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Green Party continues to wage war on International Definition of Antisemitism

The Green Party is set to vote on two motions against adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism at its Spring Conference next month.

Motion D07 (an “organisational” motion), sponsored by former Deputy Leader Shahrar Ali and others, calls on the Party to “reaffirm its support for free speech on Israel and Palestine and for The Green Party to campaign against adoption of the [International] Definition of Antisemitism and in support of Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) campaigns.”

The suggestion that the Definition stifles free speech is as persistent as it is unfounded in both fact and law. Meanwhile, research by Campaign Against Antisemitism has shown that the overwhelming majority of Jews feel intimidated by the tactics used to boycott Israel. It is also ironic that boycotting – particularly when it impacts academia and culture – is by definition an attempt to stifle free speech.

This is not Mr Ali’s first battle against the Definition. The Green Party failed to pass a resolution adopting the Definition in 2018 following calls to oppose it by Mr Ali.

Motion E07 (E motions are “unaccredited policy motions and enabling motions”) focuses on the BDS movement but also seeks to repudiate one of the examples under the Definition, namely that “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 antisemitic.

The conference is due to be held online during the first week of March 2021.

Last year, Green Party co-Leader Sian Berry expressed her “frustration” that her Party had still not adopted the Definition. Speaking at a campaign briefing for the Jewish community, Ms Berry observed that motions to adopt the Definition had been placed before the Party’s conference twice but blamed the failure to adopt it on other priorities for the membership. She also noted that she sponsored another motion for the Party’s Spring conference of that year but that it was ruled “out of order”. The conference was in any event cancelled due to the pandemic.

Most other mainstream political parties in Britain have adopted the Definition, including the Conservative Party, Labour Party (after some controversy) and Liberal Democrats.

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.

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Far-right group publishes “alternative” syllabus for children condemned as “poison” and “hateful”

A far-right group that tries to recruit youth to its ideology has published an online “alternative” home school curriculum condemned as “poison” and “hateful”.

Patriotic Alternative claims that 10,000 people a month are accessing the curriculum. The group says: “With our help, your children can learn about their history and culture in a balanced and age-appropriate manner, free from the shackles and ideology of the National Curriculum.”

The group is led by the former head of the youth wing of the BNP, Mark Collett, who is reported to have dabbled in Holocaust denial, collaborated with the infamous American antisemite David Duke, and espoused antisemitic and racist views.

A report into Patriotic Alternative published last summer found that several members of the group engaged in Holocaust denial.

MPs and Ofsted officials have condemned the syllabus, with one MP saying: “We have seen far-right activity and racist attacks increase in the pandemic. Groups such as Patriotic Alternative use lockdown as an opportunity to peddle their hateful ideology.” Another described the curriculum as an attempt to “poison children’s education”.

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.

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Holocaust-denier David Irving Is reportedly charging £2,000 for private tours of concentration camps

Notorious Holocaust-denier David Irving is reportedly charging £2,000 per person for a tour of concentration camps.

In an interview with The Jerusalem Post earlier this month, Mr Irving claimed that he was giving tours to thirteen people at camps and execution sites in Latvia and Poland. He advertises his tours with a title “The Real History Tour of the Wolf’s Lair”, and states underneath: “Don’t miss this lifetime adventure! Make up your own mind about the truth.” In his tours, Mr Irving’s groups visit Hitler’s headquarters, where Mr Irving apparently claims that the Nazi dictator was not aware of the Holocaust.

When asked if his denial tours might fuel antisemitism, an unapologetic Mr Irving replied to his interviewer: “The Jews should ask, Why us? It is not for me to ask that question. Maybe it’s how they have acted over the thousands of years. Maybe it is all our fault. Our Riga tour includes the NKVD [Soviet Interior Ministry] headquarters, and the Skirotawa train station, where Jews also played a role.”

When asked who his paying clients are, Mr Irving claimed that two were judges and three were lawyers, with the group including Russians, Britons, Americans and one from each of France, Sweden, New Zealand and Canada.

British-born Mr Irving was previously incarcerated for thirteen months in Austria for violating its Holocaust-denial laws. He is banned from Austria, Germany and Italy where Holocaust denial is illegal and he is also banned from Canada.

Mr Irving, who was discredited as a historian at a defamation trial in 2000, said during a far-right forum in 2017 that Auschwitz is “small beer” and now “like Disneyland”.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “David Irving is a disgraced historian whose views on the Holocaust are a deep insult to Jews worldwide and to the truth. That he reportedly seeks to profit from his notoriety and peddling of untruths is disturbing and unacceptable. Mr Irving has earned his reputation as a pariah, and should be treated as such by his would-be patrons and others who have the misfortune of encountering him.”

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.

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UCL academics pen letter in support of International Definition of Antisemitism

A group of academics at University College London (UCL) have reportedly written a letter expressing their support for the International Definition of Antisemitism, in the wake of a scandalous report and resolution by the University’s Academic Board calling on the University to “retract and replace” the Definition.

The nineteen signatories described the Definition as “an important safeguard” and condemned the resolution by the Academic Board as being based on a “deeply flawed report, presented as a balanced investigation, but which reads like a partisan piece of advocacy.” They further claimed that the authors of the report consulted only two Jewish students and ignored the widespread support that the Definition enjoys in the Jewish community.

UCL adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism in 2019 but earlier this month its Academic Board passed an advisory resolution calling on the University to “retract and replace” the Definition. The Students’ Union recently voted down a similar resolution. After the vote, one Jewish academic affiliated to the University resigned in disgust, calling UCL an “antisemitic cesspit”.

Following the Academic Board’s vote, Campaign Against Antisemitism announced that it was writing to the Provost of UCL.

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

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

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Member of Mayor Sadiq Khan’s “Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm” resigns without apology after controversial comments come to light

A member of London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s “Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm” has stepped down from his position after allegedly making inflammatory remarks online.

Toyin Agbetu reportedly said in a blog post that there was an “immoral hierarchy of suffering”, whereby victims of the Holocaust have been “served well by Nazi hunters” compared to African victims of the slave trade.

He also apparently defended a lecturer who urged his students to read The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews, a racist tome by the antisemitic hate preacher Louis Farrakhan. The book claims that the Jews played an essential role in the transatlantic slave trade, which is a baseless antisemitic trope. Mr Agbetu defended a book by the same academic, The Jewish Onslaught, which was apparently condemned as antisemitic even by the academic’s own faculty when it was published in 1994. In 2007, Mr Agbetu said of the academic that “his alleged ‘crime’ was being the author of a book that explored the role of Jews in the Maafa [black genocide].”

According to the Jewish News, Mr Agbetu signed a letter criticising the whitewash Chakrabarti Report into antisemitism in the Labour Party on the basis that it was unwittingly discriminatory as “racism against Jewish people is set apart from racism and prejudice against other people.”

Mr Agbetu reportedly further compared British people to Nazis at a commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade, where he said: “All of you sitting here are disrespecting my ancestors. In the history of the Maafa [black genocide], the British are the Nazis.”

Mr Agbetu was one of fifteen individuals appointed to the Commission, which aimed to review London landmarks and statues in the wake of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in 2020.

He has apparently not apologised for his comments and wrote on Facebook: “This year the Mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey is now attempting a similar Afriphobic campaign. I can’t take the risk that all the gains we have made re BLM unravel so I have had to make a frustrating but strategic move. I voluntarily decided to step back from the post before being asked, to help reduce the attacks on the important work of the commission…They are looking for any means to destroy my reputation.”

It is understood that Mr Agbetu still serves on Hackney’s Review of Public Spaces.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “After we exposed pockets of controversy in the BLM movement, we would have hoped that the City Hall would have taken greater care in the selection of members for its Commission. Clearly, Toyin Agbetu has no place on any body designed to enhance diversity. He is right to resign, but there is nothing ‘strategic’ in avoiding apologising for his past inflammatory comments. Until Mr Agbetu makes amends, no institution should work with him.”

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

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Judge regrets “the law prohibits me from punishing you” as defendant who harassed Jewish journalist online walks free following police blunder

A football fan who admitted abusing a Jewish journalist online has walked free from court after the judge declared that “the law prohibits me from punishing you”, following a blunder by the investigating police force.

Sam Mole, a twenty-year-old from Kettering, had sent antisemitic and homophobic messages online to freelance Jewish journalist Dan Levene, including one wishing that Mr Levene would die and another lamenting that Mr Levene had not been killed in the Holocaust.

Further abusive messages had also been sent by Mr Mole from another account that Twitter suspended. Mr Mole, a fan of Chelsea Football Club, took issue with Mr Levene’s stance in opposition to racist chanting by some fans of the club.

Mr Mole admitted to police that he had sent the abusive tweets in October 2019, but on 18th February he was found not guilty at Leicester Magistrates Court on the technicality that he was on holiday in Australia at the time, and therefore outside the jurisdiction of the law.

The District Judge Nick Watson said that the messages “undoubtedly caused deep offence” and that it was “clear the sender’s intention was for the person receiving them to be distressed”. He added that “most would think sending them should be an offence, whether the sender is in this country or abroad”.

The judge went on to observe that there may be public policy grounds for this to be classed as a criminal offence subject to English law, but that it was not up to the court to dictate public policy. Accordingly, he concluded that it was “unpalatable” that Mr Mole had “escaped the consequences of his actions even though the impact of the offence was clearly felt” and he told the defendant: “You can regard yourself as fortunate the law prohibits me from punishing you for an offence most people would say for which you should be punished.”

Mr Mole was issued a three-year restraining order prohibiting him from directly or indirectly contacting Mr Levene and posting messages about him on social media or encouraging others to do so. He was told that if he broke this order, he could go to prison.

The court heard that that Mr Mole, a trainee teacher, expressed remorse for his actions.

The judge observed, however, that if the offence had been charged as harassment, the outcome would have been different. The reason a charge of harassment could not be issued was because the police took too long to interview Mr Mole, and by the time he was interviewed the time limit for that offence had elapsed. It is understood that two police forces – the victim’s home force and the defendant’s – took four months to decide between them who should log the crime, and consequently it was almost six months before Mr Mole was interviewed, leaving the Crown Prosecution Service with little option but to charge Mr Mole with the lesser offence.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has contacted Chelsea to urge the football club to exclude Mr Mole from attending matches and the club has confirmed that it is investigating.

Mr Levene said: “The court was clear that Sam Mole’s actions were criminal but for a technicality, and this shows how victims of online hate crimes are not best served by the laws supposed to protect them. But had two police forces not tried so hard to pass the buck, it is clear this man would have been found guilty of a greater charge. This man targeted me because I shone a light on the appalling racist behaviour of some Chelsea fans, and I look forward to seeing the results of the club’s investigation into his behaviour.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This was an appalling blunder by the police. The result is that a defendant who broke the law and should have been punished has escaped justice. We will be raising this failure with the police forces in question and have contacted Chelsea to ask that the perpetrator be excluded from matches. It is no surprise that three in five British Jews believe that the authorities are not doing enough to address and punish antisemitism, when the justice system can fail so spectacularly as it has here. In addition to highlighting this outrageous instance of police inaction, it also shows how Britain’s antiquated laws are unfit for dealing with online crime. The Online Harms Bill must be expedited through Parliament.”

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.

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.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has long called for tougher regulations on social media sites and that social networks proactively search for and remove hate speech from their platforms.

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“Good riddance”: Disgraced Baroness Tonge steps down from House of Lords today

The disgraced peer, Baroness Tonge, is stepping down from the House of Lords today.

Her welcome departure follows an announcement earlier this month, in which she said: “I have always promised myself and my family that I would retire when I am 80 years old which is in mid- February. I informed the authorities some months ago. Indeed I think many of us should retire from the Chamber at my age—there are far too many people in the Lords. However, I shall continue to campaign for justice for the people of Palestine.”

The announcement came just days after yet another of her controversial interventions in the upper chamber, when she spoke at a recent debate on antisemitism on university campuses and blamed the rise in antisemitism on actions of the Israeli Government, again. Earlier in the debate, Baroness Tonge was skewered by Lord Polak as someone who has had “a career of repeating old, medieval tropes.”

Baroness Tonge was suspended from the Liberal Democrats before eventually resigning, has a long history of Jew-baiting, denouncing Campaign Against Antisemitism, suggesting that the antisemitic attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue might be Israel’s fault, blaming Israel for a rise in antisemitism, and sharing a cartoon comparing Israel’s policies to those of the Nazis, which is a breach of the International Definition.

In December 2019, Campaign Against Antisemitism joined 88 members of the House of Lords in condemning remarks on Facebook by Baroness Tonge following the general election, in which she commented: “The Chief Rabbi must be dancing in the street. The pro-Israel lobby won our General Election by lying about Jeremy Corbyn.”

In 2020, Lord Pickles called for reform in the House of Lords after Baroness Tonge called Israel America’s “puppet master” and received no sanction.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Good riddance. Baroness Tonge, the disgraced peer with a history of promoting antisemitic tropes, is stepping down from the House of Lords today. The Jewish community welcomes the departure of this hateful figure who should never have been elevated to the upper chamber of our nation. It is a stain on the Liberal Democrats that she was never expelled (she resigned) and on the House of Lords that she was never removed.”

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Asylum seeker who reportedly wrote foreword of a book urging the killing of Jews is granted asylum in Britain

An asylum seeker who wrote the foreword of a book urging the killing of Jews has been granted permission to live in the UK.

Egyptian-born Yasser Al-Siri faces the death penalty in his home country and was allegedly part of a conspiracy to murder a general as ordered by Osama Bin Laden.

It has been reported that 2,000 copies of books espousing “the killing of Jews” were found at addresses linked to Mr Al-Siri, but a 2015 Immigration Tribunal did not consider that this evidence was sufficient to overcome the apparent absence of evidence of his involvement in the conspiracy to murder the general.

The Home Office rejected his asylum case on security grounds again in 2018, claiming that Mr Al-Siri had “advocated the use of violent jihad” on social media, and the Government sought to keep him out of the UK. But the Court of Appeal ruled last week that Mr Al-Siri should be allowed to stay, on the grounds that the evidence of his “sympathy for extremist views” was insufficient.

Lord Justice Phillips stated at the conclusion of the case on 8th February: “The starting point is that an unappealed Tribunal decision is final and binding and must be accepted and implemented by the Home Secretary, unless there is a good basis for impugning that decision.”

The Home Office is reportedly “disappointed” with the result and considering its next steps.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “It is a travesty that our country should give the privilege of residence to a man who has reportedly urged the killing of Jews. Our research shows that the threat from Islamists is regarded as serious by 95% of British Jews, and with good reason. It is disappointing that the courts have shown insufficient concern for the wellbeing of British citizens in arriving at this decision.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2020 showed that over eight in ten British Jews consider the threat from Islamists to be very serious.

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UCL academic resigns in disgust following Academic Board’s resolution against International Definition of Antisemitism

An academic at University College London (UCL) has resigned over the Academic Board’s advisory resolution calling on the University to “retract and replace” the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Lars Fischer, a scholar of Hebrew and Jewish Studies and editor of an academic journal on Jewish history, has quit his role and slammed UCL as an “antisemitic cesspit”.

In a blog post dated 9th February, Dr Fischer wrote: “I have now become aware of the prominent role colleagues from Hebrew and Jewish Studies have played in spearheading the appalling assault on the [D]efinition currently being mounted at UCL.”

He went on to observe that “when I embarked on the academic study of antisemitism, it was still taken for granted that one did so in order to combat antisemitism. These days have long gone, and the academy is now full of academics who specialise in explaining why only some forms of antisemitism are harmful and others are not actually forms of antisemitism anyway. Whatever they may believe their subjective intentions to be, they are doing wonders for antisemitism promotion.”

UCL adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism in 2019 but last week its Academic Board passed an advisory resolution calling on the University to “retract and replace” the Definition. The Students’ Union recently voted down a similar resolution.

