earth Mettle scandal is not the first to rock the Royal Court Theatre’s relations with the Jewish community, which is why it is vital that this report be more than a tick-box exercise. The content of the report is encouraging, but the proof of the pudding will be in the eating, and it will be up to the Theatre, liaising with Jewish organisations as it has begun to do, to rebuild the community’s trust and introduce the right oversight and support to prevent incidents like this from recurring and ensure that Jewish artists and staff are comfortable collaborating with the institution going forward.”

, ,

Amazon should be no place for antisemitic incitement but retailer still has not removed “From the river to the sea” products from sale

Amazon is selling “Palestine Intifada Clothing” that displays antisemitic slogans and inflammatory images.

The online behemoth suggests that items in the range make for a “great gift for family and friends,” including a sweatshirt bearing a machine gun and hoodies with the Star of David crossed out, and clothing emblazoned with the phrase: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.

The chant of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” only makes sense as a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state — and its replacement with a State of Palestine — and is thus an attempt to deny Jews, uniquely, the right to self-determination, which is a breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Other garb also promotes the BDS boycott of Israel, the tactics of which an overwhelming majority of British Jews find intimidating.

Prices for the items on Amazon range from £15.99 for tank tops and T-shirts, to £33.99 for unisex hoodies.

We have written to the company, but the clothing range remains available.

Last month, Amazon Australia reportedly pulled twenty Nazi propaganda films from the platform, with the US site also removing 23 films. Last year, Amazon removed almost a hundred Holocaust-denial books from sale, and the company has also come under fire in relation to its Alexa virtual assistant. In 2020, T-shirts and other items claiming that “6 million wasn’t enough” were briefly being sold on Amazon.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The chant of ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ only makes sense as a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state — and its replacement with a State of Palestine — and is thus an attempt to deny Jews, uniquely, the right to self-determination, which is a breach of the international definition of antisemitism. Images of maps with the Jewish state erased only reinforce the genocidal sentiment behind the slogan. Amazon should make clear that its marketplace is no place for antisemitic incitement and remove these products from sale.”

Image credit: Amazon

, ,

Alleged Nazi sympathiser accused of building submachine gun to use against Jews stands trial in Birmingham

An alleged Nazi sympathiser currently standing trial in Birmingham has pleaded not guilty to preparing an act of terrorism.

Birmingham Crown Court heard last week that 24-year-old Ben Styles of Leamington Spa posted in an online group called “#Kill All the Jews”, and had begun building a submachine gun to use against Jewish people. He reportedly posted in the online group: “I hope the holocaust is real next time.”

Prosecutors said that Mr Styles told his friend that he was “just getting as strong as possible for the war” and sent screenshots of his phone which used images of swastikas for the background.

Referring to his phone’s background image, Mr Styles reportedly told his friend: “Waking up and seeing this lock screen to start my day is far more important than some non-person NHS clapper shouting at me about primary school history.”

Mr Styles reportedly said of the New Zealand Christchurch terrorist attack:  “I just got back from New Zealand – it made me super racist. Then that happened and I had a good day.”

Prosecutor Matthew Brook told the court that a Nazi fitness manual and a book titled “The SS family yearly – celebrations of the SS family” was found in Mr Styles’ garage, along with the lower part and top part of a homemade submachine gun and shop-bought blanks with manuals which “showed the reader how to convert blank bullets into functioning live ammunition”.

Mr Brook continued: “In this case, the evidence will prove that the defendant, Ben Styles, fully believed in extreme right-wing ideology. That is the twisted ideology of Nazis and white supremacy. The evidence will show that the defendant had collected on an encrypted USB drive instruction manuals about how to build guns and how to make live ammunition.

“When the police searched his home on 15th February last year, they found that he had closely and carefully followed the instructions in one of those manuals and was well on his way to making a homemade submachine gun.

“He had also started to make ammunition. He had also written a manifesto which talked about, in his words ‘working to fulfil my mission’, and set out his views about being in a religious war against the Jews and other targets of extreme right-wing terrorists.

“The evidence will show, it will prove, that the defendant was preparing to commit a terrorist act.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has been monitoring and acting against the threat from the far-right for years and continues to support the authorities following suit.

Image credit: Google

, ,

Labour Party antisemitism training uses mural defended by Jeremy Corbyn as example

It has been reported that a mandatory two-hour antisemitism training course delivered to Labour Party MPs and officials depicts the notorious mural that was defended by Jeremy Corbyn, the antisemitic former leader of the Party, as an example of antisemitism.

In October 2012, Los Angeles-based street artist Mear One, painted a wall in London’s East End which featured apparently-Jewish bankers beneath a pyramid often used by conspiracy theorists playing Monopoly on a board carried by straining, oppressed workers.

Following complaints, the mural was due to be removed, prompting Mear One to post on Facebook: “Tomorrow they want to buff my mural. Freedom of Expression. London Calling, Public art.” Mr Corbyn commented: “Why? You are in good company. Rockerfeller [sic] destroyed Diego Viera’s [sic] mural because it includes a picture of Lenin.”

One Labour source reportedly said of the inclusion of the mural in the training: “Whereas Corbyn defended this image, course facilitators are using it as a potent illustration of antisemitism.”

Other examples used in the 44-slide PowerPoint, which was announced last year and initially met with a revolt and antisemitic conspiracy theories by antisemitism-deniers in the Party, include the blood libel, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Nazi-era drawings, and popular internet memes. The training is required under the Action Plan agreed between the Party and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

The course also teaches the International Definition of Antisemitism, which was adopted by the Party, under pressure, during Mr Corbyn’ tenure as leader.

The Jewish former Labour MP, Ruth Smeeth, said: “We’re under no illusions. Rooting out the toxic culture will not be a quick job. We know it will take time. But by using education, a proper disciplinary process and leadership from Keir Starmer, progress is being made.”

The Labour Party was found by the EHRC to have engaged in unlawful discrimination and harassment of Jews. The report followed the EHRC’s investigation of the Labour Party in which Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant, submitting hundreds of pages of evidence and legal argument. Sir Keir Starmer called the publication of the report a “day of shame” for the Labour Party.

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

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.

, ,

Henry Ford’s antisemitic tract The International Jew is still available for purchase on WH Smith’s website, even after retailer promises to remove it

Henry Ford’s antisemitic tract, The International Jew: Jewish Influences in American Life, is still available for purchase on WH Smith’s website, even after the retailer promised to remove it.

We wrote to WH Smith, observing that “There is no disclaimer on your website explaining the antisemitic contents and history of the book. First published in the early 1920s, the book claimed that a vast Jewish conspiracy was infecting America and fuelled antisemitism there and around the world. 

“Adolf Hitler was known to keep copies of The International Jew in his office. While Ford later publicly apologised for the book, antisemites continue to use his name to promote it. 

“The basis for the book was the antisemitic hoax known as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion — which we have previously found for sale by your franchisees — it purported to be the minutes of a meeting of Jewish leaders, at which they supposedly discussed their plans for global domination. It was used by the Tsar’s secret police and later by the Nazis to justify brutality against Jews.”

WH Smith replied that “We have filters to remove these types of books from links to our third party fulfilment so I’m not sure how it got through. This book will be removed tomorrow.”

However, within a week, the book was again available on the website, and now, one month later, it is still available for purchase.

In the past, WH Smith has removed The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, as well as editions of Mein Kampf, from sale, following contact from Campaign Against Antisemitism, but other material, including books and DVDs by the antisemitic hate preacher David Icke, remained available for purchase.

Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “We are not asking WH Smith for much, we’d just like them to stop selling some of the most notorious anti-Jewish propaganda used by the Nazis mixed in amongst holiday reads and self-help books. We’ve caught the retailer selling Mein Kampf as an airport bestseller before, and now they’re selling Henry Ford’s infamous tract inciting Jew-hatred. They promised to remove it but now it’s sneaked back onto their website. So often we see gigantic corporations investing heavily in PR to promote their social responsibility agenda, but they talk the talk but fail abjectly to walk the walk.”

, ,

Author and activist Ben M. Freeman on why looking at history is vital in tackling antisemitism 

On the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism, Ben M. Freeman, an author, activist and educator, spoke about the importance of having a basic understanding of history and why it is vital in tackling antisemitism. 

Speaking on his passion for studying history, Mr Freeman told our host that “I was always able to view history from a bird’s-eye perspective, and I don’t know why that is…it’s just the way my mind works. So, for me, that means I’m able to spot patterns.

“That’s why I can look at Paul [the Apostle], and then Marx, and then things that were said later on, things that are said today, and then draw a connection.”

Mr Freeman said that looking at common themes between historical events can better explain the events behind antisemitic incidents and “tell us why”. “So much of the commentary on Jew-hatred is just commentary, it’s just people describing what happened. ‘This person said this, that person said this,’ and for me, we have to get to the ‘why’, and the ‘why’ is not going to be answered in 2022, it’s going to be answered looking back in history to thousands of years ago.”

When asked where he would recommend people who may not know a lot about antisemitism to start in their fight against anti-Jewish racism, Mr Freeman explained how a basic understanding of common antisemitic tropes can be used to build a deeper framework of knowledge, explaining that it was for this reason that he outlined these often-used tropes in his book, Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People. 

“In chapter one, I break it down into economic libel, blood libel, conspiracy fantasy and the racial libel. Then, if you kind of understand those basic ideas, look into history. Look at how we’re perceived. Look at how we have been treated. Look at narratives that have come about that you might not even be aware are about Jews.”

“I am obsessed with history,” Mr Freeman continued. “You have to understand the ‘why’. You have to understand the theory, the context, and to do that, we have to look at history. Start off with the basics. Look at the Holocaust, look at things that were said then, and it’s then always about going back in time because it didn’t start wherever you’re studying, it started before that, before that, before that.”

The podcast with Mr Freeman can be listened to here, or watched here.

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, The Sunday Telegraph columnist Zoe Strimpel and actor Eddie Marsan.

, ,

Following contact from CAA, BBC Sounds agrees to add context to Lady Mosley interview containing Holocaust denial

BBC Sounds, an online streaming platform that contains live and archived radio broadcasts, has agreed to include additional background information about the content of an interview containing Holocaust denial, after contact from Campaign Against Antisemitism.

The interview in question is between interviewee, Lady Diana Mosley, and interviewer, Sue Lawley, and was first broadcast in November 1989 as part of the BBC’s Desert Island Discs series. Lady Mosley was the wife of Sir Oswald Mosley, the leader of the antisemitic British Union of Fascists. The two wedded in Joseph Goebbels’ house in the presence of Adolf Hitler. 

During the interview, Lady Mosley, who died in 2003, reportedly says of her late husband: “He didn’t know a Jew from a gentile…as the Jews were so anti him and attacked him, he, as it were, picked up the challenge.”

When Ms Lawley asked Lady Mosley whether she believed that six million Jews had died in the Holocaust, Lady Mosley replies: “I don’t really, I’m afraid…believe that six million people were…I just think it’s not conceivable, it’s too many.”

“But whether it’s six million or one really makes no difference morally, it’s equally wrong,” Lady Mosley adds. “I think it was a dreadfully wicked thing.”

Lady Mosley also referred to historians’ reporting of Hitler as “nonsense”, adding that “if you don’t like someone, you attack them.”

Ms Lawley reportedly told Lady Mosley that “It’s almost as if you’re rewriting history.” She also said, in response to Lady Mosley’s denial of her husband’s antisemitism, “But did he not call them [the Jews] ‘an alien force which rises to rob us of our heritage’?”

At first, a BBC spokesperson said: “This episode of Desert Island Discs is part of the most complete possible archive resource of programmes from the past 80 years and is not something that is being newly transmitted. The programme page indicates that Lady Diana Mosley was married to Sir Oswald Mosley, the leader of the British Union of Fascists, and clearly shows the date of broadcast. Radio 4’s audience is likely to be aware of the controversial views that Lady Diana Mosley held if they choose to explore the archive.”

However, Campaign Against Antisemitism complained to the BBC that more specific background information about the interviewee should be provided. The omission of such information was particularly noteworthy given, as The Telegraph reported, the BBC was appending such warnings to its backlog of fictional programmes, such as Dad’s Army.

The BBC has now responded to us to say that, following our complaint, “for clarity, we have now provided updated and additional information about the content, including highlighting her denial of the Holocaust.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We are pleased that, following contact from us, the BBC is bringing its provision of background information in relation to actual Holocaust deniers in its archive into line with the context that it provides for its backlog of fictional programming. We would like to think that this is the beginning of a new responsiveness to Jewish communal concerns at the BBC, given recent events and the broadcaster’s record.”