Following the Academic Board’s vote, Campaign Against Antisemitism announced that it was writing to the Provost of UCL.

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

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

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Bristol University’s David Miller strikes again with inflammatory conspiracy theories about Zionism, which he seeks “to end as a functioning ideology of the world”

An academic with a history of promoting conspiracy theories has asserted that “Zionism is racism” and declared his objective “to end Zionism as a functioning ideology of the world”.

In an online event, David Miller, a Professor of Political Sociology at the University of Bristol, complained of being criticised by the President of the Bristol University Jewish Society and accused the student group of being part of a worldwide Zionist conspiracy, adding that it is “fundamental to Zionism to encourage Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism”. Prof. Miller also observed that the Jewish Society and the Union of Jewish Students are Zionist, thereby implying that Jewish students (and the wider Jewish community) inherently “encourage Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism”.

He also portrayed the International Definition of Antisemitism as an attack on free speech and accused the Israeli Government of engaging in an “all-out attack” on the global Left as part of an “attempt by the Israelis to impose their will all over the world”.

In comments reminiscent of the darkest years of the United Nations, Prof. Miller insisted that “Zionism is racism” and asked how “we defeat the ideology of Zionism in practice”, “how is Zionism ended” and about the way “to end Zionism as a functioning ideology of the world”.

This is not Prof. Miller’s first controversy in relation to Jews, antisemitism and Zionism. Last June, Campaign Against Antisemitism revealed that Prof. Miller was behind disgraced MP Chris Williamson’s Resistance Movement. The group aimed to give a home to the “politically homeless” politicians who had been expelled from the Labour Party for antisemitism, such as Jackie Walker, Tony Greenstein and Mark Wadsworth.

Prof. Miller has a history of spouting conspiracy theories about various Jewish community organisations and figures that has reportedly discomfited his Jewish students. In a presentation titled “Harms of the Powerful”, for example, Prof. Miller suggested that the “Zionist movement” is one of the “five pillars” of hatred of Muslims (redolent of the five pillars of Islam) and is bankrolled by “ultra Zionist funders”. He has also suggested that Jewish interfaith dialogue with Muslim groups represents an Israeli-backed “Trojan horse” initiative to “normalise Zionism in the Muslim community”.

Prof. Miller has previously accused the current leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, of taking “Zionist money”, and he has talked about what he referred to as the “witch hunt” against Labour members accused of antisemitism.

Campaign Against Antisemitism shall be writing to the University of Bristol.

Binyomin Gilbert, Programme Manager at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “David Miller has claimed that Bristol’s Jewish Society and the entire nationwide Jewish student body ‘encourage Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism’. This is crystal clear incitement against Jewish students. The University of Bristol has a duty to protect them and must act without further delay. For years it has defended and protected Prof. Miller instead of its Jewish students. This crank conspiracy theorist has no place in academia, especially when he does such harm to the welfare of Jewish students.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism monitors the adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism by universities. Bristol University adopted the Definition in November 2019.

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

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CAA writes to UCL’s Provost after Academic Board passes advisory motion calling on University to “retract and replace” International Definition of Antisemitism

UCL’s Academic Board has passed an advisory resolution calling on the University to “retract and replace” the International Definition of Antisemitism, which UCL adopted in 2019.

In December 2019, shortly after UCL adopted the Definition to send a message of solidarity with its Jewish students, the Academic Board established a “Working Group on Racism and Prejudice” to “examines the efficacy” of the Definition. The Working Group published a scandalous report in December 2020, observing that “incidents of antisemitism have persisted in our university” but nonetheless recommending a retraction of the Definition. It has also been alleged that evidence was taken from the President of UCL’s Jewish Society but was largely ignored in the report.

Last month, shortly after the report was published, UCL’s Students’ Union intended to hold a vote on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day on whether to call for a retraction of the Definition. According to the Jewish Society, it was reportedly informed of the vote only 45 minutes in advance. Nevertheless, the Students’ Union was persuaded to delay the vote on calling for retraction. That vote took place last week and failed.

Today, the Academic Board held its own vote on whether to call for revocation of the Definition, and it has voted to call on the University to “retract and replace” the Definition with other (as yet unspecified) tools.

The University and College Union (UCU) branch President, Sean Wallis, said in a statement: “This is an important moment. Whilst there are many other positive concrete steps advised by the Working Group, it is very important that the Academic Board concluded that universities must be vigilant in defending academic freedom and free speech where political debates about Israel are involved. Today the Academic Board has resoundingly reinforced this position at UCL.”

In December 2020, the UCU branch of King’s College London also passed a motion calling on the University to revoke its adoption. Given UCU’s long history of controversy in relation to antisemitism, at the time Campaign Against Antisemitism said that UCU’s “reputation in the Jewish community is in the gutter”.

Campaign Against Antisemitism shall be writing to the Provost of UCL, calling on him to remain firm in his commitment to Jewish students.

Binyomin Gilbert, Programme Manager at CAA said: “UCU’s apparent effort to undermine the commitment of British universities to their Jewish students by calling for retraction of the International Definition of Antisemitism continues apace with this latest scandalous vote at UCL. When KCL passed a similar motion late last year, we said that UCU’s reputation in the Jewish community is in the gutter. Evidently, UCU is intent on remaining there. Fortunately, today’s vote is merely advisory, and we shall be writing to the Provost of UCL to ensure that wiser heads prevail.”

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

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

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Holocaust survivor abused and her rabbi son punched in unprovoked bus attack

A Holocaust survivor has been left traumatised after she and her son, a Rabbi, were verbally abused, and the son was punched, by a woman in an unprovoked attack on a bus.

The assailant struck the son in the head whilst screaming: “I hate you Jews, it’s not your place, you took our money.”

She also threw the Rabbi’s hat to the floor in the assault, which took place at 14:48 on Tuesday, 9th February on a 76 London bus travelling from Stoke Newington to Stamford Hill.

Passengers pleaded with the bus driver to stop, as the incident took place as they were driving by a police station, but he allegedly refused.

Police are understood to be looking for a black woman, but a detailed description has not been circulated.

The abuse of the Holocaust survivor, aged 80, and the attack on her son who is a Rabbi in North London, comes in the same week that a disabled Jewish man was verbally abused on another bus with the driver failing to act then too.

Police are currently investigating the incident, which was reported 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: CAD4563 9/2/21.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This is yet another unprovoked act of violence against members of the Jewish community going about their day. Our research has shown that almost half of British Jews conceal visible signs of their Judaism in public due to antisemitism, and fear of attacks such as this clearly feed into this sentiment. TfL must explain why the bus driver took no action, allowing the abuse to go on despite the violence and the protests of other passengers, and the assailant must quickly be identified and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

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.

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“Skulduggery continues” as Labour reportedly drops without a word its quiet investigation into Deputy Leader Angela Rayner launched following CAA complaint

The Labour Party has taken a regressive step by reportedly opening and promptly closing an investigation into Deputy Leader Angela Rayner over an antisemitism complaint submitted by Campaign Against Antisemitism. The complaint relates to Ms Rayner’s promotion of a book entitled The Holocaust Industry, in which the author claims that the American Jewish establishment exploits the Holocaust for political and financial gain.

We submitted our complaint against Ms Rayner and several other MPs on the day of the publication of the report into antisemitism in the Labour Party by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant in the EHRC’s investigation.

The complaints were accompanied by a specific demand that no investigation be launched until the Labour Party introduced a new, independent disciplinary system, as mandated by the EHRC. Late last year, the Party announced its action plan to address antisemitism, which revealed that the independent process could not be installed until after the Party’s annual conference in autumn later this year.

The Labour Party never acknowledged receipt of our complaint, let alone informed us that an investigation was opened. Nor has the Party disclosed to us that this investigation has now been closed. It is therefore unclear whether any investigation has been carried out at all, but if it has, it has not been independent, by Labour’s own admission.

As far as we are concerned, therefore, the complaint against Ms Rayner remains open, and we expect a full and transparent investigation once the independent disciplinary system is in place later this year.

Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “It is still business as usual for the Labour Party when it comes to antisemitism. It is hard to see how the handling of this complaint by Labour under Sir Keir Starmer has been any different to how it would have been handled under Jeremy Corbyn.

“Our complaint against Angela Rayner was never acknowledged by Labour. The Party also did not confirm that it was investigating, and now it has tried to drop the investigation without a word. The EHRC found Labour’s disciplinary processes unfit precisely because the Party tries to sneak through exonerations without due process. Our complaint demanded that any investigation be delayed until an independent process is installed, which Labour has publicly confirmed cannot happen until the autumn, therefore as far as we are concerned, our complaint remains open.

“The investigation of our complaint against Angela Rayner has been a sham and we will be re-introducing the complaint to the independent disciplinary panel when it is set up. British Jews should be under no illusion that despite Sir Keir’s promises, under his leadership the skulduggery apparently continues at Labour Headquarters.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has also 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 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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

In 2019, Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer showed that antisemitism on the far-left of British politics had 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.

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Conservative local council candidate dropped after reference to “Aryan race” in tweet to Jewish MP

The Conservative Party has reportedly dropped a local council candidate after she referenced the “Aryan race” in a tweet to her local MP, who is Jewish.

Sharon Thomason was in a Twitter dialogue with Labour’s Charlotte Nichols MP, who commented in a tweet on a story about the Prime Minister and his partner expecting a baby, saying “Keep the Aryan race going…”.

Ms Nichols tweeted: “This far right troll is Sharon Thomason, who Warrington Conservatives have selected as their council candidate for Great Sankey North and Whittle Hall – if you wanted a feel for the calibre of candidates they’re selecting locally.”

There has apparently been no denial that the Twitter handle in question is operated by Ms Thomason.

The Conservatives have since reportedly confirmed that Ms Thomason will no longer represent the Party at the local elections in May, saying: “Warrington Conservatives condemns all forms of racism, including antisemitism, they have no place in our Party. We had already been made aware of the tweet before Ms Nichols published it and took action swiftly and immediately. We can confirm that the candidate in question will not be standing for the party at the local elections and is no longer a member.”

Further concerns have been raised as to why, given this tweet was apparently sent a year ago, Ms Thomason was nonetheless selected as a candidate.

Amanda Milling MP, co-Chair of the Conservative Party, said: “These comments are totally unacceptable. This was brought to my attention last week and the member was suspended. She is no longer a member and will not be standing for the party at the local elections.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We complained to the Conservative Party over its slow and opaque investigation into two Conservative MPs last year. The Party now appears to have learned lessons and has rapidly opened investigations into the conduct of councillors and candidates in Warrington and Hertsmere. We look forward to an efficient and transparent investigation.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism advocates for zero tolerance of antisemitism in public life. To that end we monitor all political parties and strive to ensure that any cases of concern are properly addressed.

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No jail time for UK’s youngest terror offender who reportedly recruited others to violent terrorism

A teenager from Cornwall who recently became the UK’s youngest terror offender has controversially been spared a custodial sentence.

Now sixteen, the neo-Nazi teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted two counts of dissemination of terrorist documents and ten of possession of terrorist material, after he downloaded his first bombmaking manual at thirteen, and joined the far-right Fascist Forge. In 2018 and 2019, he expressed antisemitic, racist and anti-gay views online, reportedly talking about “gassing” Jewish people and hanging gay people. He is also believed to have been in contact with the founder of the proscribed neo-Nazi terror group Feuerkrieg Division.

His home was searched and police found a Nazi flag, a racist slogan on the garden shed and manuals on his computer and phone about making weapons.

He is also understood to have recruited other young people to the cause.

Nevertheless, he has only received a two-year youth rehabilitation order, after Judge Mark Dennis QC told the Old Bailey that a custodial sentence would “undo” the progress made since the teenager was arrested in July 2019. The judge added that the teenager has “significant vulnerabilities”.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “While rehabilitation of young offenders is a priority, so are justice and deterrence. This convicted terrorist has recruited other youth to a violent far-right cause and must be held accountable for the impact on society and on the future lives of those he has influenced, and it is difficult to see how a non-custodial sentence achieves this. A weak sentence also sends precisely the wrong signal to other would-be terrorists, broadcasting the message that recruitment of minors to violent terrorism carries no real cost.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has previously reported on far-right efforts to recruit young people.

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.

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Gavin Williamson suggests financial penalties for universities over antisemitism, as CAA provides audit of universities

Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, has written to the Office for Students on the matter of adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism.

The Office for Students is the regulator and competition authority for the higher education sector in England.

In his letter, which covered numerous topics relating to universities and campus life, Mr Williamson called for the Office for Students to undertake “a scoping exercise to identify providers which are reluctant to adopt the definition”.

Recently, Campaign Against Antisemitism launched a dynamic project monitoring adoption of the Definition by universities in real time, and shall be providing the latest figures to the Office for Students. The project also includes those universities that have yet to adopt the Definition or have expressly declined to do so, as well as summaries of select antisemitic incidents on university campuses.

Mr Williamson also called for consideration of “mandatory reporting of antisemitic incident numbers by [higher education] providers”. This antisemitism audit would be designed to “ensure a robust evidence base” to assist regulation of this area by the Office for Students.

Finally, Mr Williamson also noted that, where antisemitic incidents do take place at a university, subject to the response of the institution it may be appropriate to consider applying “sanctions, including monetary penalties”.

In full, Mr Williamson wrote: “Following my letter to the sector on October 2020 on antisemitism and adoption of the International [D]efinition of Antisemitism across the [Higher Education] sector, we have positive progress, with at least 31 additional institutions adopting the definition. I would like the OfS [Office for Students] to undertake a scoping exercise to identify providers which are reluctant to adopt the definition and consider introducing mandatory reporting of antisemitic incident numbers by providers. This would ensure a robust evidence base, which the OfS could then use to effectively regulate this area. If antisemitic incidents do occur at a provider, the OfS should consider if it is relevant in a particular whether the provider has adopted the definition when considering what sanctions, including monetary penalties, would be appropriate to apply.”

Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Gavin Williamson is right to continue to urge adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism by universities, and we shall be providing our research to the Office for Students to provide it with the latest figures. We are also heartened by Mr Williamson’s insistence that universities must report and take action against antisemitic incidents, and that failure to do so may attract financial penalties. Jewish life on campus must be protected from anti-Jewish hatred on campus, be it from academics or students.”

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

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Jewish students face mix of solidarity and antisemitic backlash for raising concerns over appearance of controversial filmmaker Ken Loach at St Peter’s College, Oxford

Jewish students are facing an antisemitic backlash online after opposing an event with the controversial filmmaker Ken Loach, who has a history of antisemitism-denial and inflammatory comments.

The event was being hosted by Prof. Judith Buchanan, the Master of St Peter’s College, of which Mr Loach is an alumnus.

Oxford students have largely sided with their Jewish peers, with St Peter’s JCR (junior student body) voting to issue a statement condemning the event. Dialogue between Jewish students and Prof. Buchanan reportedly failed to reach an understanding.

However, Jewish students have reported to Campaign Against Antisemitism that they are also facing an antisemitic backlash over the incident, particularly online, where they have been called “rich Jewish students” and (pejoratively) “Zionists” and “f***ing Zionists”; gratuitous connections have been made to Gaza; the Talmud has been described as “satanist”, with calls to burn it; there are numerous references to Israel being a racist state, in a deliberate breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism; and portrayals have been promoted of the Oxford Jewish Society as a “lying racist organisation”. Some individual Jewish students have also been targeted.

Campaign Against Antisemitism is providing backing to the Oxford Jewish Society and has made legal assistance available.

A roster of ‘usual suspects’ in the creative industry have backed Mr Loach, with the controversial musician Roger Waters describing the effort to raise concerns over the event “McCarthyite”.

Mr Loach’s voice has been among the loudest of those who attempt to dismiss Labour’s antisemitism crisis as non-existent and a right-wing smear campaign. He claimed that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was subjected to a “torrent of abuse” that was “off the scale” and that regardless of what he did, the “campaign” of antisemitism accusations was “going to run and run”. He described the BBC’s Panorama investigation into Labour antisemitism as “disgusting because it raised the horror of racism against Jews in the most atrocious propagandistic way, with crude journalism…and it bought the propaganda from people who were intent on destroying Corbyn.”

He was also reportedly behind a motion passed by Bath Labour Party branding the Panorama programme a “dishonest hatchet job with potentially undemocratic consequences” and asserting that it “disgraced the name of Panorama and exposed the bias endemic within the BBC.” John Ware, the programme’s reporter, is apparently considering legal action against Mr Loach for his comments.

In 2017, Mr Loach caused outrage when, during an interview with the BBC, he refused to denounce Holocaust denial. The International Definition of Antisemitism states that “denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust)” is a manifestation of antisemitism. Although Mr Loach later sought to clarify his remarks, he has continued to make inflammatory and provocative statements about Labour’s antisemitism scandal.

While speaking at a meeting of the Kingswood Constituency Labour Party, Mr Loach advocated the removal from the Party of those Labour MPs, some of whom are Jewish, who have taken a principled stand against antisemitism. Shortly after that incident, the Labour Party announced that it would no longer use Mr Loach as a producer of their election broadcasts.

A spokesperson for St Peter’s College told the Oxford Student: “Ken Loach, an alumnus of St Peter’s College, has been invited by the College and The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities to speak about two of his films. These films form part of a distinguished filmmaking career. This is the latest in a run of occasions on which Ken Loach has been invited to speak in College, all of which have previously been very well received by students. The event will be respected as advertised and we look forward to a good conversation about the films on this occasion.

The continued: “Significant concerns about the event have been brought clearly to the attention of College and College is committed to creating further opportunities for these concerns to be properly respected and discussed within College.  St Peter’s stands vigorously against all forms of discrimination and always seeks to support students who are discriminated against. In the context of the current conversation, College affirms without reservation its very strong opposition to antisemitism. It recognises the appalling atrocities that antisemitism has wrought and can bring.  While not believing that no-platforming is the way to pursue goals of a free and open academic community, it is committed to supporting students who find such decisions painful and to finding ways to address these questions within College as part of a broader, ongoing conversation.”

The Oxford Jewish Society has released an updated statement to its members: “I am sure many of you have followed the events of the past few days relating to the talk that was hosted by St Peter’s College Master, Professor Judith Buchanan, this evening. There was no mention of antisemitism in the talk itself. Professor Buchanan provided a brief explanation as to why the event was not cancelled before introducing Ken Loach. She did not directly address the allegations of antisemitism levelled at Ken Loach. Shortly after the event, multiple public figures signed a statement published on ‘Artists for Palestine UK’, entitled: ‘Artists stand with Ken Loach and against McCarthyism’. Following that, [the musician and controversial activist] Roger Waters…shared our statement directly on Facebook, and then on Twitter. Accompanying his post is a trope-ridden caption that reads: ‘Don’t let the Israeli Lobby rewrite our dictionaries with this McCarthyite, racist, claptrap. We know what antisemitism is, and being anti-Israeli apartheid ain’t any part of it.’

“As a result of this, the statement has garnered huge publicity, and with that, antisemitic comments have been posted on the JSoc Facebook and Twitter pages, as it was a public post. Waters’s own post has amassed a large number of likes, shares and retweets…I am deeply sorry that this has caused so many students such upset and anger. We were left with little choice by the leadership at St Peter’s in publishing a statement. And we will continue to do everything we can to protect students from antisemitic speakers, and from antisemitism itself.”

The Jewish Society has offered assistance to members.

Binyomin Gilbert, Programme Manager at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Despite his history of incessant antisemitism-denial and over the objections of Jewish students, the controversial filmmaker Ken Loach was invited to one of Britain’s most prestigious universities. Now, Jewish students are facing an extreme antisemitic backlash merely for raising concerns, and we are making available legal assistance and support. We are particularly grateful to the Oxford student body for their solidarity with their Jewish peers. It is perverse that someone who spouts hate and belittles the lived experience of Jews is given a platform while those who courageously call him out find themselves targeted by hate.”

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

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

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Man screams “You f***ing damn p**** this is our country, I will batter the f*** out of you” in ten minutes of verbal abuse against disabled Jewish man on London bus

A man has subjected a Jewish couple – including a disabled man – to ten minutes of verbal abuse on a London bus.

The offender screamed “You f***ing damn p**** this is our country, I will batter the f*** out of you” and various other obscenities at the couple. He was also apparently infuriated that the disabled person allegedly took longer to board the bus; witnesses denied that this was even the case.

The incident took place at 12:45 on 8th February on a 253 bus at Manor House, London N4, heading towards Hackney Central, and was reported by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol. The assailant alighted at 

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD4968 05/01/2020.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “This is a despicable and unprovoked attack against elderly members of the Jewish community, one of whom was disabled. TfL must explain why the bus driver took no action, allowing the abuse to escalate so appallingly. At a time when 44% of British Jews are telling us that they are afraid to show any sign of their religion in public, Police must act swiftly to ensure that this antisemitic criminal is brought to justice before he reoffends.”

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.

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.

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Antisemitic conspiracy theory goes unchallenged on BBC World Service

The BBC World Service has been accused of failing to ensure its foreign-language content meets BBC editorial guidelines after a presenter on the BBC World Service failed to challenge an antisemitic conspiracy theory advanced on air by a Somali politician.

The BBC Somali Service is part of the London-based BBC World Service. In an edition of a programme called Dooda Jimcaha broadcast on 18th December on the Somali Service, the Somali MP Mohamed Omer Dalha claimed that there was a conspiracy against Somalia by “Jews running these affairs both in the West and the East.”

According to the translation of the segment for CAMERA UK by Dr Moshe Terdiman, Founder and Research Director on Islam and Muslims in Africa, the assertion was not challenged by the presenter.

A CAMERA spokesperson said that such antisemitic statements “should have no place in BBC content,” adding that this case once again “raises questions concerning the ability of the BBC World Service to oversee the foreign-language content put out in its name and ensure that it meets BBC editorial guidelines.”   

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.

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Disgraced Baroness Tonge announces intention to step down from House of Lords

The disgraced peer, Baroness Tonge, has reportedly announced her intention to step down from the House of Lords.

She reportedly told the Jewish News: “I have always promised myself and my family that I would retire when I am 80 years old which is in mid- February. I informed the authorities some months ago. Indeed I think many of us should retire from the Chamber at my age—there are far too many people in the Lords. However, I shall continue to campaign for justice for the people of Palestine.”

The announcement comes just days after yet another of her controversial interventions in the upper chamber, when she spoke at a recent debate on antisemitism on university campuses and blamed the rise in antisemitism on actions of the Israeli Government, again.

Earlier in the debate, Baroness Tonge was skewered by Lord Polak as someone who has had “a career of repeating old, medieval tropes.”

Baroness Tonge was suspended from the Liberal Democrats before eventually resigning, has a long history of Jew-baiting, denouncing Campaign Against Antisemitism, suggesting that the antisemitic attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue might be Israel’s fault, blaming Israel for a rise in antisemitism, and sharing a cartoon comparing Israel’s policies to those of the Nazis, which is a breach of the International Definition.

In December 2019, Campaign Against Antisemitism joined 88 members of the House of Lords in condemning remarks on Facebook by Baroness Tonge following the general election, in which she commented: “The Chief Rabbi must be dancing in the street. The pro-Israel lobby won our General Election by lying about Jeremy Corbyn.”

In 2020, Lord Pickles called for reform in the House of Lords after Baroness Tonge called Israel America’s “puppet master” and received no sanction.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “It is shameful that Baroness Tonge has been permitted to remain in the legislature for so long and is now retiring of her own accord. She should have been stripped of her position and honours long ago. Every day she sat in the House of Lords was a stain on our democracy.”

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Positive review of Jewish Cookbook in The Observer sparks antisemitic comments online

A newspaper review hailing a Jewish cookbook has sparked a slew of antisemitic slurs online.

After Jewish journalist Jay Rayner wrote a piece for The Observer, in which he commended Claudia Roden’s Book of Jewish Food for its revival of traditional Jewish recipes in homes and restaurants, the article was posted on The Guardian’s Facebook page (The Guardian is The Observer’s sister newspaper).

Users responded with comments such as, “No ty I do not eat stolen food from the original owners, Palestinian [sic]” and “Would you have bought a German recipe book during WWII slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent people? Even though the author may have been living somewhere else, Britain perhaps?”

“Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the State of Israel” and “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” are both examples of antisemitism under the International Definition of Antisemitism.

The Guardian has since deleted the comments from its Facebook page and issued an apology.

A spokesperson for the newspaper reportedly said: “We take online abuse and hate speech incidents very seriously and were horrified to see these disgusting and offensive remarks posted underneath a Guardian article on Facebook. Such comments are unacceptable in any circumstances. We removed the Facebook post as soon as the antisemitic comments were brought to our attention overnight. We have since reposted the article and will act as necessary if further such comments occur.”

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

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“It is time that Piers Corbyn faces the legal consequences of his trolling of Jews” after the anti-lockdown activist is arrested over flyers comparing pandemic rules to Auschwitz

The Metropolitan Police has disclosed that it arrested a 73-year-old man in Southwark yesterday on suspicion of malicious communications and public nuisance.

Campaign Against Antisemitism and others have reported recently that Piers Corbyn, the brother of the former Labour leader, conceived and has been distributing grotesque flyers comparing lockdown rules to Auschwitz. Referencing a headline in the Evening Standard that the new COVID-19 vaccines are a “safe path to freedom”, the leaflets show the slogan atop the infamous gates to Auschwitz.

Mr Corbyn has distributed the leaflets in heavily-Jewish Barnet and now in Southwark, which has prompted his arrest.

Responding to his arrest, Mr Corbyn absurdly argued that he could not be antisemitic because he had been married to a Jewish woman and once employed a Jewish person who was a “superb worker” in a comment attributed to him in the JC. Mr Corbyn reportedly protested: “The idea we’re antisemitic in any way is completely absurd. I was married for 22 years to a Jewess and obviously her mother’s forebears fled the Baltic states just before the war because of Hitler or the Nazis in general. I’ve worked with Jewish leading world scientists over the last 30 years. I’ve also employed Jewish people in my business Weather Action, one of whom was a superb worker.”

Mr Corbyn, the brother of the former Labour leader, is a vehement opponent of pandemic lockdowns and has spoken at numerous rallies against lockdown rules, including appearing alongside the antisemitic hate preacher David Icke. Recently, the former BNP leader, Nick Griffin, also compared the lockdown to Auschwitz.

Anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination networks have become known as hotbeds of antisemitic conspiracy theories and tropes.

Mr Corbyn has a history of controversy in relation to antisemitic conspiracy theories. He has previously retweeted @whiteknight0011, a notorious neo-Nazi who declared that “They will force Trump in to war What do you think happened to Hitler? Bilderberg CIA IMF Banker Gangsters They are the problem” along with four images. The @whiteknight0011 account has since been suspended. One image showed Lord Jacob Rothschild, the Jewish banker and philanthropist, against the background of a Nazi flag, claiming that he controls the world. A second showed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a puppeteer controlling ISIS through Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, orchestrating the war in Syria and Paris attacks as Lord Rothschild and the Queen look on approvingly. A third image showed the faces of supposed Jewish conspirators who run the world to society’s detriment, proclaiming: “Know your enemy”. The last image showed a family photo of the Royal Family, claiming that they are in cahoots with these Jewish conspirators in committing “the worst genocides, invasions and theft in all history.”

Mr Corbyn has also claimed that “Zionists” were conspiring against his brother: when Jewish then-MP Louise Ellman complained of antisemitic attacks against her, Piers accused her of using it as a cover for political attack, tweeting: “ABSURD! JC+ All #Corbyns are committed #AntiNazi. #Zionists can’t cope with anyone supporting rights for #Palestine”.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Service said: “A 73-year-old man was arrested in Southwark on Wednesday, 3 February on suspicion of malicious communications and public nuisance. A 37-year-old man was arrested earlier the same day in Bow, east London, on suspicion of a public order offence. Both men were taken to a south London police station. They have since been bailed to return on a date in early March. The leaflet contained material that appeared to compare the Covid-19 vaccination programme with the Holocaust.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “These grotesque flyers comparing the lockdown to the Auschwitz death camp are just the latest stunt in Piers Corbyn’s long history of Jew-baiting, which apparently runs in the family. Lately, he even shared a platform with the modern date antisemitic hate preacher David Icke. It is time that Corbyn faces the legal consequences of his trolling of Jews.”

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CAA submits evidence to Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights to counter claims that International Definition of Antisemitism restricts freedom of expression

Campaign Against Antisemitism has submitted evidence to Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights to counter claims that adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism, especially by universities, stifles freedom of expression.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights comprises members drawn from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords and examines matters relating to human rights. One of its current inquiries is into freedom of expression.

The campaign to encourage universities to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism has encountered opposition on the basis that adoption somehow stifles freedom of expression, but this argument does not have merit, and the evidence that we have submitted lays out in detail why this is the case. “The claim that adoption of the Definition conflicts with the duty on universities to protect free speech is a familiar and flawed argument, notwithstanding its persistence,” our letter says.

The letter proceeds to analyse the difference between speech that is ‘merely’ insulting or offensive, and speech that is antisemitic, and the implications for whether those types of speech are protected under Article 10 of the European Charter of Human Rights.

We also cite the legal opinion, produced for us in 2017 by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar QC and Jeremy Brier, which argued that “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” and emphasised that “Criticism of Israel, even in robust terms, cannot be regarded as antisemitic per se and such criticism is not captured by the Definition.”

The full letter to the Joint Committee can be accessed below.

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Teenager from Cornwall who talked about “gassing” Jewish people is UK’s youngest terror offender

A teenager from Cornwall is the UK’s youngest terror offender, after he admitted twelve terrorism offenses.

It is understood that he downloaded his first bombmaking manual at thirteen, and joined the far-right Fascist Forge. Now sixteen, the neo-Nazi teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted two counts of dissemination of terrorist documents and ten of possession of terrorist material.

In 2018 and 2019, he expressed antisemitic, racist and anti-gay views online, reportedly talking about “gassing” Jewish people and hanging gay people. He is also believed to have been in contact with the founder of the proscribed neo-Nazi terror group Feuerkrieg Division.

His home was searched and police found a Nazi flag, a racist slogan on the garden shed and manuals on his computer and phone about making weapons.

The prosecutor observed that “The age is the alarming factor and his conduct betrays a maturity beyond his chronological age.”

Sentencing at the Old Bailey is expected on 8th February.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “There has been a notable rise in far-right activity among the young, with older activists deliberately targeting youth with specially-designed videos and other material. Social media companies are too often failing to act against the threat, which, as this latest conviction shows, is very real. The number of prosecutions of young offenders shows that the criminal justice system is taking the matter seriously, but further preventative action is necessary to stop the deplorable brainwashing of young people with far-right hate.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has previously reported on far-right efforts to recruit young people.

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.

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Sir Desmond Swayne reportedly warned by Conservative Party over his appearance on controversial online programme The Richie Allen Show after complaints from CAA and others

The Conservative Party has reportedly confirmed that it has issued a warning to one of its MPs after he appeared on The Richie Allen Show.

Sir Desmond Swayne was on the internet radio program to discuss coronavirus and the lockdown.

The Richie Allen Show has featured antisemites such as Alison Chabloz and Gilad Atzmon, conspiracy theorist Kevin Barrett, who believes Israel was behind 9/11, and Holocaust deniers including Nicholas Kollerstrom. The host, who is considered a protégé of the antisemitic hate preacher and conspiracy theorist David Icke, has himself apparently questioned the number of Jews that were murdered in the Holocaust, telling Mr Kollerstrom that “there’s a big lie there somewhere, I don’t believe the numbers are anywhere near as great as they’re saying, you know…I’m with you with respect to the numbers and the way that it’s been exploited ever since.”