Recently, Campaign Against Antisemitism visited Broadcasting House, the BBC’s headquarters in London, to tell the Corporation to “switch off the Jew-hate”. We projected selected instances from just the past eighteen months of the BBC’s bias against Jews or antisemitism onto the broadcaster’s iconic building. The intervention came as the BBC is rocked with controversy over antisemitism, triggered by its abominable coverage of an antisemitic incident on Oxford Street which its Executive Complaints Unit has largely defended (and even that defence has had to be further clarified). In December, we held a rally outside Broadcasting House, attended by hundreds of protestors, to deliver the message: “BBC News: Stop Blaming Jews!” Lord Grade, a former Chairman of the BBC, told Podcast Against Antisemitism that the BBC’s reportage was “shoddy journalism” and called for answers in a video supporting the rally, which was endorsed also by Dame Maureen Lipman.

Ofcom is now investigating the coverage, which, as our projections onto the Broadcasting House showed, is only one example of many in which the BBC has exhibited bias against Jews or even indulged in antisemitism. The result has been the gradual erosion of the Jewish community’s confidence in the BBC.

Polling that we conducted in 2020 for our Antisemitism Barometer already revealed that two thirds of British Jews were deeply concerned by the BBC’s coverage of matters of Jewish concern, and 55% by its handling of antisemitism complaints. It is likely that these figures would be even higher if polled today.

Campaign Against Antisemitism monitors traditional media and regularly holds outlets to account. If members of the public are concerned about reportage in the media, they should contact us at [email protected].

, ,

Charity Commission allows organisation to pursue charitable registration even after it publishes antisemitic “enemies of Allah” post

The Charity Commission has told Campaign Against Antisemitism that it will permit an organisation to continue to pursue charitable registration even after we alerted the regulator to an antisemitic social media post published by the group.

Cricklewood Muslim Youth Trust appeared in a December social media post to describe Jews and Christians as “enemies of Allah” and warn its followers to stay away from them.

The organisation, which functions as a bookshop and was promoted by Brent Council, shared a post reading: “Keep away from the enemies of Allaah [sic] the Jews & Christians on their day of gathering during their festivities, for verily the anger (of Allaah) descends upon them  and I fear that you will (also) be afflicted with it.”

The quotation is attributed to Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, the second Rashidun Caliph, and is featured in Al-Bayhaqi Fi Shu’ab Al-Emaan, a collection of Hadiths compiled by Imam Al-Bayhaqi.

The image in the tweet was captioned: “Be warned of having any sort of involvement in the celebrations of the unbelievers, let alone Christmas whereby it is claimed that Allaah has begotten a son! Lest you may be afflicted with the anger of Allaah along with them!”

Cricklewood Muslim Youth Trust describes itself as “a charitable trust based in North West London who work for the benefit and enlightenment of the local community.”

We wrote to Brent Council, which observed in its reply that the organisation was no longer listed on its website since we published our article, and to the Charity Commission.

The Commission replied to say that it had engaged with Cricklewood Muslim Youth Trust “to seek a direct response to the concerns” and that it “also requested further information regarding the Organisation’s charitable status.” However, the regulator went on to say that it “recently received a response from the Organisation, in which the Organisation has provided various assurances, including to confirm that the social media post has been removed. The Organisation is also currently in the process of seeking charitable registration.”

The Commission concluded that, “Having considered the information and assurances provided by the Organisation, I can confirm that the Commission’s assessment of this matter will now be closed,” merely highlighting to the Cricklewood Muslim Youth Trust its responsibilities under charitable law and guidance, should it become a charity.

Campaign Against Antisemitism is considering further legal options.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “While most of the country was enjoying the season of goodwill, the Cricklewood Muslim Youth Trust was using its Twitter account to implore the Muslim community to stay away from Jews and Christians and regard them as an enemy. It is extraordinary that the Charity Commission should consider such an organisation to be fit to apply for charitable status even after being alerted to this post. We are considering further legal options.”

, ,

Jewish woman on London bus left shaken after passenger tells driver Jews shouldn’t be allowed on

A Jewish woman on a London bus was left shaken after a fellow passenger allegedly shouted to the driver that Jews shouldn’t be allowed on.

The suspect was reportedly sitting behind the victim and shouted to the driver: “Why are you letting on Jewish people, they are not supposed to be here.” 

He then continued his verbal attack on Jewish people before the bus driver told him to leave the bus, which he did. 

Campaign Against Antisemitism understands that the suspect is believed to be a middle-aged black male of average build. He was said to be five feet and six inches tall and wore dark clothing with a green cap.

The incident occurred on a 254 bus that was going towards Stamford Hill at 09:04 on 27th January and was reported today by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD 7976/21FEB22.

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

,

Isles of Scilly councillor required to take diversity training after accusing officials of creating “conditions similar to those in Bergen-Belsen or Dachau” in row over public bins and toilets

A councillor in the Isles of Scilly has been told that he must take diversity training after he accused officials of creating “conditions similar to those in Bergen-Belsen or Dachau” in row over public bins and toilets.

Toby Tobin-Dougan, 63, made what was reportedly described as a “crass assertion” in an e-mail to a colleague and council officers.

A scrutiny committee reportedly found that the independent councillor’s comments, made in October of last year, had been “offensive in the extreme” and designed to “bully the recipients”.

Cllr Tobin-Dougan represents St Martin’s, the northernmost island in the archipelago. The island receives some 400 visitors a day in the summertime but has only one public toilet and no public waste bins. The Council says that it has begun working with the Duchy of Cornwall, which owns the land on the outer islands, to provide public bins.

Cllr Tobin-Dougan has been instructed to write a “meaningful apology” and attend diversity training, “with an emphasis on the need to ensure that respect should be given to the Holocaust.”

He reportedly told The Times that he was not a bully and that the e-mail had been sent “in the heat of the moment”, while a member of the scrutiny committee allegedly described the analogy with a Nazi death camp as “outrageous, beyond all decency,” and that it besmirched the Nazis’ victims. They added: “Were I able to, I would have no hesitation in recommending [Cllr Tobin-Dougan] be suspended.”

The Isles of Scilly have not yet adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

, ,

International politics lecturer at Queen Mary University claims International Definition of Antisemitism is “harmful to anti-racism and even to Jews”

A reader in international politics at Queen Mary University in London has claimed that the International Definition of Antisemitism is “harmful to anti-racism and even to Jews.”

Clive Gabay made the comments in relation to an event that he organised against the Definition, which has been adopted by the University. The event took place at the picket line during unrelated strike action.

Dr Gabay, a long-time campaigner against the Definition, asserted that the University has “adopted the IHRA [Definition] without consultation,” even though it is widely supported by Jewish students and the Jewish community.

He described his talk as arguing that the Definition “is a bad conceptual definition…harmful to Palestinians, to anti-racism and even to Jews,” and reportedly suggested that “antisemitism is taken more seriously than other forms of racism.” Last October, he tweeted: “It’s a question about why Jewish student voices are taken so much more seriously than trans, black and/or Muslim student voices. To come closer to home, at my university all it took was for *2* students to meet with our senior management for the university to adopt the IHRA [Definition].”

The event attracted criticism from academics and students. The President of the Queen Mary University Jewish Society said: “This event should not have taken place on the picket line and damages the relationship between [Queen Mary] and Jewish students. However, as one of the Jewish students who secured the IHRA definition at Queen Mary, it was necessary to attend this teach-out event and respond to the panel’s discourse. I certainly rebutted their comments and demonstrated, giving first hand evidence, why the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism is the definition which protects Jewish students on and off campus and it is here to stay.”

Late last year, the Queen Mary University Students’ Union repealed its previous adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism and replaced it with the Jerusalem Declaration, which is a wrecking document intended to undermine the globally-recognised Definition. The measure was reportedly not discussed with Jewish students, who reacted with disgust.

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]. 

, , ,

Nazi concentration camps recreated in popular children’s online game 

A popular children’s online game drew attention recently after it was discovered that some of its users had recreated Nazi concentration camps.

Roblox is a computer game where users can create, and interact with, virtual worlds. It has been discovered that users were able to interact with a virtual Nazi concentration camp where they were able to click “execute” to then release deadly gas from showerheads.

There was also reportedly a railroad built in order to simulate the entrance to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

Tanya Carter, of the Safe Schools Alliance campaign group, a grassroots organisation that campaigns to uphold child safeguarding in schools, said: “We are horrified to hear of Nazi rooms featuring dead bodies and gas chambers…This is particularly disturbing in a climate of rising antisemitism.”

In a statement, Roblox said: “We have zero tolerance for content or behaviours that promote or glorify extremism, including antisemitism.

“We have removed the experiences in question and permanently banned the individuals who created them from our platform. We work tirelessly to maintain a platform that is safe, civil and inclusive, and we use a combination of manual and automated detection tools to swiftly remove experiences that do not comply with our Community Standards.

“We are committed to preventing this type of content from being uploaded to our platform, remove it as soon as we learn about it, and take appropriate steps against those who have uploaded the content.

“In tandem with our efforts, we encourage anyone to report content or behaviour that may promote extremism using our Report Abuse feature, and we have a dedicated team of thousands who act on those reports.”

It was also reported in September that Roblox, in addition to other online games including Call of Duty and Minecraft, was being used as a means of spreading antisemitism. 

Roblox spokespeople condemned the news at the time, stating: “We work relentlessly to ensure our platform remains a safe and civil space, and with a combination of machine learning and a team of over 2,000 moderators, we monitor for safety 24-7 to detect and swiftly act on any inappropriate content or behaviour.”

, ,

Sir Keir Starmer shows pragmatism over principle in revealing interview with Channel 4 News

In a Channel 4 News interview broadcast on 15th February, Sir Keir Starmer declined to express remorse for serving alongside and backing the antisemite Jeremy Corbyn, and said that whether Mr Corbyn returned to the Parliamentary Labour Party, from which he is currently suspended, is “a matter for him and the Chief Whip”.

In comments that are unlikely to satisfy those who question how Sir Keir could have served in Mr Corbyn’s Shadow Cabinet through the years of the Labour Party’s antisemitism crisis, only to begin to speak out against it when he ran for leader of the Party, Sir Keir nevertheless did go on speculate that Mr Corbyn is unlikely to be a Labour candidate in the next General Election.

Asked by presenter Cathy Newman, “Do you regret serving alongside Jeremy Corbyn?” Sir Keir responded: “No. I think it’s very important for people to make the arguments wherever they can, and that gave me the ability to make the argument about NATO in the Shadow Cabinet.”

Ms Newman pressed the Labour leader, asking: “Would you and are you looking to deselect Jeremy Corbyn now so that he can’t stand again as a Labour MP?”

Sir Keir replied: “Well Jeremy Corbyn’s position at the moment is that he’s not got the Labour whip for reasons that everybody understands in relation to his response to the antisemitism report. That remains the situation, and will remain the situation until something’s done about it.”

Ms Newman further asked: “But are you going to show leadership on this and deselect him?” Sir Keir responded, “Well look, the whip has been removed from Jeremy and that’s the same position it’s been for…” but was interrupted by the presented, who observed: “But that’s different from deselecting him for the next election.” Sir Keir reiterated: “Well, he’s not a Labour MPa t the moment.”

Finally, Ms Newman asked: “Can you see any scenario that he will stand under the Labour banner at the next election?”

He replied: Well, at the moment he’s not a Labour MP and so I don’t see how that’s possible, but you know that’s a matter for him and the Chief Whip, but, you know, we’ve been in this position for over a year now.”

Meanwhile, Labour has reportedly dropped an investigation into Diana Neslen, a member of the antisemitism-denial group and sham Jewish representative organisation, Jewish Voice for Labour. Ms Neslen apparently threatened to sue the Labour Party for discrimination based on her anti-Zionist beliefs and her position, expressed in a 2017 tweet that was reportedly the subject of Labour’s investigation, that the Jewish state is a “racist endeavour”. 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.

This matter was also the cause of one of the BBC’s numerous recent controversies in relation to antisemitism, as the broadcaster invited Ms Neslen to a panel to discuss whether anti-Zionism should be a protected characteristic under the Equality Act, only to invite someone else instead, record the segment but then not air it after pressure from an outraged Jewish community.