Sir Desmond also revealed on his website that he has also donated money to a campaign to support Piers Corbyn, the conspiracy theorist and anti-lockdown activist with a history of antisemitic comments who has also been connected to a grossly offensive pamphlet comparing the lockdown to Auschwitz. Sir Desmond also apparently suggested that he had been “tempted” to join an anti-lockdown protest in London led by Mr Corbyn and Mr Icke.

In a statement, the Conservative Party reportedly told the JC: “Desmond has apologised and been warned about his appearance with those who share views not fit for public life and his appearance on a radio station where these views are promoted.”

Sir Desmond tweeted on Thursday: “I have never expressed antisemitic sentiment and if I’d ever given comfort to antisemites I’d be mortified. I do wonder what I’m going to be accused of next.”

Following complaints from Campaign Against Antisemitism and others, he has since added: “I was not aware of the history of this show and had I known my appearance on it would have offended the Jewish community, I would not have appeared on it. I apologise for any offence given.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism advocates for zero tolerance of antisemitism in public life. To that end we monitor all political parties and strive to ensure that any cases of concern are properly addressed.

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Chair of Labour in Newham to be investigated over alleged antisemitism just days after his deputy is suspended over alleged antisemitic social media activity

The chair of Labour in Newham in London is reportedly to be investigated over alleged antisemitism, just days after his deputy was suspended over alleged antisemitic social media activity.

Cllr Mushtaq Mughal, who chairs the Labour Group, is reportedly being investigated over social media posts. He reportedly posted on social media a video from the fringe and controversial Neturei Karta group with the caption: “Israel is govern by Zyonist not by Jews revealed by Jewish Rabbi [sic]”.

In another post he wrote: “Real Islam & real Judaism together can bring peace in the world. Israel is not Jewish state & it’s acts against God, Said jewel in USA [sic]”. The posts go back to 2016 and 2014.

The launch of the investigation comes shortly after the Deputy Chair of Labour in Newham was suspended over social media posts, including the same antisemitic post as that shared by Naz Shah MP several years ago. Cllr Nazir Ahmed shared a post in December 2017 with an image situating Israel in the middle of the United States and calling for the relocation of Israel to America. This was the same post for which Ms Shah apologised and was suspended from the Labour Party in 2016. Cllr Ahmed described the image as an “easy solution for Israel Palestine conflict!”

In another Facebook post, from 2014, Cllr Ahmed shared a video that asked whether “Israel have USA in the pocket [sic]”.

A Labour spokesperson said at the time that the “Party takes all complaints of antisemitism extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.”

Inexplicably, Cllr Mughal has apparently not been suspended, raising questions about the enduring consistency of Labour’s disciplinary processes.

Meanwhile, Newham’s only Jewish councillor has reportedly condemned the handling of antisemitism allegations by the borough’s Labour mayor.

Newham London Borough Council has not properly adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism, after a Labour councillor deliberately amended the accompanying examples, which are integral to the Definition.

Campaign Against Antisemitism recently lodged a complaint against Mr 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 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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

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.

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Mayim Bialik, Sharon Osbourne, Gene Simmons and Craig David help launch alliance between Jewish and black celebrities to combat hate in entertainment

170 celebrities from the Jewish and black communities have come together to form an alliance against antisemitism and anti-black racism in the entertainment industry.

The “unity statement” includes other household names, as well as leading producers and other figures, such as Jason Alexander, Nick Cannon (who was recently embroiled in controversy over antisemitism before publicly making amends), Jeremy Piven, Antoine Fuqua, Ethiopia Habtemariam, Neil Blair, Ozwald Boateng and the late Larry King.

The statement reads: “We acknowledge that the Black and Jewish communities have a shared history of subjugation and persecution. We recognise that the Black community in America has faced a history of racism that continues to this day, while the Jewish community is currently encountering record levels of antisemitism, which affects both group’s sense of fear, vulnerability, and self-worth. As members of the entertainment community, we stand against all forms of hate, and pledge to work to bring our two communities together in solidarity, to support one another in our struggles, and to better understand each other’s plight and narratives.

“The Jewish community must continue to speak out against racial injustice and work to effect change, while the Black community must continue to speak out against all forms of antisemitism. In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., Rabbi Abraham Heschel, and the many Blacks and Jews who stood together in the fight for civil rights, we come together to support each other in the struggle against hatred and bigotry. In the words of the late John Lewis, ‘We are one people, one family, the human family, and what affects one of us affects us all.’”

Last year, hundreds of musicians and other music industry figures signed a letter condemning antisemitism and racism in the wake of the grime artist Wiley’s antisemitic tirade.

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CAA publishes live resource detailing antisemitism at universities and adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism

Campaign Against Antisemitism has published a new resource showing antisemitic incidents at universities and whether each institution has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism, with detailed information for each campus.

The resource for the first time makes public years of monitoring by Campaign Against Antisemitism through our volunteers and hundreds of requests we have filed under freedom of information laws.

We have long campaigned for the widespread adoption of the Definition, which was adopted by the Government in 2016 following efforts by Campaign Against Antisemitism, Lord Pickles and others. Since then, we have asked universities to adopt it too, and apply it in any disciplinary proceedings. As antisemitism rises on campuses around the country, successive Secretaries of State for Education have demanded that universities waste no more time in adopting the Definition.

This public resource shows the state of play following the expiry of the Education Secretary’s ultimatum to universities to adopt the Definition, naming those that have heeded the call to protect Jewish students and shaming those that have not.

So far, 76 institutions of higher education have adopted the Definition, based on their replies to our requests under freedom of information laws, with 101 yet to do so. This information is kept updated by our researchers in real time.

Those that have adopted the Definition include the universities of Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Imperial College, Leeds, Liverpool, LSE, Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan, Nottingham, Oxford and UCL.

SOAS — the School of Oriental and African Studies — whose long history of controversy in its relations with the Jewish community, earning its nickname as the School of Antisemitism, has declined to adopt the Definition, as can be seen from the details we have put together on its dedicated web page.

In addition, each page provides a summary of recent antisemitic incidents that have been reported to us. This information is indicative only, as it is widely believed that many (possibly most) antisemitic incidents are not reported at all, and we invite students, faculty or other victims or witnesses of antisemitism on campus or in academic trade unions to contact us with the details of any incidents that are not listed. We also offer assistance and free legal representation to victims who wish to pursue the matter.

The project can be viewed at antisemitism.org/universities/.

Binyomin Gilbert, Programme Manager at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “We are delighted to offer a resource to students, faculty, politicians and the general public providing a dynamic and accessible record of antisemitism at British universities.

“The resource includes real-time coverage of adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism, and the results so far are promising, with almost half of British universities having adopted the Definition. However, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson urged institutions of higher education to adopt the Definition by the end of 2020 or face consequences. This resource names those universities that have heeded the call to protect their Jewish students and shames those that have failed so far to do so. We are making real progress, but there is much more to do.

“Years in the making, this project complements the vital work being done by Jewish Societies and campus activists across the country as well as the Union of Jewish Students, CST and other communal groups in our shared campaign for widespread adoption of the Definition.

“The other, critical component of the resource is a summary of recently reported incidents on each campus, which we hope will encourage more students and faculty to come forward and disclose antisemitic incidents, which are chronically underreported. Our monitoring helps to protect Jews on campus, and we offer free legal representation to any victims of antisemitism at university or in an academic trade union. University should be the time of Jewish students’ lives. Through our monitoring, we will remain vigilant against antisemitism on campus and when Jewish students need protection we will do whatever it takes to defend their rights.

“We invite victims to contact us confidentially via our website at antisemitism.org/contact. ”

The campaign for universities to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism is one that has been championed by a large number of student activists determined that their universities should defend their Jewish students and academics, politicians who are disgusted by antisemitism in higher education, and organisations including the Union of Jewish Students, the Office of the Government’s Independent Adviser on Antisemitism, CST, the Jewish Leadership Council, and others, in addition to Campaign Against Antisemitism.

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

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Labour’s Shadow Communities Secretary calls on all Labour Councils and universities to adopt International Definition of Antisemitism

Labour’s Shadow Communities Secretary has called on all local authorities controlled by his Party, as well as all universities, to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Steve Reed made the announcement in a debate in the House of Commons, saying: “With the support of Keir Starmer, I have asked every Labour council to adopt the [International] Definition of Antisemitism with all the examples. We’ve backed the Secretary of State’s request for Universities to do the same.”

The announcement comes after repeated calls by the Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick and the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson for local authorities and universities to adopt the Definition.

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

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Football Association adopts International Definition of Antisemitism

The Football Association, often known by its abbreviation FA, has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

FA chief executive officer Mark Bullingham said in a statement: “Tackling all forms of discrimination and promoting equality has long been a priority for the FA as we strive for a game that is a truly safe and inclusive environment for all. Adopting this working definition is an important step and it will provide clarity across football on what language or actions may be considered antisemitic. We will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities and everyone within football to reaffirm the message that antisemitic behaviour is completely unacceptable.”

Recently, the Premier League and nineteen of its member clubs adopted the Definition (Sheffield United declined to do so), as did Championship clubs Watford and Brentford.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has consistently backed efforts by the Government to encourage widespread adoption of the Definition by local authorities, universities, public bodies and other institutions. The UK was the first country in the world to adopt the Definition, something for which Campaign Against Antisemitism, Lord Pickles and others worked hard over many meetings with officials at Downing Street.

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CAA calls for immediate Conservative Party investigation after Sir Desmond Swayne appears on notorious conspiracy theorist online radio program, The Richie Allen Show

It has been revealed that Sir Desmond Swayne, has appeared on The Richie Allen Show.

The Conservative MP was on the internet radio program to discuss coronavirus and the lockdown.

The Richie Allen Show has featured antisemites such as Alison Chabloz and Gilad Atzmon, conspiracy theorist Kevin Barrett, who believes Israel was behind 9/11, and Holocaust deniers including Nicholas Kollerstrom. The host has himself apparently questioned the number of Jews that were murdered in the Holocaust, telling Mr Kollerstrom that “there’s a big lie there somewhere, I don’t believe the numbers are anywhere near as great as they’re saying, you know…I’m with you with respect to the numbers and the way that it’s been exploited ever since.”

Mr Allen is considered to be a protege of Mr Icke. Mr Icke preaches to large audiences that the world is run by an evil group mostly consisting of prominent Jews whom he calls “Rothschild Zionists”. He tells his disciples that these “Rothschild Zionists” are in fact inhuman “reptilians” conspiring to cheat all of humanity, with governments, media and banks in their grasp.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “It is appalling that Sir Desmond Swayne appeared on The Richie Allen Show, which is a magnet for antisemites and conspiracy theorists and is hosted by a protégé of the modern-day antisemitic hate preacher David Icke who has also questioned the number of Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust. MPs must set an example in the platforms to which they lend their prestige, and ignorance is no excuse. No MP should be cavorting with the far-right, and the Conservative Party must immediately investigate.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism advocates for zero tolerance of antisemitism in public life. To that end we monitor all political parties and strive to ensure that any cases of concern are properly addressed.

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Brentford Football Club adopts International Definition of Antisemitism

Brentford Football Club has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Kevin Coleman, the Championship club’s Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion said: “Through the adoption of this definition, we aim to increase the understanding of antisemitism within our supporters, staff, and the wider football family. This will be an addition to all of our work to engage more meaningfully with all of our local faith communities, whether in terms of positive and proactive engagement or dealing with unacceptable language and behaviour.”

The Bees join fellow Championship club Watford and nineteen Premiership clubs and the Premier League who have all adopted the Definition. The twentieth Premiership club, Sheffield United, declined to do so.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has consistently backed efforts by the Government to encourage widespread adoption of the Definition by local authorities, universities, public bodies and other institutions. The UK was the first country in the world to adopt the Definition, something for which Campaign Against Antisemitism, Lord Pickles and others worked hard over many meetings with officials at Downing Street.

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Disgraced Baroness Tonge appallingly uses House of Lords debate on antisemitism to blame it on actions of Israeli Government, yet again

Baroness Tonge has blamed the rise in antisemitism on actions of Israeli Government, again.

In a debate called by CAA honorary patron Baroness Deech over the adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism by universities, the disgraced Baroness Tonge called for an “investigation into why these [antisemitic] incidents are increasing”, noting apparent upswings during conflicts between Israel and the antisemitic genocidal terrorist group Hamas in Gaza in 2009 and 2014.

Baroness Tonge continued: “Whenever I suggest a connection between the two, I am told this is ‘victim blaming’, which it is not. The victims are innocent Jewish people — students, in this case. They are victims because of the illegal actions of the Israeli Government. Please will our Government investigate the connection?”

While Baroness Tonge is correct to note that conflagrations in the Middle East can have an impact on antisemitism in the UK, this is not always the case. For example, the rise of the antisemite Jeremy Corbyn to the leadership of the Labour Party — and the unlawful anti-Jewish racism carried out by the Party during his time in office — were not in some way a response to developments in the Middle East.

Moreover, if there is such an upswing in antisemitism in the UK during Middle East skirmishes, it is likely because antisemites in Britain are holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the State of Israel (or its perceived actions), which is itself antisemitic, according to the International Definition of Antisemitism. It is regrettable that, in a debate about whether universities should be adopting the Definition, Baroness Tonge did not allude to this point or to the Definition at all. She remains more concerned to blame Israel for the rise in antisemitism instead of the antisemites.

Earlier in the debate, Baroness Tonge was skewered by Lord Polak as someone who has had “a career of repeating old, medieval tropes.”

Baroness Tonge was suspended from the Liberal Democrats before eventually resigning, has a long history of Jew-baiting, denouncing Campaign Against Antisemitism, suggesting that the antisemitic attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue might be Israel’s fault, blaming Israel for a rise in antisemitism, and sharing a cartoon comparing Israel’s policies to those of the Nazis, which is a breach of the International Definition.

In December 2019, Campaign Against Antisemitism joined 88 members of the House of Lords in condemning remarks on Facebook by Baroness Tonge following the general election, in which she commented: “The Chief RabbI must be dancing in the street. The pro-Israel lobby won our General Election by lying about Jeremy Corbyn.”

In 2020, Lord Pickles called for reform in the House of Lords after Baroness Tonge called Israel America’s “puppet master” and received no sanction.

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Staffordshire University adopts International Definition of Antisemitism

Staffordshire University has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

The adoption comes after a call from the Education Secretary for universities to adopt the Definition.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Liz Barnes, said: “At Staffordshire University we strive to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all members of our community. Our decision to adopt the [D]efinition is a crucial step in combatting prejudice and makes clear that antisemitism will not be tolerated at our institution. We are committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination and will continue to promote a positive culture where staff, students and visitors are confident to be their authentic selves and are able to achieve their potential free from prejudice.”

Recently, Birmingham, Lancaster, Cambridge, Manchester Metropolitan and Buckingham New Universities have adopted the Definition.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has consistently backed efforts by the Government to encourage widespread adoption of the Definition by local authorities, universities and public bodies. The UK was the first country in the world to adopt the Definition, something for which Campaign Against Antisemitism, Lord Pickles and others worked hard over many meetings with officials at Downing Street.

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

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Tom Tugendhat MP says Shami Chakrabarti “only got her peerage because she cosied up and covered up antisemitism in the Labour Party”

Tom Tugendhat MP has asserted that Shami Chakrabarti “only got her peerage because she cosied up and covered up antisemitism in the Labour Party”.

The Conservative MP and Chairman of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee made the claim on BBC’s PoliticsLive yesterday, where he featured on a panel with Baroness Chakrabarti.