In the past, Ms Neslen has reportedly denied that the Jewish former Labour MPs Luciana Berger and Dame Louise Ellman were “hounded out” of the party under Mr Corbyn, and has apparently posted: “Zionism is not Judaism. It is blasphemy.”

Also in the past week, Mr Corbyn withdrew from what news reports described as a “Hamas-linked rally”.

Joe Gasman, Head of Political and Government Investigations at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “This interview is revealing. Once again, Sir Keir Starmer has not apologised for standing by Jeremy Corbyn through the years of Labour’s antisemitism crisis, and he has declined to show leadership by actively deselecting the former leader, relying instead on Mr Corbyn being automatically replaced by virtue of his ongoing suspension from the Parliamentary Labour Party. Even with regard to the future of that suspension, Sir Keir avoided taking responsibility, asserting that it was not a matter for him but for the Chief Whip. The only bright spot was that he could not foresee Mr Corbyn having the endorsement of the Labour Party in the next General Election.

“This is illustrative of how Sir Keir is addressing antisemitism in the Labour Party: passively letting things happen in the hope that the antisemites will go away without showing real leadership by calling out racism against Jews for what it is and actively expelling it. This is about pushing the problem away rather than seeking justice; it is pragmatism over principle.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has lodged a complaint against Jeremy Corbyn, holding him responsible for conduct that is prejudicial or grossly detrimental to the Labour Party, as the Leader during the period of the EHRC’s shameful findings. Given the serious detriment that this conduct has caused, we are seeking Mr Corbyn’s immediate resuspension and, if the complaint is upheld, we will be requesting his expulsion. On the day of the publication of the EHRC’s report, we also submitted a major complaint against Mr Corbyn and other sitting MPs. These complaints are yet to be acknowledged by the Party, and they must be investigated by an independent disciplinary process that the EHRC has demanded and Sir Keir has promised but has yet to introduce.

The Labour Party was found by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to have engaged in unlawful discrimination and harassment of Jews. The report followed the EHRC’s investigation of the Labour Party in which Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant, submitting hundreds of pages of evidence and legal argument. Sir Keir Starmer called the publication of the report a “day of shame” for the Labour Party.

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

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.

, ,

West London Synagogue rabbi discusses “daunting but important” task of teaching conversion students about antisemitism

On the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism, Rabbi Emily Reitsma-Jurman, a rabbi at the West London Synagogue of British Jews, discussed the “daunting but important” task of teaching prospective converts to Judaism about antisemitism.

Rabbi Emily said that teaching converts about antisemitism was a “huge challenge”, owing to the fact that she needed to fulfill her obligation of warning them about Jew-hatred without quelling their enthusiasm surrounding their newfound religion. “We know we have that responsibility,” she said, “but we try to do it in such a way that it’s balanced out with all of the positives that they’ll get from living a religiously, culturally, wonderfully Jewish life.”

Rabbi Emily also stressed the importance of teaching the history of antisemitism whilst also “checking in” with her students emotionally in order to better equip them on how to handle real-life antisemitism. “Sometimes it’s obvious antisemitism, sometimes its much less obvious. Or, it’s a weird feeling that they get when they’re in a situation, and so we try to keep having those conversations with them as they’re going through the process of learning

“To catch them up with all that history is daunting, but important.”

Rabbi Emily also noted that many of her students felt “caught off guard” at the video footage that surfaced last May of a convoy of cars driving through a Jewish neighbourhood shouting “F*** the Jews…rape their daughters” through megaphones. “Everyone had seen it and shared it, and suddenly I found myself with conversion students who were saying ‘I don’t know what to do when I see this, and I don’t know how to feel when I see this,’ and it struck me that up until that point, I had been very good at teaching a sort of academic form of antisemitism. ‘This is what makes up antisemitism, this is how we can recognise it.’ What I hadn’t done was help them deal with the emotional side of it.

“So, what do you do when you feel unsafe? What do you do when you feel insecure? What do you do when something is happening in front of you? Where do you go to report it? And also sitting with them in the sadness that that’s what we need to do. They have a real sense of grief, I think, a lot of the time when they learn about this. But they’re so excited about being Jewish, they’re so enthusiastic about it, and now we have to deal with some of the issues that come around that.”

Rabbi Emily added: “I’m not going to solve antisemitism with my students, but I can help them express their feelings and help them to know that there are safe places to go.”

The podcast with Rabbi Emily can be listened to here, with the longer, video version available here.

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, The Sunday Telegraph columnist Zoe Strimpel and actor Eddie Marsan.

, ,

Amnesty UK takes no action after its Racial Justice Lead apologises for calling Jews “shady” in historic social media post

The controversial activist group, Amnesty UK, has reportedly taken no action after its Racial Justice Lead apologised for a historic social media post in which he appeared to describe Jewish people as “shady”.

According to the Jewish News, Ilyas Nagdee was asked by a friend on Facebook for his thoughts on Orthodox Jews in Bury, in Greater Manchester. The friend said that they were “laughin at Jews [sic]” and joked that “the Jew might hit me with a walking stick.” Mr Nagdee replied: “True. There shady people [sic].”

In another comment, apparently in reference to Hasidic garb, Mr Nagdee reportedly wrote: “Hahahahaha bummmmmmmmm hats.”

When alerted to the comments, Amnesty UK said: “We immediately looked into this matter as soon as we were made aware of it. As an anti-racist organisation, we oppose discrimination, racism and hate crime in all their forms, including against Jewish people or people perceived as Jewish. Ilyas has explained the circumstances of these comments made when he was sixteen years old – he has clearly and unreservedly apologised and we now consider the matter closed.”

Mr Nagdee said: “This conversation happened in 2010 when I was sixteen. I was completely wrong to have talked this way and I totally regret doing so. Like many people, I’ve been on a journey since my early years and have long opposed all discrimination, racism and hate crime – including all forms of antisemitism. I want to make clear: I unreservedly apologise for these comments from twelve years ago.”

Earlier this week it was reported that the Charity Commission has opened an investigation of Amnesty International in relation to a recent inflammatory report on Israel. Mr Nagdee, who is a former presentative of the National Union of Students, has claimed that Amnesty is the victim of a “smear campaign” led by the Jewish state. He has also reportedly called for the release of prisoners convicted of terrorism from Israeli jails, and has posted comments on social media appearing to deny the Jewish state’s legitimacy.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Britain’s Jews have enough experience with so-called ‘anti-racists’ not to be shocked to learn that Amnesty quickly closed its investigation against Ilyas Nagdee, who remains the Racial Justice Lead. The Jewish community knows very well where it stands in relation to the web of Amnesty organisations.”

Image credit: Jewish News

, ,

Extinction Rebellion co-founder who called Holocaust “just another f***ery in human history” to launch new controversial environmental group

The co-founder of the controversial activist group Extinction Rebellion, who was disowned by his colleagues after he described the Holocaust as “just another f***ery in human history,” is reportedly planning to launch a new environmental campaigning group.

Roger Hallam has apparently spoken to meetings across the country to recruit a “direct action” force for a new campaign called “Just Stop Oil”, to be launched in March with a series of blockades of petrol stations, oil depots and refineries.

Although Extinction Rebellion disavowed Mr Hallam, it is understood that at least 23 of the 71 recruitment meetings held by Just Stop Oil were jointly organised by Extinction Rebellion, a spokesperson for which insisted: “We’re all part of the climate movement and so Roger is free to talk to us. But we are separate organisations.”

Mr Hallam made the comment about the Holocaust in an interview to the German newspaper, Die Zeit, in 2019. He told the newspaper, “the extremity of a trauma can create a paralysis in actually learning the lessons from it. The fact of the matter is, millions of people have been killed in vicious circumstances on a regular basis throughout history, ” adding: “They went to the Congo in the late 19th century and decimated it,” before adding that contextually, the Holocaust was “almost a normal event…just another f***ery in human history.”

Mr Hallam claimed that his comments, which appeared to minimise and downplay the Nazis’ systematic murder of six million Jews, were taken out of context: “I want to fully acknowledge the unimaginable suffering caused by the Nazi Holocaust that led to all of Europe saying ‘never again’. But it is happening again, on a far greater scale and in plain sight. The ‘global north’ is pumping lethal levels of CO2 into the atmosphere and simultaneously erecting ever greater barriers to immigration, turning whole regions of the world into death zones. That is the grim reality. We are allowing our governments to willingly, and in full knowledge of the science, engage in genocide of our young people and those in the ‘global south’ by refusing to take emergency action to reduce carbon emissions.”

In a post on Twitter, the German branch of Extinction Rebellion wrote: “We explicitly distant ourselves from Roger Hallam’s belittling and relativising statements about the Holocaust. In so doing he contravenes the principles of XR, which does not tolerate antisemitism, and he is no longer welcome in XR Germany.”

Recently, Mr Hallam was disinvited from the University of Warwick after his past inflammatory comments were brought to the attention of organisers.

, ,

“Don’t get off the bus F***** Jew,” serial offender says, as she blocks pregnant Jewish woman from alighting bus

An alleged serial offender told a pregnant Jewish woman “Don’t get off the bus F***** Jew,” as she prevented the victim from alighting the bus.

The incident took place on a 253 bus at 15:15 on 16th February and was reported by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

The assailant was described as a black woman aged around 25 with a medium build and a ponytail. She was wearing a mustard colour jumper.

The victim has reportedly been left traumatised by the abuse.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD9609 16/02/22.

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

, ,

Man convicted of sending antisemitic letters to Alan Sugar imprisoned for over three years

A man who was convicted of religiously-aggravated harassment after sending Alan Sugar a series of abusive and antisemitic letters was handed a jail sentence of three years and six months at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday.

Patrick Gomes, 70, sent three letters to one of Lord Sugar’s business premises in Loughton between October and December 2018, according to Essex Police.

Each letter was addressed to Lord Sugar and reportedly included abusive, threatening and offensive language that was also derogatory towards the Jewish faith. One of the letters read: “I would like to murder all Jews in Britain, Alan.”

Mr Gomes was arrested at his home in Leyton in March 2019, after his DNA and fingerprints were found on one of the letters. Police found additional discriminatory letters, and discovered that the address of the letters to Lord Sugar was in Mr Gomes’ address book.

Mr Gomes denied involvement but was found guilty of religiously-aggravated harassment, putting those targeted in fear of violence, on 1st December at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Lord Sugar, the former host of The Apprentice television show, was originally reluctant to refer the matter to the police, but thanks officers for “helping to shine a light on the fact that this type of behaviour is simply not acceptable.” Lord Sugar said that, following the incident, he is “now always looking over my shoulder.”

Mr Gomes has also been handed an indefinite restraining order not to contact Lord Sugar.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Lord Sugar was right to refer this matter to the police. There must be zero tolerance for antisemitic crime, but that can only happen when victims report incidents. If racism against Jews is allowed to fester, the number of victims will only grow. We commend the police for pursuing the matter, and believe that this sentence sends a strong message that such grotesque conduct will not be tolerated.”

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

Image credit: Essex Police

, ,

Cardiff teenager charged with being a member of proscribed neo-Nazi group Feuerkrieg Division

A Cardiff teenager has been charged with terror offences which include allegedly being a member of the proscribed neo-Nazi group Feuerkrieg Division.

Luca Benincasa, 19, was arrested on 1st February by Wales Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit (WECTU) officers and appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on 3rd February. 

Mr Benincasa was also charged with four counts of possessing information likely to be of use to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

Mr Benincasa was remanded in custody and was due to appear at the Old Bailey yesterday, though it is understood that he will instead appear at Winchester Crown Court on 13th August.

Last year, a teenager from Cornwall, who became the UK’s youngest terror offender and was believed to have been in contact with the founder of Feuerkrieg Division, was controversially spared a custodial sentence.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has been monitoring and acting against the threat from the far-right for years and continues to support the authorities following suit.

, ,

BBC Sounds reportedly features Lady Mosley interview containing Holocaust denial without context or content warning

BBC Sounds, an online streaming platform that contains live and archived radio broadcasts, reportedly features an interview containing Holocaust denial without providing context or a content warning.

The conversation in question is between interviewee, Lady Diana Mosley, and interviewer, Sue Lawley, and was first broadcast in November 1989 as part of the BBC’s Desert Island Discs series. Lady Mosley was the wife of Sir Oswald Mosley, the leader of the antisemitic British Union of Fascists. The two wedded in Joseph Goebbels’ house in the presence of Adolf Hitler. 

During the interview, Lady Mosley, who died in 2003, reportedly says of her late husband: “He didn’t know a Jew from a gentile…as the Jews were so anti him and attacked him, he, as it were, picked up the challenge.”

When Ms Lawley asked Lady Mosley whether she believed that six million Jews had died in the Holocaust, Lady Mosley replies: “I don’t really, I’m afraid…believe that six million people were…I just think it’s not conceivable, it’s too many.”

“But whether it’s six million or one really makes no difference morally, it’s equally wrong,” Lady Mosley adds. “I think it was a dreadfully wicked thing.”

Lady Mosley also referred to historians’ reporting of Hitler as “nonsense”, adding that “if you don’t like someone, you attack them.”

Ms Lawley reportedly told Lady Mosley that “It’s almost as if you’re rewriting history.” She also said, in response to Lady Mosley’s denial of her husband’s antisemitism, “But did he not call them [the Jews] ‘an alien force which rises to rob us of our heritage’?”

A BBC spokesperson said: “This episode of Desert Island Discs is part of the most complete possible archive resource of programmes from the past 80 years and is not something that is being newly transmitted.

“The programme page indicates that Lady Diana Mosley was married to Sir Oswald Mosley, the leader of the British Union of Fascists, and clearly shows the date of broadcast. Radio 4’s audience is likely to be aware of the controversial views that Lady Diana Mosley held if they choose to explore the archive.”

Recently, Campaign Against Antisemitism visited Broadcasting House, the BBC’s headquarters in London, to tell the Corporation to “switch off the Jew-hate”.

We projected selected instances from just the past eighteen months of the BBC’s bias against Jews or antisemitism onto the broadcaster’s iconic building.

The intervention came as the BBC is rocked with controversy over antisemitism, triggered by its abominable coverage of an antisemitic incident on Oxford Street, which its own Executive Complaints Unit has largely defended (and even that defence has had to be further clarified). In December, we held a rally outside Broadcasting House, attended by hundreds of protestors, to deliver the message: “BBC News: Stop Blaming Jews!” Lord Grade, a former Chairman of the BBC, told Podcast Against Antisemitism that the BBC’s reportage was “shoddy journalism” and called for answers in a video supporting the rally, which was endorsed also by Dame Maureen Lipman.

Ofcom is now investigating the coverage, which, as our projections onto the Broadcasting House showed, is only one example of many in which the BBC has exhibited bias against Jews or even indulged in antisemitism. The result has been the gradual erosion of the Jewish community’s confidence in the BBC. Polling that we conducted in 2020 for our Antisemitism Barometer already revealed that two thirds of British Jews were deeply concerned by the BBC’s coverage of matters of Jewish concern, and 55% by its handling of antisemitism complaints. It is likely that these figures would be even higher if polled today.

Campaign Against Antisemitism monitors traditional media and regularly holds outlets to account. If members of the public are concerned about reportage in the media, they should contact us at [email protected].

, , ,

British boxer deletes Twitter account after posting “tone deaf” photographs outside Auschwitz concentration camp

A British boxer has deleted his Twitter account after posting “tone deaf” photographs of him and his girlfriend outside of Auschwitz concentration camp.

Jamie McDonnell, 35, posted three photographs that caused outrage on social media, with many Twitter users criticising him. 

The former British IBF champion appeared to double down in response to the backlash by accusing those who took offence of being “keyboard warriors”. In response to one Twitter user, Mr McDonnell wrote: “Ok mate it’s a tourist place is it not so if we visit we can’t smile, come on pal.” 

In another post, the boxer wrote: “I have a weekend away with my girlfriend, I’m not going to not smile am I, but I understand what’s happened chill out a bit.”

Mr McDonnell has since deleted his Twitter account. 

, ,

Visibly Jewish man victim of violent burglary in Stamford Hill

A visibly Jewish man was the recent victim of a violent burglary in Stamford Hill.

The man reportedly had his phone stolen during the burglary. CCTV footage shows the Jewish man being violently punched by another man wearing what appears to be a brown jacket and blue jeans.

The incident occurred on St Ann’s Road on 11th February at approximately 15:00 and was reported on Friday by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD 3703 11/02/22

It was also reported that Hackney Police are looking to speak with a person named Mark Zahra regarding a burglary of a synagogue on Lampard Road which reportedly occurred on Saturday. Anyone with information should contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: 4604158/22

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

, ,

“We don’t want Jews here…Heil Hitler”: Man performs Nazi salute to woman with two babies in Stamford Hill

CCTV footage captured what appears to be a man performing a Nazi salute to a woman who was pushing two babies in a pram in Stamford Hill.

The man reportedly said: “We don’t want Jews here…heil Hitler.”

The incident occurred on 7th February and was reported on Friday by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD 4603995/22

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Police received a report of an antisemitic hate crime that took place in Stamford Hill, N16 at approximately 16:45hrs on Monday, 7th February where a woman and her children were verbally abused by a man.

“Enquiries are ongoing to identify those responsible, including analysis of CCTV footage. There have been no arrests.”

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

, ,

Antisemitic chanting and graffiti greet Israeli ambassador at Cambridge University

The University of Cambridge has been rocked by antisemitic chanting and graffiti in connection with a visit by the Israeli ambassador.

The event on Tuesday was greeted by antisemitic chanting from a mob of around 100, who gathered outside the Cambridge Union shouting “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

The chant of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” only makes sense as a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state — and its replacement with a State of Palestine — and is thus an attempt to deny Jews, uniquely, the right to self-determination, which is a breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Signs were held reading “Zionist scum not welcome here,” while graffiti was discovered also reading: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

Andrew Percy, the Conservative MP and Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism, said: “Cambridge University needs to investigate the use of this to determine if any of their students were involved and, if so, what action they plan to take against students using a slogan so beloved of terrorists.”

In a statement, the University of Cambridge said: “The University of Cambridge supports the right to freedom of speech and protest, but does not tolerate racism or harassment. The police attended the protest and are therefore best placed to determine if laws were broken. We would encourage anyone with evidence of criminality to report it to them. If there is evidence that students have broken the University’s code of discipline then this will be investigated.”

The University of Cambridge has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

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]. 

, , , ,

Prominent Grenfell Tower volunteer aid worker Tahra Ahmed sentenced to 11 months in prison for stirring up racial hatred after being reported to police by CAA

Tahra Ahmed, a prominent Grenfell Tower volunteer aid worker who was reported to the police by Campaign Against Antisemitism has been sentenced to 11 months in prison after being found guilty of publishing written material in order to stir up racial hatred.

Ms Ahmed, 51, was exposed in The Times as having claimed that the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire were “burnt alive in a Jewish sacrifice.” After the tragic fire that left 71 dead, Ms Ahmed said that she had been coordinating the work of volunteers, coaching them and running workshops with the aim of empowering them. She reportedly discussed her beliefs with some of the people she has helped.

Ms Ahmed, who described herself during her testimony as “very very bright”, was found guilty of two counts of incitement to racial hatred, following the trial instigated after Campaign Against Antisemitism, CST and others reported the matter to the police.

Sentencing Ms Ahmed today, His Honour Judge Mark Dennis QC said that “stirring up racial hatred is an abhorrent act”. Noting that she had received a good education, he said: “I have no doubt you knew full well what you were doing and it’s likely affect,” adding that he had “no reason to conclude you have any remorse.”

He also read from character statements from Ms Ahmed’s family, noting that it was “unfortunate” that one of them had claimed: “There seems to be a special rule for the Jewish people…one rule for them, another rule for us. Is that fair?” A defence plea for Ms Ahmed to receive a light sentence on account of her care duties for her 74-year old diabetic mother was brushed aside as the judge observed that Ms Ahmed is not her mother’s primary carer and in fact visits about once or twice a week.

Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “For years we have pursued justice against Tahra Ahmed and today we are vindicated by this strong sentence, which sends a very clear message to those who seek to stir up anti-Jewish racism through conspiracy theories.

“Ms Ahmed sought to twist the Grenfell Tower tragedy to fit her venomous world view in which it seems that any evil can be attributed to Jews. She used people’s suffering and anger in the aftermath of the Grenfell tragedy and tried to wield it as a weapon against Jews before an audience of tens of thousands on social media. We are pleased that she will now go to prison for her wicked fabrications.

“As we have seen, her hatred has not only enabled her to abuse the Grenfell tragedy, but also to accuse Jews of being responsible for 9/11 and of supposedly exaggerating the Holocaust. As the prosecution observed, she used her position as an aid volunteer in the aftermath of Grenfell to ‘bait the mob’ against Jewish people, making her conduct particularly repulsive.”

In her social media posts, Ms Ahmed had written: “Watch the live footage of people trapped in the inferno with flames behind them. They were burnt alive in a Jewish sacrifice. Grenfell is owned by a private Jewish property developer just like the twin towers. I wonder how much Goldman [Goldman Sachs, a bank often targeted by antisemites] is standing to make in the world’s most expensive real estate location [Kensington].”

She has also described the Holocaust as the “holohoax” and posted on Facebook that “Hitler and the Germans were the victims of the Jewish conspiracy to destroy Germany.” She is also a proponent of the antisemitic conspiracy theory that the 9/11 terror attacks were faked by Jews. In one Facebook comment found by Campaign Against Antisemitism after The Times published its article, she wrote: “All the leadership of ISIS is directly recruited by CIA and the leadership are all Arab Jews, trained by Mossad.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism also uncovered posts by Ms Ahmed claiming that “Jews have always been the ones behind ritual torture, crucifixion and murder of children,” a comment redolent of the blood libel. Other posts described the antisemite Gilad Atzmon as her “good friend” and complained about the “hold of Jewish power over our so-called free and democratic society”, claimed that “Zioborg overlords are engineering a civil war”, and referenced a supposed “Zioborg Banking cartel”, among other inflammatory comments. She has also promoted the far-right, antisemitic “Kalergi Plan” conspiracy theory, which claimed that there is a plot to mix white Europeans with other races through immigration.

Following The Times’ exposé and the further research by Campaign Against Antisemitism, we reported Ms Ahmed to the police and called for her to be prosecuted. The five-day trial, held at the Old Bailey after Westminster Magistrates’ Court declined jurisdiction, ended today with a guilty verdict from a jury.

Ms Ahmed, who denied two counts of stirring up racial hatred by publishing written material, was described by prosecutor Hugh French as having “published two posts that were virulently antisemitic and crossed the line as to what is acceptable in a liberal society.”

During the trial, the prosecution read a statement by Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Chief Executive, Gideon Falter.

Giving evidence, Ms Ahmed said that she campaigns against the arms trade, with her lawyer describing her work as being part of the “social justice movement.”

She claimed to have a problem with “Zionist Jews, not all Jews,” and that when she talks about “Zionist Jews” or “Talmudic Jews” or “Satantic Jews” people know whom she is referring to, conceding that there were times when she wrote something and failed to make a distinction between the particular Jews whom she was talking about and Jews in general. She claimed that she detests publicity and that The Times, by publishing her posts, is guilty of inciting racial hatred, rather than her.

As her evidence turned to Grenfell, she explained that in 2014 she began working as a life coach, confirming, however, that she had no training in this field. She set out to provide support for the volunteers who were supporting the victims. When asked about her description of the Grenfell fire as a “Jewish sacrifice”, she answered that “the Talmud talks about sacrificing children, Satanic ritual abuse, a lot of it coming from the Jewish circles…the Ba’al Jews, Talmudic Jews, Zionist Jews they’re a small number of the Jewish community but they are criminals.” Asked whether the fire was started deliberately, she claimed that many people believe so. Pressed on whether the Jews were to blame, she said that at the time she did think that, “just like they bombed Gaza every couple of years.”

Asked by her lawyer whether she accepts that the post was insulting, she agreed, but she denied that it amounted to racial hatred, saying: “Absolutely not, no way. No racial hatred except to the criminals. I’ll be bold to the criminals and I’m entitled to be.” The prosecution noted, however, that with passions running high in the immediate aftermath of the fire, people would be looking for someone to blame, and Ms Ahmed’s posts were an attempt to “bait the mob”, which she denied.

When Ms Ahmed was asked about her claim that “Jews are always the ones behind ritual murder, especially young boys, to atone and be let back in Palestine,” she insisted that “there are millions of Jewish people who are anti-Zionist and many are Facebook friends, so if any of them were offended they would have pointed it out,” adding that “If it [the comment] stirred up racial hatred, it would have happened by now.”