He said: “It’s a bit rich for Shami to talk about cosying up when she only got her peerage because she cosied up and covered up antisemitism in the Labour Party.”

Baroness Chakrabarti denied that this was the case.

But Mr Tugendhat insisted: “The entire Jewish community sees you as having covered up the antisemitism [in] the Corbyn Labour Party.”

Baroness Chakrabarti then referred Mr Tugendhat to her report on Labour antisemitism, the publication of which directly preceded her nomination for a peerage, which was the first such nomination Jeremy Corbyn had made, having promised never to nominate anyone to the House of Lords. Lady Chakrabarti’s report was a whitewash.

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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

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.

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CAA teachers’ guide on antisemitism launched as resource by BBC Teach

Campaign Against Antisemitism is proud that our teachers’ guide on antisemitism for Years 5-13 is now also available through BBC Teach.

The guide is available in two versions: Love Thy Neighbour, designed specifically for Church of England schools, and Love Your Neighbour, for Catholic schools. Both versions are also suitable for all other schools, and versions for other faiths and non-denominational schools are also in production.

The guides are intended for use with an accompanying student-friendly PowerPoint presentation, which is also available on our website and through BBC Teach.

These guides, which were prepared by a former teacher who refined this material whilst speaking to 25,000 children in over 100 schools, provide information for teachers on topics such as prejudice, stereotyping, bullying and the importance of being an upstander and not a bystander. They also complement numerous bases.

You can download the guides here or visit BBC Teach here.

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TV personality and antisemitism activist Rachel Riley vindicated as judge strikes out all of the “fanciful” defences of Twitter troll she sued for defamation

Rachel Riley, the Jewish TV personality and campaigner against Jew-hatred, has been vindicated in a defamation case that she brought against a Twitter troll who Campaign Against Antisemitism exposed in 2017 over his blog in which he claimed that there was a “conspiracy” by Jews and those who would defend them in the UK, and in which he has posted and linked to the work of notorious antisemites.

Mr Sivier had promoted a narrative started by another online troll that Ms Riley was bullying a teenage girl.

In a statement celebrating today’s judgement, Ms Riley noted that from the moment she began to criticise antisemitism in the Labour Party, she was subjected to a “large volume of abuse” that “seemed to increase exponentially”.

Instead of addressing her concerns, she explained, trolls on social media “turned their attention to discrediting my arguments by smearing my character”. One of them launched “a particularly nasty (defamatory and untrue) smear” accusing Ms Riley of bullying, but due to the fact that he was not located in the UK, Ms Riley did not pursue him for libel.

Today’s judgement has vindicated Ms Riley and her persistence, with the court striking out all of Mr Sivier’s defences, which the judge described as “fanciful” and “verging on the perverse”. This judgement leaves Mr Sivier with the option to concede or proceed to a full trial in which he would need to meet evidentiary thresholds that, in the circumstances, are thought to be impossibly high.

Mr Sivier has continued his crowdfunding campaign for legal funds.

Ms Riley was represented by solicitor Dr Mark Lewis, who is also an honorary patron of Campaign Against Antisemitism, and barrister John Stables.

Campaign Against Antisemitism congratulates Ms Riley on her success today, and applauds her, Tracy-Ann Oberman, and other activists against antisemitism who are unafraid to confront and expose antisemitic abuse online.

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Jeremy Corbyn launches High Court bid to reverse his suspension from the Labour Party, while a separate court challenge against the EHRC’s devastating report goes nowhere

Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of the Labour Party, has launched a bid in the High Court to overturn his suspension from Labour over remarks he made following the publication of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) devastating report into antisemitism in the Party.

The first hearing, which took place earlier this week, related to the disclosure of evidence pursuant to Mr Corbyn’s insistence that there was a deal between his representatives and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on which Sir Keir supposedly reneged.

Campaign Against Antisemitism lodged a complaint against Mr 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 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.

Separately, a case brought against the EHRC in connection with its report by two members of the public has apparently failed to advance because the claimants lacked legal standing. At least one of the claimants, Justin Schlosberg, last year lost a case in the High Court challenging Ofcom’s decision not to sanction the BBC over the Panorama investigation into Labour antisemitism.

Another challenge against the EHRC has reportedly been brought by the disgraced former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone and Cllr Pam Bromley, who were both singled out for criticism by the EHRC’s report.

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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

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.

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Shortlisted Lib Dem London Mayoral candidate expelled from Party over historic antisemitic incident

Geeta Sidhu-Robb, who last year was shortlisted as a Liberal Democrat candidate for the London mayoralty, has reportedly been expelled from the Party.

Ms Sidhu-Robb was revealed to have made antisemitic comments when she was a Conservative candidate in the 1997 General Election (she apologised for the comments at the time and again more recently when they re-emerged).

However, the Liberal Democrats’ leader, Sir Ed Davey, said that the Party’s vetting process was “completely flawed” and that he was “furious” when the incident resurfaced.

A disciplinary panel was reportedly convened and, after hearing evidence, apparently unanimously decided to uphold all the complaints.

Ms Sidhu-Robb reportedly said: “I have already publicly apologized for an act of momentary stupidity that took place 24 years ago under extreme provocation, but I am not a racist or antisemite and never have been, as anyone who knows me will attest. I find it deeply disappointing that a faction within the Liberal Democrats, who felt threatened by a fresh, engaging, female-centric approach to politics, have used this incident as a pretext to remove me from the party. However, I am now looking forward to focusing fully on my broader work, empowering a new generation of women to become strong, healthy, confident leaders by sharing the tools which have helped me during my career as an award-winning entrepreneur.”

A Lib Dem spokesperson reportedly said: “The Liberal Democrats take all allegations of this nature extremely seriously. The party suspended Geeta Sidhu-Robb within 24 hours of receiving a complaint and can confirm that, following our investigation, she was expelled late last year.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism advocates for zero tolerance of antisemitism in public life. To that end we monitor all political parties and strive to ensure that any cases of concern are properly addressed.

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CAA writes to Leeds University over professor with history of antisemitic tweets

Campaign Against Antisemitism has written to the University of Leeds regarding a politics professor with a history of antisemitic tweets.

Ray Bush, Professor of African Studies and Development Politics, appears to have tweeted from the Twitter handle @raymondobush a large number of tweets that breach the International Definition of Antisemitism, which the University of Leeds recently adopted.

There are three types of breaches.

First, Prof. Bush states that Israel’s existence itself is unacceptable, using the exact language of the Definition in referring to Jewish self-determination as “a racist endeavour”. The Definition states that “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 antisemitic. Prof. Bush has, for example, made this claim here, here, here, here (“#DefyIHRA the state of #Israel is a #racist endeavour”), here, here and here.

Second, Prof. Bush has breached the Definition by comparing Israelis and Zionists to Nazis. According to the Definition: “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is antisemitic. He has done so here (“Does it take a nazi to recognise a #nazi #Israel #racism ?”) and here, for example.

Third, Prof. Bush has contravened the Definition by claiming that concerns about institutional antisemitism in the Labour Party, which were vindicated by the recent report of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, were due to a campaign run by the “Israeli embassy.” He has thus supported one of the oldest tropes used to justify acts of antisemitism – the discredited myth of a Jewish conspiracy in which Jews are disloyal and act as a fifth column against the interests of their home countries. The Definition states that: “Making mendacious, dehumanising, demonising stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as a collective – such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions” is antisemitic. He has done so, for example, here (“The reason they hate Corbyn of course is because he is anti #Zionist and the antisemitic campaign is ran by the #Israeli embassy among others) and here.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “These posts are clearly in breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism. Anyone airing and disseminating dangerous antisemitic views such as those promoted by Prof. Ray Bush is not fit to be entrusted with the responsibility of teaching young people. For this reason, Prof. Bush must be held to account. Accordingly, we have written to the University of Leeds to request that it investigates and takes appropriate disciplinary action to protect Jewish students from Prof. Bush.”

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

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Concerns raised over prospect of Cllr Noah Tucker being reinstated to the Labour Party in March, despite history of troubling comments leading to his brief suspension

Concerns have been raised over the prospect of Cllr Noah Tucker being reinstated to the Labour Party in March, despite his history of troubling comments which led to his suspension in September 2020, and further reported comments since.

The Haringey councillor was exposed last year as having told Tottenham’s Constituency Labour Party to drop a “zero-tolerance” clause from an antisemitism motion that it was debating, and is Cllr Tucker is reported to have suggested that Israel was somehow to blame for the racist killing of George Floyd, which is a popular antisemitic conspiracy theory. He has also defended the disgraced former Labour MP Chris Williamson.

It was also recently reported by On London that Cllr Tucker may have opined on a group chat that “The purging will be outsourced to people nominated by the BoD,” by which he meant suspensions of Labour members over antisemitism will be “outsourced” to the Board of Deputies of British Jews, a leading Jewish communal organisation. He reportedly also lamented the failure of the pro-Corbyn pressure group Momentum to “oppose the centrists on Brexit and antisemitism.” Other concerning pronouncements were also reported.

Cllr Tucker reportedly said at the time of his suspension: “I am an opponent of racism in all its forms including antisemitism. Social media posts have been collated, including selective editing, seemingly in a malicious attempt to falsely associate me with antisemitism. States and organisations which engage politically are legitimately subjects of discussion and criticism. I am confident that a fair process by the Labour Party will reinstate me soon to full membership.”

It is not believed that Haringey Council itself has taken any action against Cllr Tucker, despite having adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Something is rotten in the London Borough of Haringey. This one Labour-dominated local authority has seen a Council Leader step down in protest at Labour’s antisemitism, another councillor withdraw as a parliamentary candidate over antisemitism, two further councillors suspended by the Labour Party over antisemitism, and Jewish councillors complain of being the targets of antisemitism or having their identity give rise to prejudice by fellow local Party members.

“Under previous leadership, Haringey adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism. Not only must Labour investigate the local Party in the borough, but the Council itself must now launch its own investigations and take action against the offenders. This disgraceful state of affairs is totally unacceptable.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism recently lodged a complaint against Mr 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 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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

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.

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Watford Football Club adopts International Definition of Antisemitism

Watford Football Club has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

In a statement, the Championship club said: “Through the adoption of this definition, we aim to increase the understanding of antisemitism within our supporters, staff, and the wider football family.” The statement added: “It will also become an additional key element within our educational process moving forward, should we receive reports of antisemitism, specifically around acceptable language and behaviour.”

The Hornets join nineteen Premiership clubs and the Premier League, which all adopted the Definition last month. The twentieth club, Sheffield United, declined to do so.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has consistently backed efforts by the Government to encourage widespread adoption of the Definition by local authorities, universities, public bodies and other institutions. The UK was the first country in the world to adopt the Definition, something for which Campaign Against Antisemitism, Lord Pickles and others worked hard over many meetings with officials at Downing Street.

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Neo-Nazi teenager who planned to throw homemade bombs at Durham synagogues can be named

A court has ruled that a neo-Nazi teenager who planned to throw homemade bombs at Durham synagogues can be named.

Jack Reed, 18, can be named after his bid for anonymity was rejected by a court.

Last January, Mr Reed was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court to six years and eight months in prison after being found guilty by a unanimous jury of preparation of terrorist acts between October 2017 and March 2019. He has also been given a separate custodial sentence for unrelated child sexual offences against a schoolgirl.

Mr Reed, who is from Durham, had begun drafting a manifesto titled “A Manual for practical and sensible guerrilla warfare against the kike system in the Durham City area, Sieg Heil”. Other items seized from his home included a copy of Mein Kampf and material on explosives and firearms.

The prosecution claimed during the trial that the defendant had become “an adherent of neo-Nazism – the most extreme of right-wing ideology”, noting that he had written in his diary on the occasion of Hitler’s birthday that the Nazi leader was “a brave man to say the least. Although maybe having written proof that I admire their number one enemy isn’t such a wise idea. I will however say that I one day hope to follow in his footsteps.”

Mr Reed’s anonymity was due to expire on his eighteenth birthday, which fell on Christmas Eve, but an extension was granted following a request to continue the restrictions, which, after the latest legal proceedings, has now been denied. The defence claimed that there would be a “huge negative impact” on the teenager – who is undergoing mental health assessments – and his family, if his identity were revealed.

At a hearing at Manchester Crown Court, the judge reportedly ruled that the Crown Court had “no power…to make the order sought”. In fact, the judge even ruled that there was no power even to have made the short extension.

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.

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Antisemitic stickers found in Penzance

Antisemitic stickers have been found appended to street furniture in Penzance.

According to Cornwall Against Antisemitism, stickers reading “The Holocasut didn’t happen. But it should have” and featuring a swastika, have been found in numerous locations, including the A30 Heamoor roundabout underpass.

Other stickers read: “Antisemitism is caused by Semitism”.

Those seeing the stickers have been called on to report them to the police on 101.

Last year, 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.

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Calls from British far-right to emulate attack on US Capitol in the UK spark concern

Concerns have been raised by calls from the British far-right to emulate the attack on the US Capitol in the UK.

Posts on 4chan and Gab, both networks popular with the far-right, were of particular concern, including a Gab group called Britfam with close to 5,000 British members.

A significant proportion of the posts were reportedly threats against British politicians and calls for action emulating the attack on the US Capitol, and included antisemitic abuse toward social media companies (for example, “another Jew silencing us”), the British Prime Minister and the President of the United States. 

There were also references to the Rothschilds and Israeli involvement.

Research by the Community Security Trust and Hope Not Hate suggests that calls for violence currently remain marginal, but called for vigilance from Government.

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.

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Labour’s Deputy Chair of Newham Council suspended after sharing same antisemitic social media post as Naz Shah MP

Labour’s Deputy Chair of Newham Council has been suspended over social media posts, including the same antisemitic post as that shared by Naz Shah MP several years ago, according to the Jewish News.

Cllr Nazir Ahmed shared a post in December 2017 with an image situating Israel in the middle of the United States and calling for the relocation of Israel to America. This was the same post for which Ms Shah apologised and was suspended from the Labour Party in 2016.

Cllr Ahmed described the image as an “easy solution for Israel Palestine conflict!”

According to the report, in another Facebook post, from 2014, Cllr Ahmed shared a video that asked whether “Israel have USA in the pocket [sic]”.

A Labour spokesperson reportedly said that the “Party takes all complaints of antisemitism extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism recently lodged a complaint against Mr 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 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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

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.

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Woman called “f***ing Jew” after asking a fellow Waitrose shopper to wear facemask

A customer at the Mill Hill East Waitrose was called a “f”””ing Jew” by a fellow customer who had allegedly jumped the queue and whom she had confronted for not wearing a facemask, according to the JC.

The victim, from Hendon in North London, reported that the other customer turned to her and said: “f*** off, you f***ing Jew. Go back to where you came from, you c***.”

The victim said that she reported the customer to the Waitrose staff but was shocked at being told to “walk away”, with the staff allegedly ignoring the matter.

She then tried calling 999 but was informed by the operator that this was not a police matter.

The victim said that she felt “very vulnerable walking around the aisles”, particularly as she continued to see the other customer, whom she eventually encountered again at the checkout line. “She started calling me a c*** again and said ‘keep the mask on, I bet you’re so ugly behind that mask’.”

She claims that a manager then ordered both of them to be quiet.

The victim has apparently not returned to the branch, and says that she has contacted the chain twice to demand an apology. “I do feel absolutely victimised. I’ve never felt like this before. I felt horribly alone, and that’s why I can’t let it go. It’s keeping me awake,” she reportedly said.

When approached by the JC, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police reportedly urged the victim to report the incident online, saying: “That would be unlikely to amount to an investigation in respect of close contact/unmasked etc, but an allegation of racial abuse ought to be recorded.”

A Waitrose spokesperson reportedly said: “We are very sorry to hear about this. We do not tolerate any sort of discrimination. Any customer who is found to discriminate against a member of staff or another customer will be banned. We are also now taking a more robust approach to mask wearing and customers must wear a mask when they are in our shops unless they are exempt.  We will refuse entry to those who do not comply. Once again, we are very sorry to learn about the customer’s experience.”

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.

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Etsy apologises over “Camp Auschwitz” t-shirt found for sale on its website and described as “flattering for both men and women”

The online marketplace Etsy has apologised for selling a t-shirt with the phrase “Camp Auschwitz” and reported that it had immediately banned the seller after being made aware of the item.

The t-shirt also featured a skull and crossbones and had apparently been posted by an American seller. It was available for purchase in the UK for £19.95.

The item, which came to prominence after photographs emerged of a protestor at the attack on Capitol Hill wearing similar apparel, was described on the website as “everything you’ve dreamed of and more” and “flattering for both men and women”.

The Auschwitz Memorial, which noticed the item and called for its removal, thanked Etsy for swiftly complying.

An Etsy spokeswoman reportedly said: “We are deeply saddened by the events that took place at the US Capitol. Etsy’s long-standing policies prohibit items that promote hate or violence, and we are vigilantly monitoring our marketplace for any such listings that may have been inspired by recent unrest. We removed this item immediately when it was brought to our attention and have also banned the shop that attempted to list this item. Items that glorify hate or violence have no place on Etsy and we are committed to keeping our marketplace safe.”

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Passenger with “entrenched racist views” walks free from court after shouting antisemitic abuse and giving Nazi salutes on flight from Warsaw to Liverpool

A man with “entrenched racist views” has walked free from court after shouting antisemitic abuse and giving Nazi salutes on a flight from Warsaw to Liverpool.

Louis Mann’s rant was reportedly filmed by a fellow passenger, a family member of Holocaust victims, who said that he was “shaken”, “shocked” and “disgusted” by the abusive language. Mr Mann is a 28-year-old medical student studying in Poland and was allegedly under the influence of alcohol during the incident.

The prosecution advised that “The defendant was a passenger on a Wizz Air flight from Poland, Warsaw, to Liverpool on 19th October 2019 The flight arrived at Liverpool John Lennon Airport at 17:37,” adding: “The flight was full and passengers reported during the flight Mr Mann had had to be repeatedly asked to sit down, to fasten his seatbelt and to refrain from making rude and offensive gestures.”

The offence for which Mr Mann was charged apparently took place once the flight had landed in the UK. He allegedly “got out of his seat before permitted to do so” and responded to requests from the flight crew to sit down with a “tirade of racial and religious abuse by words and gestures”. According to the prosecution, “He was standing in the aisle of the flight making a Nazi salute and was shouting ‘Anglo-Saxon race, we are superior’.” He also apparently said, “‘Know your place, don’t answer back, you’re a Slavic race traitor n***** lover’,” spoke of “inferior people”, and shouted abuse to “Jewish n***** lovers”.

Mr Mann’s racist rantings apparently continued as he was being arrested and even once he reached the custody suite, where he told one policeman: “You’re alright, you’re Aryan.”

According to the defence, Mr Mann was impacted by recent mental health problems and that he had been “groomed” by far-right groups in Poland.

Wlodzimier Tych wrote in a victim impact statement: “Prior to this I have always felt very welcome in this country. I have lived in this country for 31 years; I have never experienced this sort of behaviour. I am of Jewish origin, this made me feel very shaken and upset, I also felt angry, disgusted and upset as he continued his behaviour regardless of other people’s feelings.”

Mr Mann, of Morecambe, admitted being drunk on the plane but denied a charge of racially aggravated harassment. The court described Mr Mann as having “entrenched racist views” and upheld the drunkenness charge, increasing the sentence to reflect the racial element.

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.

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CAA’s latest Antisemitism Barometer study shows Jewish community regaining confidence after the Corbyn era but scars remain, with Labour, CPS and BBC coming in for opprobrium

Today, Campaign Against Antisemitism publishes its 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 is the first survey to use the Generalised Antisemitism Scale, devised by Dr Daniel Allington of King’s College, Louise Katz of the University of Derby, and Dr David Hirsh of Goldsmiths, for the purpose of this study. The survey was designed and analysed by Dr Allington, with fieldwork carried out by YouGov.

  • Using the new twelve-question Generalised Antisemitism Scale, the survey shows that 55% 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 45% of British adults did affirm at least one antisemitic statement, although over half of them only agreed with one or two antisemitic statements.
  • 12% 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 23% 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:

  • British Jews are showing early signs of recovery from the Corbyn era but have been left scarred. Far more British Jews are optimistic about their future in the UK this year, but the proportion who decline to display visible signs of their Jewish identity due to antisemitism is at a record high.
  • British Jews’ confidence in the criminal justice system is low: a majority believes that the Crown Prosecution Service does not do enough to protect British Jews and the courts were also strongly criticised. Only the police receive more praise than criticism.
  • British Jews reserve the greatest opprobrium for politicians. They believe that almost every political party is more tolerant of antisemitism than it was last year; the Labour Party is viewed as more than twice as tolerant of antisemitism than any other party showing that it still has a great deal of work to do to win the confidence of British Jews.
  • In the first ever poll on the subject, an overwhelming majority of British Jews — 91% — want the Government to proscribe Hamas in its entirety.
  • Two thirds of British Jews are deeply concerned by the BBC’s coverage of matters of Jewish concern, and 55% by its handling of antisemitism complaints, Channel 4 also performs poorly with British Jews. Both broadcasters are state-funded.

Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Britain’s Jews are back from the brink. This study starkly shows that Labour under Jeremy Corbyn dealt a crushing blow to Jews’ confidence in their very future in this country, and that our community is now beginning to recover.

“But scars remain. Notwithstanding the relief felt by so many, our data shows that nearly half of those who normally wear outwards symbols of their Judaism now feel they have to hide it, and despite nine months of Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership of Labour, British Jews remain just as sure that the Party harbours antisemites.

“Though Britain remains one of the best countries in the world in which to live as a Jew, almost a fifth still feel unwelcome in this country. The departure of Mr Corbyn is no substitute for the sustained action and leadership to protect the Jews of this country — in politics, universities and social media — for which we have been calling for years.”

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

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CAA demands Shoutcast owner Audio Valley stops hosting David Duke after the former KKK Grand Wizard used the service to incite his followers to converge on Washington DC

Campaign Against Antisemitism has written to Audio Valley, owners of streaming service Shoutcast, asking that they stop hosting David Duke on the Rense Radio Network after the former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard used a broadcast to call on his followers to converge on Washington DC.

Shoutcast is a platform for media streaming and Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Online Monitoring and Investigations Unit monitors the Rense Radio Network, which Shoutcast hosts.

During an hour-long internet radio broadcast on 5th January, Dr Duke exhorted his followers to join the protest on Capitol Hill to defend the United States against a supposed Jewish conspiracy to overthrow President Donald Trump. Dr Duke claimed that the Jewish conspirators spanned the higher echelons of US business, media and politics and had plotted to depose President Trump and replace him with Joe Biden, who Dr Duke said was under Jewish control. Dr Duke was joined throughout the broadcast by British Holocaust denier Andrew Carrington Hitchcock.

The next day, the US Capitol was breached by a group including various white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

Campaign Against Antisemitism contends that this broadcast and others like it are a breach of Shoutcast’s Terms of Use and we have called for an urgent investigation leading to the termination of Rense Radio Network’s broadcasts.

Dr Duke has previously been removed by several other social media networks.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We regularly monitor output by far-right and far-left individuals and groups, and on this occasion the former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke was heard exhorting his deranged followers to converge on Washington DC. Dr Duke has rightly been removed from numerous social media networks, and we have now written to Shoutcast to follow suit and stop streaming Rense Radio Network, which broadcasts his radio show.”

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“A grotesque escalation”: Jewish homes in Stamford Hill daubed with crosses of blood

Several Jewish homes in the heavily-Jewish neighbourhood of Stamford Hill have been daubed with crosses apparently painted in blood.

The incident took place at around 02:00 on 10th January on Portland Avenue, and was reported by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

The police are investigating.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: CAD5149 10/01/21.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This vandalism is grotesque and marks yet another escalation in the incidence of antisemitism in Stamford Hill. It is particularly concerning in view of the global rise of far-right antisemitism. We applaud the Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol, for their continued vigilance, and urge the police to do everything possible to find the perpetrators of his hideous crime.”

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.

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Student refunded tuition fees after being subjected to a “toxic antisemitic environment” at SOAS

A former student at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) has reportedly been refunded his fees after he was forced to leave the University due to a ”toxic antisemitic environment”.

Noah Lewis was called a “white supremacist Nazi” and accused of covering up war crimes when he proposed to write a dissertation on bias against Israel at the United Nations. He said that fellow students labelled him and other Jews pejoratively as “Zionists” and left antisemitic slurs on lockers, desks and toilet walls.

The student, originally from Canada, matriculated in 2018 but lodged a formal complaint in May 2019 after finding his mental health adversely affected by the stress and extreme discomfort caused by the ”toxic antisemitic environment” which ultimately led him to quit the University and return home.

In July 2019, the University offered an apology for the ”emotional trauma…experienced due to the perceived antisemitic discrimination which he had to endure” and recommended compensation of £500.

Mr Lewis appealed the decision with assistance from UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), however, and in March 2020 the appeal panel determined that the original decision ”had not been adequate” and recommended an external investigation, even if the University reached a settlement with Mr Lewis.

A settlement has reportedly been reached, with Mr Lewis refunded £15,000 in full in December 2020.

Jonathan Turner, Executive Director of UKLFI Charitable Trust, said: ”The panel grasped the nettle and has set a benchmark for best practice which should be followed in other cases of an antisemitic environment. We hope that other students who experience antisemitism at universities will now be encouraged to object.”

A spokesperson for the University said: ”SOAS is extremely concerned about any allegations of antisemitism at our school. Diversity is key to the SOAS mission and we want all our students to feel welcome and supported in their studies. We cannot comment on any individual student case or the outcomes of any appeal. However, where we have established an independent panel as part of a complaints process, we would of course consider the findings of such a panel thoroughly and take appropriate action.”

SOAS has long been a hotbed of antisemitism among UK campuses and has not adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism. Last September, a professor at the University labelled Israel as a “virus” and said that it “exploited the Holocaust” for its own political agenda.

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

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CAA submits complaint to Bar Standards Board against barrister over tweet asserting “Zionism is a kind of racism”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has submitted a complaint to the Bar Standards Board against a barrister over a tweet asserting that “Zionism is a kind of racism”.

Franck Magennis is a barrister at Garden Court Chambers in London. 

At 21:35 on 17th December 2020, Mr Magennis apparently tweeted from the Twitter handle @FranckMagennis that: “Zionism is a kind of racism. It is essentially colonial. It has manifested in an apartheid regime calling itself ‘the Jewish state’ that dominates non-Jews, and particularly Palestinians. You can’t practice anti-racism at the same time as identifying with, or supporting, Zionism.”

His profile on the Chambers’ website describes him as “an expert on the Palestinian struggle for emancipation from Israeli apartheid and occupation”.

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.

Furthermore, by asserting that “You can’t practice [sic] anti-racism at the same time as identifying with, or supporting, Zionism,” Mr Magennis has besmirched British Jews and the Jewish community, over 90% of which identifies as Zionist according to polls.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has written to the Bar Standards Board to investigate Mr Magennis over the tweet, on the grounds that it breaches the standards expected of barristers and damages trust and confidence in the profession.

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Labour Party fulfils first task under Action Plan with discrete Antisemitism Complaints holding page on website, but CAA to seek clarification over apparent error

Under the Action Plan published by the Labour Party in December 2020, the Party had pledged that “A new antisemitism complaints handling webpage will be uploaded by 31 December 2020”. The Party has fulfilled this requirement by publishing a discrete Antisemitism Complaints holding page on its website.

The Action Plan was produced in response to the devastating report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) that found that the Labour Party had broken the law in its discrimination against Jewish people.

The new webpage serves two functions. The first is as a holding page, reiterating that “the Labour Party is committed to implementing the recommendations [of the EHRC] as quickly as possible” and explaining that “This webpage will continue to be updated regularly throughout 2021, including for: [a] Further guidance for antisemitism complaints procedures [and b] Code of conduct against Antisemitism.”

The second function is to provide a portal to a “summary of statistics of disciplinary cases determined by the Labour Party’s NEC [National Executive Committee] in 2019,” although the document itself appears to be designed to showcase the disciplinary action that Labour has taken since May 2020, shortly after Sir Keir became leader, and the reference to 2019 in the title is an error. That being said, the document makes reference to case numbers in 2014-2018 but makes no reference to 2019 whatsoever. We are therefore writing to the Labour Party to clarify what this document is showing.

Campaign Against Antisemitism will continue to monitor Labour’s progress in fulfilling its Action Plan, implementing the recommendations of the EHRC and, above all, making the Party safe for Britain’s Jews.

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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

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.

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Man chases Jewish families with large stick while shouting abuse

A man armed with a large stick was seen shouting abuse and chasing Jewish families on their way to synagogue in Stamford Hill.

According to witnesses, the man appeared to be trailing the visibly Jewish passers-by specifically.

The incident took place on Dunmore Road at 09:00 last Saturday 2nd January and was reported 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: CAD5521 05/01/2021.

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.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2019 showed that close to two thirds of British Jews believe that the authorities, in general, are not doing enough to address and punish antisemitism.

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Following action by CAA, notorious antisemite Alison Chabloz to face incitement to racial hatred charge and faces up to seven years in prison if convicted

The notorious antisemite Alison Chabloz is facing a charge of incitement to racial hatred, which carries a potential prison term of seven years if she is convicted. The charge follows action by Campaign Against Antisemitism.

Ms Chabloz is being charged under section 21 of the Public Order Act 1986, which covers incitement to racial hatred when a defendant “distributes, or shows or plays, a recording of visual images or sounds which are threatening, abusive or insulting and [s]he intends thereby to stir up racial hatred, or having regard to all the circumstances racial hatred is likely to be stirred up thereby.”

The charge concerns a video of the scene in the classic Oliver Twist film when Fagin, a fictitious Jewish criminal (a character that has come under significant criticism over the past century for its antisemitic depiction), is explaining to his newest recruit how his legion of children followers pick pockets. Ms Chabloz uploaded the video and sings an accompanying song of her own about how Jews are greedy, “grift” for “shekels” and cheat on their taxes.

The video appears to be either a bizarre fundraising effort for her mounting legal costs due to numerous charges she has faced, including several ongoing prosecutions in which Campaign Against Antisemitism has provided evidence, or an attempt at mockery of Campaign Against Antisemitism for pursuing her in the courts.

Ms Chabloz is a virulent antisemite and Holocaust denier who has an extensive record of using social media to publicise her hatred for Jews and to convert others to her views about Jewish people. Following a private prosecution by Campaign Against Antisemitism, which was later continued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Ms Chabloz became the first person in Britain to be convicted over Holocaust denial in a precedent-setting case.

Ms Chabloz is fixated on the idea that the Holocaust did not occur, and that it was fabricated by Jews and their supporters as a vehicle for fraudulently extorting money in the form of reparations. This forms the basis for her second obsession, that Jews are liars and thieves who are working to undermine Western society. Ms Chabloz is also connected to far-right movements, at whose meetings she gives speeches and performs her songs, in the UK and North America. She is currently banned from entering France, where Holocaust denial is illegal.

Ms Chabloz is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 21st March in relation to this latest charge,

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “We are very pleased to see the CPS finally charging the notorious antisemite Alison Chabloz with incitement to racial hatred. She has repeatedly evaded justice, and we are grateful to the CPS for pursuing this matter following our discussions with them. If convicted, Ms Chabloz must face a sentence with real teeth in order to bring an end to her rampage of anti-Jewish racism which has continued relentlessly for far too long.”

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.