Regarding her posts about the disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, Ms Ahmed told the court about “Satanic ritual abuse practiced by secret societies in order to control people…horrific torture of children, raping them, et cetera…Weinstein, the Hollywood mogul, my suggestion was he was not involved in SRA [Satanic Ritual Abuse] or the upper echelons of the cult and was therefore dispensible.”

The defence asked Ms Ahmed who the “Satanic ruling Jews” are, to which she responded that they are “the bankers, owners of media and corporations, they manipulate and control a lot of evil in the world and I want it to end and so I expose who they are. Unfortunately, sometimes I don’t qualify by saying ‘Satanic’ and some racists would comment and I’d delete the comment or tell them off. People would share racist or inflammatory memes and I’d delete them, even though I’m passionate about freedom of speech. My intention is to educate them.” When pressed by the prosecution on whether she could provide any examples of her calling out racism or removing posts as she claimed to have done, she could not.

On the Holocaust, Ms Ahmed told the court, “I’m not a Holocaust denier…unfortunately, six million Jews is a number that has been perpetuated and the actual number has been revised down by experts.” She affirmed using the term “Holohoax”, arguing that “it [the figures] was manipulated and exaggerated at the time” and that, regarding the actual number of deaths in the Holocaust, “The Jewish council [sic] says 3.5 million…the Red Cross says 283,000.” She also baselessly asserted that “Hitler had an agreement with Rothschild to put Jews in concentration camps so Rothschild could transfer Jews to Palestine” and approvingly quoted a known Holocaust denier. She was also pressed on why she described the expulsion of the Jews from England in the Middle Ages as a “final solution to the Jewish problem.”

The judge asked Ms Ahmed about 9/11: “It’s a yes or no question. Do you believe Jews were responsible for 9/11?” Ms Ahmed replied that “It’s not fair to answer that without context,” also variously describing the terrorist attack as a “false flag” operation and a “Mossad” operation. She further claimed that “Before US Presidents are elected, they show their allegiance to Israel to pay homage to say ‘we’re here to serve you’.”

During her testimony, Ms Ahmed also invoked far-right conspiracy theories, for example asserting that “Kabbalistic Jews don’t want Europe to remain white. Personally, I’m multicultural and love diversity. This plan is to bring other people into the land to deliberately destroy cultures,” a claim akin to the replacement theory antisemitic conspiracy theory popular with white nationalists. Her testimony also featured further comments about “Rothschild” control of the banking system; “ZioNazis”; “real Ashkenazis” and “Satanic Ashkenazis”; the “Bilderberg group” (which often features in conspiracy theories); “powerful people behind world governments”; a “cabal” akin to the “deep state” and “the most powerful ones at the top are Jewish”; the Khazar myth, which holds that contemporary Jews are actually a converted Central Asian people with no claim to the Land of Israel, and other conspiracy theories, including about the CIA and the COVID-19 “scamdemic”.

The prosecution accused Ms Ahmed of “using the witness box as a pulpit for your views” and of knowingly and deliberately “whipping up the mob with her social media posts.”

In her defence, over the course of her extended and rambling testimony Ms Ahmed insisted that “I’m not racist or antisemitic but passionate which sometimes looks like anger. They don’t care I write about Muslim terrorist organisations, I’m not accused of being islamophobic or anti-white or anti-British.” She described the trial as a “witchhunt” and claimed that, during case management and her plea hearing last year, she was “unlawfully arrested, incarcerated and tortured for six days” and suffered from “post-traumatic stress disorder” as a result, inhibiting her from mounting a strong defence. At more than one point, she was rebuked by the judge for misleading the jury about the case management process.

Ms Ahmed was found guilty by eleven of the twelve jurors, who agreed on both counts, and has today been sentenced.

We are grateful to the CST for once again providing security for CAA personnel attending court for the trial.

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

,

UK records highest-ever number of reported antisemitic incidents in 2021, up 34% on the previous year

The CST’s latest release shows that the number of reported antisemitic incidents reached a record high in 2021.

The figures for 2021 show 2,255 reports of antisemitic incidents, which is the highest figure on record and represents an increase of 34% on the previous year.

It is also widely recognised that many incidents go unreported.

The surge in antisemitism during the conflict between Hamas and Israel last May – when the CST recorded 661 reported antisemitic incidents, which was the highest ever monthly figure – is undoubtedly one of the causes of the severe rise, although a loosening of pandemic restrictions is also cited as a milder contributing factor.

More than half of the incidents were in London, and 2021 also saw the highest number of reported antisemitic incidents on British university campuses.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Once again, the Community Security Trust has done an outstanding job of exposing the increasing normalisation of antisemitism in this country. That number of incidents in 2021, the highest ever reported, is shocking and disgraceful, but it comes as no surprise to those of us who are working on the front line in this fight to counter this ancient racism.

“There have been ample opportunities to put the brakes on the spread of this poison in recent years, and they’ve all been missed. The report today shows we are now seeing the consequences of those failures. We need to see genuine zero-tolerance enforcement of the law. We need an education program that deals not just with schools and campuses, and we also need to look at de-radicalisation because we know that antisemitism is a gateway to extremism.”

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

, ,

Journalist Eve Barlow speaks about the impact fighting antisemitism has had on her life and mental health

On the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism, Eve Barlow, a music and culture journalist who has written for The Telegraph, The Guardian and the LA Times, opened up about how tackling antisemitism online has affected her life and mental health.

Ms Barlow revealed that in response to her increased advocacy for the Jewish community and opposition to antisemitism, she had received a torrent of antisemitic abuse and was isolated from her friends. “I found myself more and more pushed to the fringes and to the sides of people’s social circles to the extent that I really was winding up spending most of my time either with a select one or two close friends or completely alone.”

Ms Barlow added that as a result of her income decreasing due to her ever-growing profile as an activist against antisemitism, she began focusing more of her time on raising awareness of anti-Jewish racism. “I had been fighting [antisemitism] for so many years, so by the time that war happened last year, I had all the verbiage. I had experienced all of the trolling. So I found myself in a place where my verboseness and my preparation to know what to say and how to say it with effect created so much noise and attention around me that…it was kind of out of control, and my numbers were growing like mad because people suddenly needed a voice.” 

Speaking on the online trolling that she has received, Ms Barlow said that when she did not take the necessary precautions to place restrictions on her social media posts, “thousands upon thousands” of people would reply with hateful comments, adding “I’ve had to take precautions to make sure that my personal security is a lot tighter.”

When asked about her mental health, Ms Barlow said that “on the whole, I put up a pretty affronted and assured and unapologetic stance” and that she felt the need to “set an example,” but acknowledged that her mental health “ebbed and flowed”. Ms Barlow also said that at times, she worried about the impact the online trolling was having on her real life.

“This viral hatred of me online…what is it reducing me to? Because people don’t see you as a person anymore, they see you as this thing…they have this idea of you…and then people who were your ‘friends’, they stop seeing you as a person and they run away from you. The amount of people who abandoned me in that moment and who have never come back to me…it speaks volumes about how humanity has been manipulated and disaffected by social media,” she said.

However, despite all of the online trolling she has received, Ms Barlow said: “I really have to keep believing in people, and keep believing in the power of community, and the power of truth.”

The podcast with Ms Barlow can be listened to here, with the full, hour-long version available here.

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, The Sunday Telegraph columnist Zoe Strimpel and actor Eddie Marsan.

, ,

Sir Keir Starmer receives torrent of antisemitic abuse in connection with controversial Jimmy Savile claims

Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, has received a torrent of antisemitic abuse in connection with controversial claims that, in his previous role as Director of Public Prosecutions, he was responsible for the failure to prosecute Jimmy Savile, the sexual predator who targeted child fans.

Posts online described Sir Keir’s wife, who is Jewish, as “an Israeli”, and said that his “children are being raised as Jews and he’s been quoted as saying he is ‘Zionist without qualification’, spuriously adding that “Savile was a notable Israeli supporter who had met senior Israeli politicians and was considered an esteemed friend of Israel.”

Another post said: “Damn straight, never voting for zionist apartheid loving Starmer and yesterday was staged, it was a play right out his Israeli master’s handbook.”

Yet another claimed that “Starmer has far more a case to answer on Savile than Corbyn ever did on antisemitism.”

The abuse has been roundly condemned.

The Labour Party was found by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to have engaged in unlawful discrimination and harassment of Jews. The report followed the EHRC’s investigation of the Labour Party in which Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant, submitting hundreds of pages of evidence and legal argument. Sir Keir Starmer called the publication of the report a “day of shame” for the Labour Party.

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

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.

Image credit: Chris Boland

, ,

Statue of medieval Jewish businesswoman unveiled

A statue of Licoricia of Winchester and her son Asher was unveiled in Winchester earlier today.

Licoricia was a Jewish businesswoman who has been described as “the most important Jewish woman in medieval England” and a leader in her community. She lived in the 13th century and was murdered in 1277, just 13 years before King Edward 1 expelled the Jews from England. 

In a press release, the Licoricia of Winchester Appeal, the charity behind the creation of the statue, said that “The project to install a statue of Licoricia aims to inform people about England’s little-known but important medieval Jewish community,” and added that it hoped it would offer a “fresh gateway to the study of Winchester’s royal medieval past.”

HRH Prince Charles was due to unveil the statue but was unable to attend after testing positive for COVID-19.

Last month, Winchester city council’s planning report said: “It is hoped that the statue will provide an opportunity to educate Winchester’s population and visitors about its medieval past and Jewish community and that it will be a lasting enhancement to the city.”

, ,

Tottenham Hotspur to reassess usage of the word “yid” after publishing focus group results

North London’s Tottenham Hotspur football club has stated that it is to reassess the usage of the word “Yid” after holding focus groups on the matter.

The club, after conducting the first stage of its consultation with supporters in 2019, which found that 94% of the 23,000 respondents acknowledged that the word could be considered a racist term against a Jewish person, concluded its study in the summer of 2020.

Results from three focus groups were published. The club has stated that, from these results, it found that Spurs’ supporters who continued using the term would be open to reducing their usage of it if offence is being caused and that younger fans were less likely to understand the historical context and controversial nature of the word.

The club said in its statement: “It is clear the use of this term does not always make this possible, regardless of context and intention, and that there is a growing desire and acknowledgment from supporters that the Y-word should be used less or stop being used altogether. We recognise how these members of our fanbase feel and we also believe it is time to move on from associating this term with our Club.”

It added: “We acknowledge that any reassessment of the use of this term needs to be a collaborative effort between the Club and its fans. We shall be working to further outline the historical context of the term, to explain the offence it can cause and to embrace the times in which we now live to show why it can be considered inappropriate, regardless of context. There is some great work being undertaken in relation to wider anti-racism and anti-homophobia initiatives already.”

Concluding, the club said that in light of the work being undertaken to tackle racism and homophobia in football, it felt that “a similar approach is needed to address antisemitism, a sentiment that was also strongly borne out in our fan focus group work,” before stating that “Antisemitism remains a serious issue in football and more needs to be done to combat it. We believe that antisemitic abuse must be given the same zero tolerance that other forms of discriminatory behaviour receive. It should not be left to a minority in football to address and lead on this.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We applaud Tottenham for tackling this sensitive issue. Clearly, most Spurs fans using this term are doing so without malice, as a way of showing solidarity with their team. But more and more fans from other clubs are using the term as a form of abuse towards Spurs players, staff and fans, and are dangerously conflating their adversarial view of Tottenham with their perception of the Jewish community. This report, which points to a gradual phasing out of the use of the word in stadium chanting, is to be welcomed. In the meantime, other football clubs must urgently clamp down on the use of the phrase by their supporters as a form of abuse towards Spurs fans and as a racist epithet against ordinary Jews.”

Both the club’s owner, Dan Levy, and its fans have been subjected to antisemitic abuse in the past.

The Premier League, including Tottenham Hotspur has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Campaign Against Antisemitism recently produced an Instagram post detailing recent incidents of antisemitism in football. 

, ,

“I wish I had a gun to shoot you”: Jewish schoolchildren reportedly assaulted in Stamford Hill

It has been reported that Jewish schoolchildren were reportedly assaulted in Stamford Hill, North London.

The perpetrator is alleged to have harassed Jewish people before and is understood to have shouted “You Jews are so bad” and “I wish I had a gun to shoot you.” CCTV footage appears to show a visibly angry man yelling at Jewish schoolchildren as a Jewish man shields them as they walk.

The incident is believed to have occurred on 6th February and was reported today by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD 4417 06/02/22

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

, ,

Fury as Brighton Labour readmits councillor suspended over antisemitism, while Labour councillor in Dudley yet to face sanction over his social media activity

The Labour Party in Brighton has stoked controversy by readmitting a councillor suspended in connection with allegations of antisemitism.

Cllr Anne Pissaridou was suspended from Labour in 2020, reportedly in connection with antisemitism allegations, and a Facebook post in particular.

At the time, she said: “I am deeply sorry for my actions and any distress I have caused to the Jewish community. This happened several years ago, before I was a councillor, and the posts I shared do not reflect my views. I do not seek to excuse my mistake. I deeply regret not properly reading information before sharing such hurtful links. I am aware of the complaint that has been made to the Labour Party and will fully co-operate with any investigation.” 

In 2021, when her suspension was due to end, her colleagues wrote to the Council’s Chief Executive to exclude her from their faction. They have now reversed themselves, however, welcoming her reinstatement.

In a statement, Brighton and Hove Labour Group of Councillors said: “The Brighton and Hove Labour Group of Councillors have decided to readmit Cllr Pissaridou into the Labour Group after a period of exclusion. The Labour Group have made this decision as they feel Cllr Pissaridou has made conscious and sustained efforts to educate herself on issues around antisemitism and antisemitic tropes. She has also begun rebuilding trust with members of the local Jewish community and has apologised wholeheartedly for her actions that led to her initial suspension from the Labour Party.

“The Labour Group are clear that whilst we welcome the rehabilitative steps Cllr Pissaridou has taken, there is an ongoing learning journey we must all continuously take to improve our efforts to be proactive anti-racists and ever vigilant in the face of antisemitism. The Brighton & Hove Labour Group are clear that there is no room for antisemitism or any other form of racism in our party, on our council, or in our city. That’s why we pledged to become an anti-racist Council, and we remain committed to delivering on that promise.”

The about-turn has been met with fury by local activists.

Meanwhile in Dudley, action is yet to be taken against Cllr Zafar Islam despite a complaint reportedly having been made against him months ago.

The complaint by Labour Against Antisemitism, submitted in September 2021, details Cllr Islam’s social media activity, where he claims a “witch-hunt” has taken place against Labour politicians critical of Israel, among other inflammatory remarks. The activist group reportedly has yet to hear if any action has been taken in connection with the complaint.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “If Jackie Walker, Marc Wadsworth and Chris Williamson have no place in the Labour Party, then surely those like Cllr Zafar Islam who appear to have defended them and persistently complain about how Labour antisemitism allegations are pushed by a ‘Lobby’ must be investigated and sanctioned. Yet it remains unknown if the Party has taken any action against Cllr Islam at all, despite a complaint having been made months ago. Sir Keir Starmer claims that he has ‘shut the door’ on antisemitism, but with cases like these it looks more like the Party is shutting the door on campaigners who want transparency and action.”

The Labour Party was found by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to have engaged in unlawful discrimination and harassment of Jews. The report followed the EHRC’s investigation of the Labour Party in which Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant, submitting hundreds of pages of evidence and legal argument. Sir Keir Starmer called the publication of the report a “day of shame” for the Labour Party.

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

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.

, ,

Green Party rejects Ken Livingstone’s bid to join, and drops Shahrar Ali as policing spokesperson but not over antisemitism allegations

The Green Party has reportedly rejected a bid by the controversial former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, to join the Party.

Mr Livingstone, 76, quit the Labour Party after being suspended over comments that he made about Hitler supporting Zionism.

The former mayor has an exceptionally poor record on antisemitism and relations with the Jewish community, which predated his terms as mayor and has endured since. Among many other entries, that record includes welcoming, during his first term as mayor, a radical, antisemitic cleric to City Hall, and during his second term comparing a Jewish journalist to a Nazi concentration camp guard, a comment that got him briefly suspended as mayor before the suspension was overturned.

More recently, Mr Livingstone contended that Adolf Hitler “was supporting Zionism”, an assertion that prompted 107 MPs to sign a statement describing his words as “insidious racism” and eventually led to his resignation from the Labour Party.

Indeed, Mr Livingstone is infamous in the Jewish community for inspiring the so-called ‘Livingstone Formulation’, by which Jews who cite evidence of antisemitism are accused of lying, conspiring or having deceitful motives in doing so.

Mr Livingstone recently said: “I genuinely think we’re heading toward extinction before the end of the century because no government anywhere is doing enough to tackle the impact of climate change. At Cop26 they all said the right things but…you’ve got to get people to completely change the way we live and no government around the world seems to have the courage to do that.”

He claimed that he made contact with the Green Party in the past about joining, but that “they never got back to me.” He suspected that they “thought that if they brought me in they’d be accused of being antisemitic.”

It is understood that membership applications from high-profile political defectors are reviewed by a Green Party regional council for consultation.

Asked about the apparent rejection of Mr Livingstone’s membership bid, a spokesperson for the Green Party said: “The Green Party does not comment on individual applications for membership. We reserve the right to exclude people from membership where necessary, in line with the party’s principles and values.”

Separately, it has been reported that the Greens have dropped their inflammatory former Deputy Leader, Shahrar Ali, as the Party’s Spokesperson for Policing and Domestic Safety, apparently for “for breaches of the Speakers’ Code of Conduct”. Dr Ali, who remains a member of the Party, has longed faced criticism from Party activists over his alleged views on trans rights, and there is speculation that this may be the reason for his ouster. It is notable that he has also faced criticism over his stances on antisemitism and yet this has apparently played no role in the pressure that he has faced.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has extensively documented alleged antisemitism among officers of the Green Party of England and Wales, including the Party’s former Equalities and Diversity Coordinator who now holds the International Coordinator portfolio, on which the Green Party has failed to act.

Our Antisemitism Barometer survey of British Jews in 2020 found that the Greens were second only to Labour in how many respondents felt that the Party was too tolerant of antisemitism (43%), while our Antisemitism Barometer 2019 showed that antisemitism on the far left of British politics has surpassed that of the far right.

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.

, , ,

Conspiracy theorist who admitted defacing seventeen bus stops in London with graffiti, including the words “Jews and gays are aliens”, denies the offence was racially or religiously aggravated

A conspiracy theorist who admitted defacing seventeen bus stops in London with graffiti, including the words “Jews and gays are aliens”, has denied that the offence was racially or religiously aggravated

Nicholas Lalchan, 47, from Edmonton, London, used a black marker pen to deface the bus stops, causing £100 of damage each time.

When he was charged, Mr Lalchan, who is Canadian, allegedly said: “New world order. The fourth Reich. We will see.”

Mr Lalchan was convicted of stirring up racial hatred by a jury at Aldersgate House Nightingale Court in central London in September 2021, having admitted possessing a marker pen with intent to cause criminal damage and being convicted of doing so with racial or religious motivation, which he had denied.

When police searched his home, they reportedly found leaflets, marker pens, maps of bus routes and a USB stick containing pictures that referenced Jewish people and conspiracy theories.

Judge Gerard Pounder told Mr Lalchan: “All it takes is for a small Jewish child to see this, and for them to get very upset. You were deliberately hostile and you aimed it at a specific group of people, whether that be gay people, a Jewish priest [sic] or Jewish people.”

Mr Lalchan’s lawyers are now appealing against his conviction for stirring up racial hatred so the court has adjourned sentencing. Explaining next steps, Judge Pounder said: “Your counsel will tell you what’s going on. It’s very complicated. I’m adjourning this until 18th March. That will just be to find out what’s happening in the Court of Appeal and fix a further date for sentence.”

As he was leaving the dock, Mr Lalchan said: “MI5, MI6 is looking to recruit me, they are trying to get me to work against the crown. Your Honour I don’t want to work for MI5, MI6, CIA.” When the judge told him that he would have an opportunity at a later date to make a statement, Mr Lalchan reportedly replied: “It might be too late then, Your Honour. Things are very fluid at the moment. Every single secret service is a traitor to its own population.”

Mr Lalchan is currently on bail and does not need to attend the next hearing. 

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

, ,

Neo-Nazi student who disguised terrorism manual as Minecraft handbook jailed for three and a half years 

A neo-Nazi student who disseminated a terrorism manual disguised as a handbook for Minecraft, an adventure game where users can build and create new environments, was jailed on Friday for three and a half years.

Connor Burke, 19, shared the 27-page bomb-making manual in a channel on the social media platform Telegram under the file name Minecraft_Bow_Ammo_Types.pdf. Other terrorism-related documents, including the Anarchy Cookbook Version 2000, were also disguised as Minecraft handbooks. The Anarchy Cookbook Version 2000 is an updated version of the Anarchist Cookbook, which is a guide to making bombs and illegal drugs at home, written during the 1970s. The author of the book has since stated that he was motivated by anger at the time of writing and said that the “basic premise behind the Cookbook is profoundly flawed”.

Concerns have previously been raised over the alleged increase in neo-Nazi content on Telegram. Last year, a teenage neo-Nazi was jailed for eleven years after using the social media platform Telegram to plot terrorist acts. The far-right group Patriotic Alternative was also found to have created neo-Nazi channels dedicated to sharing vile messages, antisemitic conspiracy theories, and images glorifying Hitler.

In a raid of Mr Burke’s family home in Bexleyheath in February 2021, anti-terrorism police found a copy of Mein Kampf, an SS-dagger, and racist and antisemitic propaganda on his computer. They also discovered a video about the Christchurch massacre in New Zealand.

Commander Richard Smith, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “Burke had an unhealthy interest in extreme right wing terrorist ideology, and this led to him sharing extremely dangerous material with others online.

“Increasingly, we’re seeing young people being drawn into extremist ideologies, some of whom – like Burke – then go on to commit serious terrorism offences.”

Naeem Mian QC, defending, said that “It is every parent’s worst nightmare. Through a toxic combination coming together, a young man who is from a very loving background but socially isolated found he was having to stay at home as many people were during lockdown. So the isolation was even greater.

“He was therefore spending too much time on his computer and on the internet, in his room by himself…He is a young man who has disappeared down something one would term as a rabbit hole. A very dark rabbit hole which became something of an echo chamber.”

Judge Christopher Kinch QC said: “You got yourself caught up in some very dangerous activity and you waded in deep”, but noted that the teenager’s parents called him a “loving, respectful, gentle young man” who they believe had been motivated to “make an impression” with people he met online. Judge Kinch said that he felt that Mr Burke had a good chance of rehabilitation.

Mr Burke pleaded guilty to disseminating a terrorist publication and four counts of possession of a document likely to be of use to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism and was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday to a total of 42 months’ imprisonment and an additional 12 months on licence.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has been monitoring and acting against the threat from the far-right for years and continues to support the authorities following suit.

Image credit: Metropolitan Police

, ,

Sheffield Hallam University reportedly drops investigation into UCU-backed academic who believes “Zionist lobbies…buy presidents” and has repeatedly breached International Definition of Antisemitism

Sheffield Hallam University has reportedly dropped an investigation into an academic who believes that “Zionist lobbies…buy presidents”, defended the phrase “Stop the Palestinian Holocaust” and shared a video called “Truth About Zionist Jews Talmud”.

Shahd Abusalama, who has been studying for a PhD in cinema at the University, reportedly shared tweets defending a first-year student who had made a poster that said “Stop the Palestinian Holocaust” and who was accused by a Jewish student of antisemitism.

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

On social media, Ms Abusalama defended the student by citing Jewish individuals who have made the same analogy, and also wrote: “I understand why a first-year university student used #Holocaust when thinking of Israel’s repeated bombardment of Gaza”, adding: “Maybe she thought she’d garner European sympathy for Palestine by evoking ‘Never Again’ slogan.”

She noted of the term “Holocaust” that she herself would not “use such a politicised word often used to justify the racist state of Israel” because it “distracts attention from the Zionist practices of settler-colonialism and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians.” However, she proceeded to use other inflammatory terms and claimed that the suggestion that the University’s Palestine Society should undertake antisemitism training in light of the incident was indicative of a “hierarchy of racisms” asking: “Are Islamophobia & Xenophobia insignificant? Prioritising one form of racism over others is itself racist and divisive.”

This was not the first time that Ms Abusalama has courted controversy. She is active in the BDS movement to boycott Israel, the tactics of which an overwhelming majority of British Jews find intimidating, and in the past she reportedly urged people to watch a video on YouTube called “Truth About Zionist Jews Talmud”, which presented numerous antisemitic myths about the Talmud. The video’s description asked “Why the Zionist don’t want us to know what’s in Talmud? [sic],” adding: “Why they want the teaching of the Talmud to be known only to Jews.” Ms Abusalama wrote on Twitter: “Must watch this video that tells you the truth about #zionist #Jews. They take their legitimacy from #Talmud.” In another post, she reportedly wrote that the “Zionist lobbies control all this for their interest,” adding: “They buy presidents/slaves.” The video and tweets have since been deleted.