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Kelechi Okafor drops out of Woman’s Hour rather than facing questions from Emma Barnett on her defence of antisemitic comments by Reggie Yates

Actress and fitness studio owner, Kelechi Okafor, has dropped out of BBC Woman’s Hour, hanging up the telephone before going on air after finding out that the programme’s new host, Emma Barnett, planned to ask her questions about her defence of antisemitic comments by Reggie Yates, who apologised only once he had been caught out.

Ms Barnett had been approached by Twitter users, including journalists Rosa Doherty, who first discovered Ms Ofakor’s comments, and Adam Cailler, who tweeted Ms Barnett with Campaign Against Antisemitism’s reporting on Ms Ofakor.

Ms Okafor reportedly hung up on Ms Barnett during a conversation shortly before broadcasting was due to commence.

She had been invited onto the programme to speak about the #MeToo movement but Ms Barnett noticed the information from Campaign Against Antisemitism that had been sent to her about Ms Okafor. She was concerned that is Ms Okafor was to be on the programme, she must face questions about her past.

According to a string of angry tweets posted by Ms Okafor, Ms Barnett had been commenting about her without realising that Ms Okafor could hear her. Ms Okafor tweeted that she was “being talked about like a dickhead” and that it was “absolutely degrading and vile”. She then appeared to dismiss the entire matter as “other bs”.

Ms Barnett had brought up Ms Ofakor’s decision in 2017 to defend comments about Jews made by BBC presenter Reggie Yates in which he claimed that it was “great” that the young generation of grime music artists is not “managed by some random fat Jewish guy from north west London, they’re managed by their brethren”.

Ms Okafor had argued that Mr Yates was wrong to apologise for the comments and to step down as a host of the BBC’s Top of the Pops programme.

In a 24-minute podcast on iTunes and Soundcloud that has since been removed, Ms Okafor addressed Yates’ comments, remarking that she “had a huge problem with people apologising for things that they meant”, adding that Yates’ apology statement was “well-manicured”. She said that Yates’ comments were “not problematic”, that he was speaking “the truth”, and that the whole affair demonstrated “the power of a specific community”. Ms Okafor challenged whether these Jewish music managers really are from North West London, adding “I just want to know where the fallacy is”, and that “stereotypes are based on an element on truth”.

Ms Okafor then began describing how black entertainers had been “so short changed by the kind of people Reggie Yates describes”. She commented that “all sorts of ethnicities” can be capable of this but added “the fact is, these men has dominated the industry for decades [sic]” and are “taking most of the profits”. She claimed that black artists “are having to work [their] entire arse off while they’re keeping everything”. Ms Okafor remarked near the end of the podcast that grime, RnB, and hip-hop music have been “diluted” by these supposed Jewish music managers who “like blackness as long as it’s making them money”.

Ms Okafor also appeared to take umbrage at how the Holocaust receives public attention each year, but claimed that the legacy of slave trade was seemingly ignored. She described how these historical events are responsible for the “power dynamic” that she was discussing.

Ms Okafor then turned her attention to Harvey Weinstein, a Jewish figure in the entertainment industry who had recently been accused of sexual assault and rape, of which he has since been convicted. She remarked how accusations of inappropriate behaviour from the black actress Lupita Nyong’o were not taken seriously, but that “if you offend one of the more powerful sectors of the community, then off be with your head”. Ms Okafor claimed that what’s happening now is that “people are demanding their pound of flesh, and I am very specific about the reference I just made”. Ms Okafor mentioned how the phrase is linked to Shakespeare. The “pound of flesh” is a central plot device in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice in which the antagonist Shylock is portrayed as a stereotypical money-grabbing Jew. Shylock has become synonymous with the antisemitic trope that Jews control money and the banks, and it appears that Ms Okafor explicitly intended this understanding.

Ms Okafor was not in the least apologetic about her comments in the podcast, saying that “if people don’t like what I said, they can drink some water and go to sleep”.

When approached privately by Ms Doherty, a journalist with the Jewish Chronicle, who first discovered the podcast, Ms Okafor responded via Twitter: “Hi @Rosa_Doherty thank you for your email regarding my podcast. I appreciate the time you took to reach out to me. What does the Jewish Chronicle do to tackle anti-blackness?”

In a statement about today’s incident, Ms Barnett said that she had raised the issue with her producers and Ms Okafor after being sent a “report of the transcript of what she had said on her podcast supporting antisemitic comments by Reggie Yates comments about Jewish male managers and profits. As Weinstein is also Jewish and was referenced as part of this same podcast, I was discussing with my producers the role of this guest in light of her allegedly antisemitic comments. Kelechi overheard that chat on our open Zoom link — with two minutes to airtime. I then directly talked to Kelechi about the allegations, standing by my queries, and said she could put her response across in the programme. She denied the allegations and hung up, choosing to no longer be part of the programme. I stand by my questions to my team and to Kelechi. I would have happily hosted her on the programme with a question on this issue.”

A BBC spokesman said: “During an off-air conversation ahead of the programme, Emma Barnett and the production team talked about a guest’s role in the discussion, and how to reflect some of the guest’s alleged previous comments and the issue of antisemitism as part of the Woman’s Hour discussion on the role of minority voices in the MeToo movement. This was also raised directly with the guest before going on air.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Whilst Kelechi Okafor clearly considers herself to be an activist against anti-black racism, we are not aware of her ever apologising for her appalling defence of the antisemitism of Reggie Yates, which we called out at the time. Emma Barnett was absolutely right to want to question her on the cause of her disgrace — indeed that is the only topic on which Ms Okafor should be interviewed on such a prestigious platform.”

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BBC denied request by father of teenage victim of antisemitic terrorist attack to address the staff who broadcast a sympathetic interview with her murderer

The BBC has reportedly denied a request by the father of a teenage victim of an antisemitic terrorist attack to address the staff who broadcast a sympathetic interview with her murderer.

Arnold Roth, whose daughter Malki was murdered in the 2001 Sbarro Pizza terrorist attack in Jerusalem by the unrepentant antisemitic terrorist Ahlam Al-Tamimi, met with BBC executives after a sympathetic interview was broadcasted on the 8th October episode of BBC Arabic’s Trending. The attack took the lives of fifteen civilians, half of whom were children.

Ms Al-Tamimi is a Jordanian national who was convicted for the terrorist attack, which killed fifteen people, half of whom were children. She was also behind a previous failed terrorist attack. She has repeatedly expressed pride at her actions and never remorse; she was even disappointed that the death toll was not higher. Although she was given several life sentences, she was released as part of a prisoner deal that secured the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit from the genocidal antisemitic terrorist group Hamas. The sympathetic interview saw her appeal for the return of her husband – also a convicted terrorist – from Qatar to Jordan, where she resides and enjoys a celebrity status of sorts.

The families of numerous victims complained to the BBC, with an internal report finding that the Corporation had breached its own ethical guidelines.

The Director of the BBC World Service, Jamie Angus, apologised, calling the episode a “lapse in our editorial standards”, but Mr Roth reportedly criticised the apology as “empty, cruel and pointless”.

Mr Roth, who met with Mr Angus and the Head of BBC Arabic, Samir Farah, on 9th November, said that the episode went beyond a mere lapse in editorial standards, noting that the episode omitted reference to the victims and described Ms Tamimi’s crimes as allegations, and that the episode was promoted on social media with the hashtag “Ahalm Tamimi, your voice is loud and clear”. Mr Roth said that the episode was contrary to journalistic and ethical values.

It is believed that Mr Roth observed that the BBC Arabic anchorman presented the apology by saying “I read you a message from the BBC”, which he claimed showed that BBC Arabic was failing to take responsibility. The BBC apparently considered, to the contrary, that this introduction gave the apology more prominence.

It is understood that Mr Roth wished to speak with BBC Arabic’s Trending staff to present on the work of the Malki Foundation, named for his daughter, which works with disabled children of all faiths in Israel, and to record a segment for the programme outlining his criticism of the interview.

According to the JC, the BBC decided to “respectfully decline” his request.

A spokesperson for BBC Arabic reportedly said: “Airing an apology on live TV gives it the highest of prominence. The fact that BBC Arabic did this, and the breach in editorial guidelines acknowledged by the programme, is a reflection of the seriousness with which BBC Arabic dealt with it. The very clear apologies published online in both English and Arabic also show how seriously it is still taken.”

Ms Tamimi is wanted in the United States on terror charges.

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Actor Keith Allen defends Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitism

The actor Keith Allen has defended Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitism, complaining of the “appalling treatment” meted out to the former Labour leader.

Mr Allen said in an interview with the Radio Times that Mr Corbyn had been treated “appallingly” by the media, which was “scared” of him.

Regarding Mr Corbyn’s antisemitism, Mr Allen said: “I don’t think for one moment that he’s an antisemite”.

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.

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Celtic fans call the club’s Israeli midfielder a “dirty Jew bastard” and a “Zionist rat” after loss to rival Rangers

Celtic fans have unleashed a torrent of abuse at the club’s Israeli midfielder after a weekend derby saw a loss to rival Rangers.

Nir Bitton was called a “dirty Jew bastard” and a “Zionist rat” on social media after receiving a red card in the match. His wife also revealed that she has been subjected to abuse, including calls for her and her husband to be “hanged”. One post said: “Here you ya cow, you and yer husband deserve tae be hung on the streets. F**k you and yer wains.”

Their two children have also reportedly had abuse directed at them as well.

This is not the first time that Mr Bitton has disclosed the abuse he suffers from some of the club’s fans; in 2016 the police launched an investigation after a Celtic fan said that Mr Bitton should be gassed.

It is also not Celtic’s first brush with controversy over Jews or Israel, having been sanctioned by UEFA in the past over persistent problems. In the Scottish FA Cup final in 2016, for example, fans displayed a banner reading “end Zionism”. A Jewish former director of the club was also subjected to abuse by fans, including “Get this Ashkenazi c*** out of OUR club and take that other fake jew p**** Bitton with him [sic]”, and “He’s a Jew what do you expect”.

A spokesperson for Celtic FC said that it has passed its fans’ “vile” comments to Police Scotland and called for those responsible to be identified, adding that “all appropriate action should be taken”. The spokesperson added that “those responsible for such vile comments do not represent Celtic or Celtic supporters. They are faceless and nameless.”

Late last year, the Premier League and all of its constituent clubs bar Sheffield United adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “With this latest episode of antisemitic abuse, a group of Celtic FC’s fans have once again brought shame on their club with their appalling Jew-baiting. This antisemitism is even more astonishing when such abuse is directed at the team’s own players and staff. We commend the club for reporting these individuals to the police and would be happy to assist in identifying the perpetrators. We hope that the club will also follow the example of clubs south of the border which have adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.”

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Seventeen–year-old charged in connection with violent neo-Nazi-inspired terror plot

A seventeen-year-old has reportedly been charged in connection with a violent neo-Nazi-inspired terror plot involving printing firearms.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested last week after police searches in Chelmsford and Brentwood in Essex in a “pre-planned, intelligence-led operation”.

It is alleged that he sought to produce plastic guns by a 3D printer, and is accused of drawing up plans for a storage bunker, providing instructions for the production of the firearms, and transferring money to a third party for materials to manufacture the weapons.

The defendant has been charged with preparing acts of terrorism, disseminating a terrorist publication and four counts of possessing material likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

He appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court via video link and will appear at the Old Bailey on 22nd January.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has been monitoring and acting against the threat from the far-right for years and continues to urge the Jewish community to remain vigilant and welcomes the seriousness with which the police are treating the danger posed by the far-right.

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Neo-Nazi with history of disseminating antisemitic material sentenced to four years in prison after admitting terrorist charges

A neo-Nazi with a history of disseminating antisemitic material has been sentenced to four years and two months in prison after admitting terrorist charges.

Luke Hunter of Newcastle was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on 23rd December after admitting seven charges of encouraging terrorism and disseminating terrorist publications.

Mr Hunter, who is 23, was reportedly tied to the neo-Nazi Feuerkrieg Division, which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation.

According to Hope Not Hate, Mr Hunter apparently “produced hundreds of hours of podcasts, multitudes of graphic designs, and dozens of stylised fascist videos” which were disseminated across his websites, numerous Twitter accounts, YouTube, Instagram, Discord and Telegram, on which he had over 1,200 subscribers. Among the posts were material promoting the murder of Jews, non-white people and homosexuals.

A raid on his house – part of a wider investigation into neo-Nazi activity – reportedly revealed Nazi memorabilia, white supremacist texts, military training manuals and guides on guerrilla warfare.

Detective chief superintendent Martin Snowden, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, reportedly said: “Hunter invested a lot of effort in maintaining his website, his online presence and his status among like-minded individuals. He saw himself as an influencer and even sought to widen his following by speaking at a right-wing conference in the UK. These actions are not simply the result of a young person simply seeking to explore and express their social or political views. Hunter promoted neo-Nazism to the widest possible audience and was reckless about the consequences.

“Through his pleas, Hunter accepts he was responsible for the hateful posts on his accounts, posts which glorified terrorism, promoted killing techniques and encouraged the killing of Jews, non-white races and homosexuals.

“Luke Hunter represents a threat to our society, not simply because of his mindset, but because of the considerable lengths he was prepared to go to in order to recruit and enable others in support of his cause.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has been monitoring and acting against the threat from the far-right for years and continues to urge the Jewish community to remain vigilant and welcomes the seriousness with which the police are treating the danger posed by the far-right.

Image credit: Counter Terrorism Policing

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Sir Michael Morpurgo declines to include The Merchant of Venice in his retelling of Shakespeare stories for children because of its “antisemitic” attitudes

Sir Michael Morpurgo has revealed that he will not be including The Merchant of Venice in a new collection of Shakespeare stories for children due to the play’s “antisemitic” attitudes.

The popular children’s author reportedly said of his upcoming Tales From Shakespeare that “I avoided Shylock because it worried me too much if I am honest about it…there are assumptions right the way through about what it is to be a Jew, and how Jews are thought of, which are so important for our society that, for me, it was best not to go there.”

Shylock, the titular character of the play, is infamous for embodying numerous antisemitic tropes, including avarice and usury, although some scholars note that the portrayal is more multi-dimensional than it seems, with the play’s Christian characters also exhibiting unsympathetic qualities.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The portrayal of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice is a sensitive topic best approached with context and guidance. Sir Michael Morpurgo is right to recognise that there are other Shakespeare plays more suitable for younger readers.”

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Jewish teacher told by trade union he is black even as he insists he is not, in instance of “inverted form of Aryanism”

A Jewish teacher has been told by his trade union that he is black, even as he insists that he is not.

Jason Wardill, a design technology teacher of Mediterranean and Jewish heritage, was invited by the National Education Union (NEU) to a meeting of black teachers and for a year since then has been trying unsuccessfully to correct his ethnicity.

The NEU claims that because he does not consider himself white, he had to be registered as black.

He reportedly told the Daily Mail: “It made me feel pretty helpless. BAME would be absolutely fine, as it encompasses everything.” He went on to note that when he joined the NEU, he ticked “mixed other” in the ethnicity box, as this was “the only option available for me”, adding: “Jewish was an option in the religion section only, which leads me to believe the NEU doesn’t recognise Jewish as a race. They only appear to recognise it as a religion.”

He observed that the ‘black’ category was no longer an ethnic marker but a political label. “They said they could put an asterisk next to black to show it was political. I said that shouldn’t make a difference, because I am not black. I don’t feel that a black member would necessarily want me down as a black member, and rightly so.”