Ms Abusalama has also asserted that “Zionism is one of the worst forms of antisemitism,” described the BBC as part of the “Zionist propaganda machine”, claimed that the Jewish Chronicle newspaper is so named in order to “cement the analogy between anti-Zionism and antisemitism” and has further claimed that “Germany was always one of the greatest supporters and Zionists managed to mobilise German guilt for Nazism to normalise and enable their oppression and dispossession of the Palestinians.” She has also reportedly posted: “Barak Hussein Obama is b*stard! Those racists should be happy now & re-elect him as he’s anti-Arabs and anti-Muslims & #Zionists’ puppet [sic].”

In 2013, Ms Abusalama reportedly appeared at the 46th anniversary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), an antisemitic genocidal terrorist organisation. The event was addressed via video by the convicted terrorist, Leila Khaled, with Ms Abusalama reportedly singing in front of a PFLP banner. In a blog post, Ms Abusalama has also reportedly described Kozo Okamoto, the Japanese Red Army terrorist who participated in the PFLP’s 1971 Lod Airport massacre, as a “freedom fighter”, and described six terrorists who escaped from an Israeli jail last year as “heroes”. She has previously referred to Akram Rikhawi, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for transporting suicide bombers, as “legendary”.

Last month, during the University’s short-lived investigation, Ms Abusalama claimed that “Zionist racist publications/trolls have renewed online #bullying to discredit my academic reputation,” and she was suspended by the University. She declared: “Family, friends, and followers, I am under renewed attack by Zionist publications protesting my recent appointment as an Associate Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, where I also recently submitted a PhD dissertation on the historical representation of Palestinian refugees in colonial, humanitarian and Palestinian documentary films, from 1917 and 1993. The Zionist defamation campaign by Jewish News, Campaign Against Antisemitism and Jewish Chronicle joins a historical pattern where the Zionist colonial narrative is consistently privileged over the narratives of the oppressed.” She also claimed that “Zionists are still targeting me.”

She was then reinstated to her teaching duties, and it is understood that the investigation by the University was then dropped entirely and she was given a full-time position at Sheffield Hallam.

Celebrating the University’s capitulation, Ms Abusalama has once again turned her sights to the International Definition of Antisemitism, and is seeking to sustain the pressure on the University that appears to have enabled her return.

Ms Abusalama was assisted in her negotiations with the University by a representative from the University and College Union (UCU). On 2nd February, the UCU branch at Sheffield Hallam also passed an emergency motion supporting Ms Abusalama. Ms Absulama’s Director of Studies reportedly told the meeting that “black and brown people have had to justify what they have said for many centuries” and that “it is not by chance that the IHRA [International] definition has been used against a young Palestinian scholar.” Last year, the branch was condemned for passing a motion of solidarity with the disgraced Bristol University professor, David Miller.

Among Ms Abusalama’s supporters was the controversial former President of the National Union of Students, Malia Bouattia, who was found by her own institution to have made antisemitic comments.

A spokesperson for Sheffield Hallam University said: “After some specific concerns were raised in relation to an individual’s proposed appointment as an Associate Lecturer, we had a duty to fully consider the matters brought to our attention. An appointment has now been made following the conclusion of a robust HR process. As a university we uphold the principles of free speech and academic freedom. We are proud that our staff and students come from a diverse range of backgrounds, with a wide range of views and beliefs. We do not tolerate discrimination or hate speech, and are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive culture for all our students and staff.”

Binyomin Gilbert, Programme Manager at Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This is just the latest example of a university that has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism and failed properly to apply it in the case of an academic who has repeatedly and unrepentantly breached it, with the academic overcoming an investigation that apparently imposed no sanction and even getting a promotion. It is clear that Sheffield Hallam University has little interest in the welfare of its Jewish students and staff, but at the very least one might have hoped that, as a university, the institution would not wish to tar its reputation by hiring a conspiracist who believes dangerous nonsense such as that ‘Zionist lobbies buy presidents’ and writes from prejudiced ignorance about the Talmud.

“As usual, the University and Colleges Union has run to the defence of anyone who breaches the Definition, proving itself once again to be a very unsafe place for its Jewish members.

“We shall be writing to the University to make our views known and shall be reviewing options for further action.”

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]. 

, ,

London Underground train carriage reportedly taken out of service after “YIDS” vandalism

A London Underground train carriage has reportedly been taken out of service after the British Transport Police were alerted to the carriage being vandalised.

The vandalism appears to show the word “YIDS” and a Star of David etched into the panel of the carriage

The person who alerted BTP was travelling eastbound on the Central line at 16:40 on 3rd February. After reporting the vandalism by text to BTP, she was then contacted by phone where she was then advised that Transport for London had been informed. 

The informant, who works for TfL, was able to check on an internal system and discovered that the carriage appeared to have been taken out of service. 

, ,

Unite suspends official who accused veteran Jewish MP of “weaponising the Holocaust” to push her “Zionist aims”

Unite, one of Britain’s biggest unions, has suspended an official who accused a veteran Jewish MP of “weaponising the Holocaust” to push her “Zionist agenda”.

Communications Officer Nick West reportedly wrote online of the Labour MP, Dame Margaret Hodge, that she “makes millions of us sick to our stomachs. A woman who has weaponises both her faith and the Holocaust to forward her own petty and Zionist aims. While memorialising the awful stain on humanity that was the slaughter of millions of Jews, Romany and gays, those like Hodge who wield the bloodshed as a political weapon are beyond redemption. Humanity would not miss her.”

A fellow Unite member reacted to the post by saying: “Your comment is absolutely vile and if anyone is weaponising the Holocaust, it is you.”

According to reports, this is not Mr West’s first brush with controversy in relation to antisemitism, having previously appeared to compare Israel to the Nazis, in breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism. He wrote: “Criticism of the state of Israel isn’t antisemitism. The Jews suffered great tragedy and now inflict it on others.”

He also played down antisemitism allegations in the Labour Party, writing in 2018: “As we know it’s all cobblers orchestrated by the power of the state of Israel’s lobbying and right-wing MPs’ objections to Corbyn. Labour needs to stand up and say this and stop apologising.” 

A spokesperson for Unite said: “Unite takes this matter extremely seriously.  The employee in question has been suspended and an investigation is under way.”

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

Image credit: JC

, ,

Plank of wood thrown through synagogue window in North London

A plank of wood has been thrown through a synagogue window in Stamford Hill, North London.

Haringey Police are treating the incident as a hate crime.

The incident is believed to have occurred yesterday at 19:00 on Franklin Street and was reported today by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD 2810 04/02/22

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

, ,

Investigation underway after swastika painted on army barracks

An investigation is currently underway after a swastika was found painted on Rock Barracks in Suffolk last week.

The black swastika was reportedly scrawled onto the lower level of a barracks housing troops that was connected to the 16 Air Assault Brigade.

The Royal Military Police, who is leading the investigation, has said that multiple soldiers from the 23 Parachute Engineers reported the vandalism. It is understood that the Royal Military Police were made aware of the swastika graffiti as of 28th January, the day after Holocaust Memorial Day.

An army spokesman said: “We utterly condemn any form of antisemitism and are extremely proud of our service personnel from the Jewish community. We are aware of an incident at Rock Barracks, Woodbridge, on 28th January, 2022. This is being investigated by the Royal Military Police.”

, , , ,

Concerns raised that Texas synagogue hostage-taker may have been influenced by antisemitic Urdu sermons that YouTube has failed to remove

Concerns have been raised that the Texas synagogue hostage-taker may have been influenced by antisemitic Urdu sermons that YouTube has failed to remove from its platform.

Malik Faisal Akram, 44, a Briton who took four hostages at the Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville before being shot dead by the FBI, was reportedly obsessed with two hardline Pakistani clerics popular on YouTube.

Israr Ahmed has 2.7 million subscribers on the social media network and was particularly popular with Akram, according to the JC. On his videos, he reportedly called Jews “the ultimate source of evil [and] the biggest agents of Satan”, adding that they “control the banking system of the world.” In another video, entitled “History of the Jews”, Dr Ahmed claimed that Jews had been acting against humanity for over 2,000 years. “The name of Jews became an expletive,” he said. “They became akin to pigs.”

Interestingly, one YouTube user reportedly asked why English subtitles for the sermons were not provided, prompting another to reply: “I’m happy that there are no subtitles. If these are available with subtitles, this’ll be removed from here.”

Meanwhile, the cleric Tariq Jamil has claimed in a video to his nearly six million subscribers that Jews “distorted” the holy books, among other inflammatory remarks. Akram reportedly organised a “rock star” welcome to Mr Jamil, who leads the hardline Islamic movement Tablighi Jamaat, when he visited Akram’s hometown of Blackburn in 2017. The local Tablighi mosque, Makki Masjid, had loudspeakers installed on the roof so that a crowd overflowing outside could hear his sermons.

According to Akram’s family, he joined Tablighi Jamaat and became a dedicated follower of is leader, Mr Jamil, in 2003. Within a year, he began adopting the harsh strictures of the sect, including growing a long beard and forcing his wife to wear a veil, against her wishes, according to reports. He also apparently began disappearing for months at a time in Pakistan and Britain. It is understood that Akram also raised funds for the group in Britain, a campaign of which Mr Jamil’s visit to Blackburn was part.

Akram was reportedly later banned from the Tablighi mosque after calling for jihad against Israel and the United States inside the mosque, as well as insulting the Gulf states who were warming ties with Israel. It is not believed that Akram had further engagement with Tablighi Jamaat after the ban.

A spokesperson for Google, which owns YouTube, said that the company was reviewing the videos and subscription channels highlighted by the JC. In 2019, YouTube updated its hate speech policy, leading to a significant increase in videos being removed from the platform. The guidelines state that antisemitism and hate speech are prohibited and that videos that breach the policy will be removed.

Previously, YouTube removed Urdu sermons by other figures after the JC reported them, but allowed the creators to continue to upload videos. The videos referenced the “Jewish lobby” and described Hitler as “an angel”. It is not known whether Akram watched those videos, but YouTube failed to remove the channels and continues to profit from them.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Scenarios like this make you wonder what exactly it takes for social media companies like YouTube to forgo a fraction of their profits by removing antisemites from their platforms. The substance of these racist sermons was apparently not enough for YouTube. Perhaps now, this evidence that the sermons may have incited Malik Faisal Akram to take Jews hostage in a synagogue will move the company to act. Or does it take actual dead Jews to persuade social media networks not to take the blood money that comes from broadcasting videos such as these? Government regulation of social media cannot come fast enough for the next victims of a social media user incited by those they watch or read online.”

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.

, ,

“People were getting my picture and making versions of me in concentration camps”: Pink News’ Benjamin Cohen on experiencing antisemitism and homophobia

On the most recent episode of Podcast Against Antisemitism, Benjamin Cohen, the founder and CEO of Pink News, spoke on his experiences antisemitism and homophobia, as well as his feelings about the BBC.

Mr Cohen spoke candidly on his experiences of online antisemitism and homophobia. “People were getting my picture and making versions of me in concentration camps, things like that…essentially calling for me to be killed.” Mr Cohen revealed that this led to him needing to get the police involved.

He went on to say that his experiences made it “crystal clear” to him that “there is this meeting of the hatreds and that they are fundamentally the same people that hate everyone.” 

When asked about the advice he would give to those experiencing antisemitism or homophobia, Mr Cohen recommended using Twitter’s quality filter and its reporting functions, which he believes has markedly improved.

Speaking on the BBC, Mr Cohen said that he was not surprised that two thirds of the Jewish community were unhappy with the Corporation’s coverage of Jewish matters, stating: “Look, I’m not a big fan of the BBC. I think the BBC has a lot to answer for on a lot of different issues.”

“I think if you did a poll of LGBT+ people, you’d find a similar percentage of people say that they don’t believe the BBC reports fairly. Maybe even higher,” he added. “To me, the problem is the BBC has this view of impartiality which means that it goes out of its way to represent contrary views in a way that I don’t believe should be platformed. 

“If you’re going very strongly on the fact that you’re impartial, and then as a Jew, or as an LGBT+ person, or as another minority group, I’m hearing that they’re supposedly impartial and then I see something which clearly isn’t, you kind of make a rod for your own back because you’re saying “I am the most impartial news organisation out there,” or “I will report everything fairly,” but we can all find examples where the BBC doesn’t report it fairly and they’re making it so much worse for themselves because they are stating to be impartial.”

The full podcast with Mr Cohen can be listened to here, or watched here.

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, The Sunday Telegraph columnist Zoe Strimpel and actor Eddie Marsan.

, ,

Encyclopedia Britannica says Arab people and other “Semites” cannot be racist against Jews

The entry on antisemitism in the highly-respected Encyclopedia Britannica asserts that Arab people and other “Semites” cannot be racist against Jews.

The encyclopaedia explains that “anti-Semitism” is “hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious or racial group,” and explains the history of term.

It goes on to explain that “Although the term now has wide currency, it is a misnomer, since it implies a discrimination against all Semites. Arabs and other peoples are also Semites, and yet they are not the targets of anti-Semitism as it is usually understood.” This is true to a point, albeit that the appellation “Semite” is today generally only applied to languages rather than ethnic groups.

To avoid any misunderstanding that antisemitism applies to any community other than Jews, the term is increasingly spelled “antisemitism”.

But the problems – to which spelling the term as “anti-Semitism”, with a hyphen, opens the door – is that one might begin to think either that “anti-Semitism” applies to all “Semitic” peoples, as explained above, or that “Semites” cannot be antisemitic. These problems arise from an etymological fallacy, by which the roots or etymology of a term is used to make an argument about its current accepted meaning or usage. Thus the entry erroneously proceeds to say: “The term [“anti-Semitism”] is especially inappropriate as a label for the anti-Jewish prejudices, statements, or actions of Arabs or other Semites,” which is dangerous nonsense. Of course Arab people can be antisemitic, as indeed can any other Middle Eastern people or group that speaks a Semitic language, including Jewish people themselves.

We shall be writing to Encyclopedia Britannica to correct the entry.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “By insisting on spelling antisemitism as ‘anti-Semitism’, Encyclopedia Britannica ends up committing an etymological fallacy. The result is the antisemitic trope that ‘Semites’ cannot hate Jews. This is ignorant and dangerous, and we shall be writing to Encyclopedia Britannica to correct this error urgently.”

Nathan Lilienfeld
, ,

CAA visits Broadcasting House to tell BBC to switch off the Jew-hate

On Wednesday night, Campaign Against Antisemitism visited Broadcasting House, the BBC’s headquarters in London, to tell the Corporation to “switch off the Jew-hate”. The video can be viewed below.

We projected selected instances from just the past eighteen months of the BBC’s bias against Jews or antisemitism onto the broadcaster’s iconic building.

The intervention comes as the BBC is rocked with controversy over antisemitism, triggered by its abominable coverage of an antisemitic incident on Oxford Street, which its own Executive Complaints Unit has largely defended (and even that defence has had to be further clarified). In December, we held a rally outside Broadcasting House, attended by hundreds of protestors, to deliver the message: “BBC News: Stop Blaming Jews!” Lord Grade, a former Chairman of the BBC, told Podcast Against Antisemitism that the BBC’s reportage was “shoddy journalism” and called for answers in a video supporting the rally, which was endorsed also by Dame Maureen Lipman.

Ofcom is now investigating the coverage, which, as our projections onto the Broadcasting House showed, is only one example of many in which the BBC has exhibited bias against Jews or even indulged in antisemitism. The result has been the gradual erosion of the Jewish community’s confidence in the BBC. Polling that we conducted in 2020 for our Antisemitism Barometer already revealed that two thirds of British Jews were deeply concerned by the BBC’s coverage of matters of Jewish concern, and 55% by its handling of antisemitism complaints. It is likely that these figures would be even higher if polled today.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The BBC seems to be completely comfortable showing contempt for the Jewish community. Its claim to represent all communities was always laughable, but in the wake of recent controversies it is insulting. The broadcaster is making every effort to deflect criticism of its reportage and editorial practices, despite overwhelming evidence that they are not fit for purpose. Neither universal condemnation, nor demonstrations, nor interventions by the Prime Minister and Culture Secretary, nor even the high-profile resignation of a rabbi have moved the BBC to reflect on its failings. It is probably the single most unaccountable organisation in British public life. The BBC’s credibility has worn very thin indeed.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism monitors traditional media and regularly holds outlets to account. If members of the public are concerned about reportage in the media, they should contact us at [email protected].

, ,

“Jewish Nazi pigs” graffiti found in East London

Graffiti that reads “Jewish Nazi pigs” has been scrawled on a wall in Hackney Wick, East London.

The vandalism appears to have been written in black marker. A photograph of the vandalism was uploaded to Twitter.

Earlier this week, graffiti of a swastika was found scrawled on the glass casing surrounding a Borough High Street billboard.

The words “No to”, followed by a Star of David, were written in pink marker on the glass. A swastika was scrawled directly below.

Image credit: StopAntisemitism.org

, ,

Note by Burnley Marks and Spencer attacker read: “O Israel, you are inflicting atrocities on Palestinians and Marks Spencer helping you financially”

A note alleged to have been written by a knifeman who stabbed staff and shoppers at a branch of Marks and Spencer in Burnley read: “O Israel, you are inflicting atrocities on Palestinians and Marks Spencer helping you financially.”

Munawar Hussain, 58, has denied a charge of attempted murder and two alternative counts of wounding with intent at Manchester Crown Court in connection with the incident, in which he used a knife to wound the shop manager in the neck before chasing her through the store on 2nd December 2020. He then stabbed a customer in the arm before the blade snapped, having become stuck in the customer’s handbag strap.

It was reported at the time that antisemitic rhetoric was also heard during the incident.

Following the attack, Mr Hussain reportedly tried to flee the scene but was detained outside by the shop’s security guard and members of the public before police arrived.

The court heard that, following his arrest, a note in Urdu was found on his person that read: “O Israel, you are inflicting atrocities on Palestinians and Marks Spencer helping you financially.”

It is understood that he was discovered to have had a history of mental health problems but was considered fit to answer questions and stand trial.

According to the prosecution, “he told the police that he had targeted Marks and Spencer deliberately because he believed Marks and Spencer funded Israel in what he described as its persecution of Palestine. He said that had his knife not broken he would have gone on to kill others. He said that he expected that the police might kill him and he intended to be a martyr.”

The store manager, who suffered a collapsed lung and nerve damage, told police that her assailant was wearing a COVID mask and that his eyes “looked pure evil”. She added: “If I had fallen he would have killed me. I just thought he is not taking me away from my kids.”

Jurors have been told that the accused does not dispute stabbing her or the customer, and that the issue for the jury is to determine his intention at the time. Judge Nicholas Dean QC, the Honorary Recorder of Manchester, told the jury: “The prosecution say that Mr Hussain had a terrorist motive for his actions. Even if you are sure he had such motivation it does not necessarily follow he had an intent to kill.”

The trial continues.

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

, ,

Piers Corbyn posts swastika on Facebook days after speaking at anti-vaccination event where Holocaust comparisons were made

Piers Corbyn has posted a swastika to his Facebook profile days after speaking at an anti-vaccination event where Holocaust comparisons were made.

The image, posted to both his Facebook and Instagram, displays a swastika above a photograph of the Royal Albert Hall, accompanied by the words: “The Royal Albert Hall is forcing medical apartheid.”

A video recently emerged of Mr Corbyn claiming that allegations of antisemitism against him and his brother, the antisemitic former Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, are a “pack of lies”, and in August, Mr Corbyn suggested that “troublemakers” in Jewish areas posted leaflets created and distributed by Mr Corbyn, which compared the COVID-19 vaccines to the Auschwitz death camp, through their own doors in a “plot” to portray him as antisemitic. Mr Corbyn has compared vaccinations to Nazi policy on more than one occasion.

This post comes days after Mr Corbyn spoke at an anti-vaccination event where former UKIP candidate Jeff Wyatt also spoke and made a comparison between vaccination mandates and the Holocaust.

Mr Wyatt said: “As a little boy, I was amazed that the Jews were brought into the concentration camps. I was amazed that the German people in 1930s allowed the Nazis to do what they did. But here we are. Here we are in 2021, 2022, our fellow countrymen are allowing this fascism to take place.”  

At other times during the conference, references were made, from another speaker, to “globalist cartels” behind an “anti-human agenda.”

Mr Wyatt is the former Deputy Leader of the For Britain Movement who stood as a UKIP candidate in Milton Keynes. The For Britain Movement has been described as a “far-right UKIP splinter group” and has been accused of antisemitism and racism.

This is not the first time that Mr Wyatt has made such comparisons. Mr Wyatt spoke at an anti-vaccination rally in November, hosted by Piers Corbyn, where he also made comparisons to the Holocaust whilst wearing the yellow star that was forced upon Jews during the Holocaust.

​​On a video uploaded to the official YouTube account for UKIP Cambridge & SE Cambs, Mr Wyatt can be seen talking to the camera at an anti-lockdown rally from last year whilst holding a sign that reads “No Gestapo Policing”.

, ,

Metropolitan Police apologise after watchdog investigation found officers joking about Auschwitz

The Metropolitan Police has apologised after an investigation from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) discovered that officers had been sharing jokes about Auschwitz concentration camp.

It was also reported that there was an antisemitic joke made with reference to “killing flies”.

The investigation also uncovered evidence of bullying, misogyny and racist abuse amongst the officers. Police were also found to have made homophobic jokes, islamophobic jokes, and jokes about rape.

Fourteen officers were investigated with two being dismissed on grounds of gross misconduct. 

A statement from the Met said: “The conduct of a team of officers at Charing Cross police station in central London does not represent the values of the Metropolitan Police Service.

“We are deeply sorry to Londoners and everyone they have failed with their appalling conduct and acknowledge how this will damage the trust and confidence of many in the Met.”

The statement continued: “Since this reprehensible behaviour was uncovered in 2017 we have taken a series of measures to hold those responsible to account and stamp out unacceptable behaviour.”

IOPC Regional Director Sal Naseem said that “While these officers predominantly worked in teams in Westminster, which have since been disbanded, we know from other recent cases that these issues are not isolated or historic.

“Our recommendations focus on the identified cultural issues and aim to ensure that those who work for the force feel safe with their colleagues and that communities feel safe with those whose job is to protect them. The MPS has to enjoy the trust and confidence of its own officers from diverse communities before it can hope to bridge the gap in trust and confidence with the communities it serves.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan called the officers’ conduct “totally unacceptable” and said that “It is right that the team concerned has been disbanded and the police officers found to be involved have been dismissed, disciplined or have left the police. Anyone found to be responsible for sexism, racism, misogyny, Islamophobia, antisemitism, bullying or harassment does not deserve to wear the Met uniform and must be rooted out.

“While I welcome the IOPC’s recommendations, more is required and I’ve been clear with the commissioner about the scale of change that’s needed to rebuild trust with Londoners.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “It is deeply disturbing that those who are supposed to be protecting British Jews and other communities could be the very ones discriminating against us. The Met’s statement that it has taken action against those responsible cannot be mere words to make the problem go away, but rather must represent the start of a fundamental change in workplace culture.”

, ,

Borough High Street defaced with swastika graffiti

Graffiti of a swastika was found scrawled on the glass casing surrounding a Borough High Street billboard today.

The words “No to”, followed by a Star of David, were written in pink marker on the glass. A swastika was scrawled directly below.

Images of the graffiti were reported to Campaign Against Antisemitism by a concerned member of the public, who told one of our members that they spotted the graffiti at 9:15 this morning.

Campaign Against Antisemitism is now in contact with the individual.

, ,

Youths reportedly smash windows in Jewish homes in North London 

Youths have reportedly smashed windows belonging to Jewish homes in North London. 

The incident is believed to have occurred on Gladesmore Road on Saturday and was reported yesterday by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD 6556 29/01/22

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

, ,

Gang members reportedly spit in five-year-old Jewish boy’s face in Clapton Common

Gang members spat in the face of a five-year-old Jewish boy in Clapton Common, North London, it was reported today.

The gang is believed to be associated with the nearby Webb Estate and is accused of harassing Jewish residents for years.

The incident is believed to have occurred yesterday and was reported earlier today by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD 4791 30/01/2022

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

We are seeking to recruit a General Counsel a Creative Communications and Events Officer a Communications and Research Manager an Education and Outreach Intern to join our London office

Join the fight

Subscribe
Volunteer
Donate

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.