A spokesman for the NEU reportedly said that it “uses the term ‘black’ when communicating about some union activities to members who self-identify as black, Asian or any other minority ethnic groups who do not identify as white. There are also other times and projects, events or policy initiatives where we would engage specific groups of members such as Asian women members, Jewish members or Roma groups.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “At the NEU, the once noble practice of identifying minorities in order to enable their advancement has now degenerated into an absurd and dangerous inverted form of Aryanism. Under the NEU’s contorted logic, ‘white’ and ‘black’ are no longer useful or meaningful categories of racial identity but are instead political labels used to promote a divisive agenda. Rather than lifting minorities up, these politicised tick-boxes belittle them, and they deny individuals, including Jews, their right to identify as they choose. The NEU must recognise that any policy that orders Jews to identify as black, regardless of whether they actually are, is discriminatory, and erases their true identity.”

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Success for CAA as Professional Standards Authority acts on our representations to ask High Court to quash decision on “Al Quds Day” leader Nazim Ali after “irrational and perverse” ruling by General Pharmaceutical Council

The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has asked the High Court to quash a decision of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), over its decision in relation to Nazim Ali, a pharmacist who leads the annual “Al Quds Day” march through London.

Last month, the GPhC’s Fitness to Practise Committee, found that Mr Ali brought the pharmaceutical profession into disrepute, following a two-week hearing that culminated on 5th November arising from a complaint by Campaign Against Antisemitism.

Following the GPhC’s ruling, Campaign Against Antisemitism made legal representations to the PSA asking it to use its statutory power to refer the matter to the High Court under the National Health Service Reform and Healthcare Professionals Act 2002, on the grounds that the decision made by the GPhC’s Fitness to Practise Committee was insufficient to protect the public because it was “irrational and perverse”.

The PSA has now made the referral that we requested. The High Court will now decide whether to quash the decision of the GPhC’s Fitness to Practise Committee, leading to the matter being re-opened.

In particular, we asked the PSA to review the GPhC’s ruling that Mr Ali’s statements were not antisemitic, including by attempting to distinguish between “antisemitism” and “antisemitic”. We have asked the PSA to consider the International Definition of Antisemitism adopted by the British Government, and the Guidance to all Judiciary in England and Wales produced by the Judicial College that makes clear that the word “Zionist” or “Zio” as a term of abuse has no place in a civilised society.

Furthermore, we argued that the ruling misapplied the law when asking whether a “reasonable person” would have considered the comments made by Mr Ali as being antisemitic. The GPhC’s Fitness to Practise Committee ruled that Jewish bystanders who saw the demonstration or watched the recording of it posted online could not be considered to be reasonable persons because of their “selective view of events”.

Campaign Against Antisemitism made its initial complaint to the GPhC related to Mr Ali’s actions in 2017, when he led the pro-Hizballah “Al Quds Day” parade for the controversial London-based organisation calling itself the Islamic Human Rights Commission, just four days after the Grenfell Tower tragedy in which over 70 people were burned alive.

Heading the parade, surrounded by the flags of Hizballah, the genocidal antisemitic terrorist organisation, Mr Ali shouted over a public address system: “Some of the biggest corporations who are supporting the Conservative Party are Zionists. They are responsible for the murder of the people in Grenfell, in those towers in Grenfell. The Zionist supporters of the Tory Party. Free, Free, Palestine…It is the Zionists who give money to the Tory Party to kill people in high-rise blocks. Free, Free, Palestine. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

At another point he told marchers: “Careful of those Rabbis who belong to the Board of Deputies, who have got blood on their hands, who agree with the killing of British soldiers. Do not allow them in your centres.”

The events were filmed by members of Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Demonstration and Event Monitoring Unit.

Mr Ali is the Managing Partner of Chelsea Pharmacy Medical Clinic. Campaign Against Antisemitism submitted a complaint to the GPhC, which confirmed that the matter “calls into question the pharmacy professional’s fitness to practise as a pharmacist.”

The Professional Standards Authority told Campaign Against Antisemitism: “The Authority has decided to refer the decision to the High Court because we considered that it may be insufficient to protect the public. The Authority was concerned that the Committee had erred in its approach to a charge that the comments made by Mr Ali were antisemitic. Those errors mean that it is not possible to know whether a different outcome would have been reached in the case had the correct approach been taken, and that therefore decision taken by the Committee was not sufficient to protect the public. For that reason the Authority, by its appeal, is asking the Court to quash findings made by the Committee and remit the case back to the Committee for reconsideration, applying the correct approach to the charge of antisemitism. The appeal has now been lodged with the court.”

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Since 2017, we have fought to ensure that Nazim Ali faces the consequences of his actions. As a pharmacist, he is bound by professional rules, and we are pleased that due to our complaint his regulator ruled that he brought his profession into disrepute.

“However, the ruling was deeply flawed, finding Mr Ali’s remarks not to be antisemitic, and considering Jewish bystanders not to be reasonable persons. This was irrational and perverse in the extreme, so we instructed lawyers to ensure that it cannot be allowed to stand due to the example that it sets. Not only that, but the decision to merely issue Mr Ali with a warning was insufficient to protect the public. That is why we asked the PSA to refer this matter to the High Court, and we are delighted that they have now done so.

“There was no way that we could allow this decision to stand due to the dangerous precedent that it set both for British Jews and the public which relies on healthcare professionals to be properly regulated.”

We are extremely grateful to Simon Braun, a partner at Perrin Myddelton solicitors, for acting pro bono for Campaign Against Antisemitism in this matter.

Campaign Against Antisemitism previously sought a criminal prosecution of Mr Ali. When the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) refused to prosecute him, we launched a private prosecution which the CPS disgracefully used its statutory powers to take over and discontinue, protecting Mr Ali from prosecution.

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Liberal Democrats launch investigation into local branch spokesperson who claimed the “fake antisemitism campaign against Labour is the worst single episode of misinformation I have ever witnessed”

The Liberal Democrats have reportedly launched an investigation into the spokesperson for its Bromley branch after he made controversial comments about antisemitism in the Labour Party.

Jonathan Coulter, a former editor of the Liberal Democrats Friends of Palestine newsletter, reportedly declared at a non-Party event earlier this month that “fake antisemitism campaign against Labour is the worst single episode of misinformation I have ever witnessed”.

He also referenced “antisemitism smears” in a similar connection, repeating a popular trope that has been at the centre of Labour’s scandal institutional racism against Jews.

A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats reportedly said: “The Party has received a complaint and in line with our processes an independent investigation has been opened.”

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.

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Disciplinary charges against Jewish student for complaining about lecturer’s “Israel lobby” remark dropped by Warwick University

Dubious disciplinary charges against a Jewish student who complained about antisemitism have been dropped by Warwick University.

The President of the Warwick Jewish Israeli Society submitted a complaint on behalf of a member against Dr Goldie Osuri for saying, in a lecture on 11th November 2019, that “the next time they say that the Labour Party is antisemitic, you know there are some people possibly that are possibly antisemitic, but this idea that the Labour Party is antisemitic is very much an Israeli lobby kind of idea.”

However, the complaint was rejected by the University, which backed the controversial academic, who doubled down on her outrageous claims. She also apparently emailed the entire class about the complaint and was absurdly portrayed by allies as being victimised because she is a “lecturer of colour”.

Dr Osuri then made two counter-complaints against the President of the Jewish Israeli Society, the first relating to the recording and publishing of her lecture and the second with regard to the University’s ‘Dignity at Warwick’ policy, which had allegedly been breached by supposed “harassment” of an academic and the “submission of a vexatious complaint”.

Warwick has now dropped the complaints, however, following representations from the student.

Throughout this saga, Warwick, which only grudgingly adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism after considerable pressure, has shown itself unwilling to address antisemitism. On this occasion, it has at least stopped short of punishing the victims.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has been working with the student.

Previously, concerns were raised over the University’s failure to address a scandal over a group chat which gained national attention, in which antisemitic, misogynistic, abusive and threatening messages, including rape threats, were uncovered.

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

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University of Oxford reiterates its adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism

The University of Oxford has reiterated its 2016 adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism.

The reiteration comes after a call from the Education Secretary for universities to adopt the Definition.

Recently, Birmingham, Lancaster, Cambridge, Manchester Metropolitan and Buckingham New Universities have adopted the Definition.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has consistently backed efforts by the Government to encourage widespread adoption of the Definition by local authorities, universities and public bodies. The UK was the first country in the world to adopt the Definition, something for which Campaign Against Antisemitism, Lord Pickles and others worked hard over many meetings with officials at Downing Street.

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

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CAA files complaint with Netherlands prosecutor’s office over Wiley’s antisemitic tirade launched from Rotterdam

Lawyers acting for Campaign Against Antisemitism have filed a criminal complaint with the Public Prosecution Service in the Netherlands, which is where grime artist Wiley was located when he launched his tirade against Jews.

Ron Eisenmann, a partner at Eisenmann & Ravestijn, filed documents on behalf of Campaign Against Antisemitism seeking Wiley’s prosecution in the Netherlands over his antisemitic incitement. We are extremely grateful to Mr Eisenmann and his firm for agreeing to represent Campaign Against Antisemitism on a pro bono basis.

On 24th July 2020, the rapper Richard Kylea Cowie, who is known as Wiley, spent days engaged in an escalating rant on social media against Jews. After likening Jews to the Ku Klux Klan and claiming that Jews had cheated him and were “snakes”, Wiley tweeted that Jews should “hold some corn”, a slang expression meaning that they should be shot. He added: “Jewish community you deserve it”. He then also called on “black people” to go to “war” with Jews.

Wiley repeatedly evoked conspiracy theories that Jews were responsible for the slave trade and that modern-day Jews are in fact imposters who usurped black people — a conspiracy theory that has incited acts of terrorism against Jews, such as a shooting in Jersey City and a stabbing attack in Monsey, NY during the festival of Chanukah last December.

In the days that followed, Wiley continued to rail against Jews on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Following discussions with Campaign Against Antisemitism, a major 48-hour boycott of Twitter and Instagram in which we participated, and our projection of antisemitic tweets onto Twitter’s London headquarters, which then went viral, Twitter, Facebook (which owns Instagram), Google (which owns YouTube) and TikTok agreed to remove Wiley from their platforms, depriving him of access to his nearly one million social media followers.

Campaign Against Antisemitism immediately reported Wiley to the Metropolitan Police Service, but in September the police force confirmed to us that Wiley was not in the UK at the time of his antisemitic tirade. Under Home Office rules, that means that the Metropolitan Police must give primacy to police in the jurisdiction where Wiley was at the time.

In anticipation of this development, Campaign Against Antisemitism had already appointed Mr Eisenmann and begun to prepare our case.

We are grateful to the Community Security Trust, which was able to provide us with evidence showing that Wiley was in Rotterdam at the time of his antisemitic abuse.

Campaign Against Antisemitism is continuing its response to this incident, including:

  • Filing our criminal complaint against Wiley in the Netherlands;
  • Continuing to meet with executives from Twitter, Facebook and Google to address their response to antisemitism on their platforms;
  • Working with the Cabinet Office’s Honours Forfeiture Committee to ensure that Wiley’s MBE is revoked;
  • Seeking a change in policy so that racists are automatically stripped of their honours in future (please help by signing our Parliamentary petition);
  • Urging the Government to bring forward legislation to regulate social networks and force them to remove racist incitement (please help by signing our Parliamentary petition), which has recently borne fruit; and
  • Working with the music industry to remove Wiley’s awards and ensure that he is shunned for his racism.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Wiley used his social media following to attempt to ignite a race war between black people and Jews. He accused Jews of ‘doing anything to ruin a black man’s life’ and called for them to be shot. His brazen calls for racist violence were made whilst on Dutch soil and we will use all of the means at our disposal to ensure that he answers to a Dutch judge. Antisemites do not stop at national borders and neither will we in pursuing them. We will always do whatever it takes to defend the Jewish community. It is why we are here.”

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Plaid Cymru “has work to do to win the confidence of anyone who opposes racism”: CAA makes submissions to Party’s internal review into antisemitism

Campaign Against Antisemitism has today made submissions to Plaid Cymru’s review into antisemitism in the Party.

Plaid Cymru’s internal review will reportedly be led by Liz Saville Roberts MP, the leader of the Party’s small contingent at Westminster, and it aims to ensure that there is “zero tolerance” of antisemitism in the Party.

The review was announced following the publication of the damning report into antisemitism in the Labour Party by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant in the EHRC’s investigation, having made the formal referral that prompted the launch of the unprecedented full statutory investigation.

Our submissions come on the same day that the EHRC has published new “Guiding Principles” for all political parties and other associations.

The core of the submissions relates to numerous cases that Campaign Against Antisemitism has compiled, with input from concerned Plaid members and other members of the public, to whom we are grateful. The cases can be reviewed here.

One of the cases concerns a former leader of the Party, Leanne Wood, who has courted controversy at least twice this year in relation to antisemitism. Another concerns repeat offender Sahar Al-Faifi against whom the Party has failed to take action.

Joe Glasman, Head of Political and Government Investigations at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “We welcome Plaid Cymru’s announcement of a review into antisemitism in its ranks in the wake of the EHRC’s devastating investigation into anti-Jewish racism in the Labour Party, in which we were the complainant.

“Plaid Cymru has responded positively to our offer of representations, which we have submitted today, drawing attention to a number of very worrying cases, including a former leader of the Party. Among the cases there also appears to be a pattern of possible equality law breaches, similar to those laid out by the EHRC in its report on antisemitism in the Labour Party and which the EHRC has said apply to all political parties.

“Plaid Cymru is making the right decision to try to get ahead of this problem, but it will have to show that it is willing to act. Its recent decision not to take action against repeat offender Sahar Al-Faifi certainly shows that it has work to do to win the confidence of anyone who opposes racism.

“It appears that there are good people in Plaid Cymru who wish to address the challenge of antisemitism within the Party, but as with the Labour Party, the proof of their goodwill lies not in words, but in the actions they take to combat it.”

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.

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EHRC publishes guidance warning all political parties of their responsibilities, as requested by CAA

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has today published new guidance for all political parties and associations, following a request by Campaign Against Antisemitism.

The ‘New Guiding Principles for all Associations and Membership Organisations’ comes following the EHRC’s devastating report on antisemitism in the Labour Party, which was found 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.

Now the EHRC has, following a request by Campaign Against Antisemitism, published guidance for other political parties and associations, drawing on its investigation and report into Labour.

The Guiding Principles cover what constitutes unlawful discrimination; the importance of setting standards of behaviour and creating an inclusive culture; and the role of leadership – which were all areas of failure for Labour and from which other parties should learn. The Guidance also emphasises the need for a clear and accessible complaints policy; training; and a clear, published social media policy, which it has also mandated for Labour in the agreed Action Plan published yesterday.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We welcome this guidance from the EHRC, which we requested. Labour, under the direction of the EHRC, must work to return to decency after its unlawful breaches of equality law, but political parties across the United Kingdom must also learn the lessons of Labour’s antisemitism scandal in their treatment of Jews and other minorities. This guidance is a useful resource in that effort, and we will also continue to hold all political parties to account over anti-Jewish racism.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism advocates for zero tolerance of antisemitism in public life. To that end we monitor all political parties and strive to ensure that any cases of concern are properly addressed.

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Court date set for three new charges against notorious antisemite Alison Chabloz following action by CAA

Notorious antisemite Alison Chabloz appeared in court today to deny three new charges of sending by a public communications network an offensive, indecent message or material. The charges were brought following action by Campaign Against Antisemitism.

Her defence counsel argued that the charges were “vague” and noted that some of the broadcasts in question were “done in the USA”, even though Ms Chabloz herself was in the UK when she appeared on the channels.

“She doesn’t actually appear to know what is grossly offensive,” the prosecution said, adding: “There are comments that may be grossly offensive, such as ‘Hitler was right’. There are hundreds of evidential exhibits in relation to the transcripts of the broadcasts.”

Ms Chabloz is a virulent antisemite and Holocaust denier who has an extensive record of using social media to publicise her hatred for Jews and to convert others to her views about Jewish people. Following a private prosecution by Campaign Against Antisemitism, which was later continued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Ms Chabloz became the first person in Britain to be convicted over Holocaust denial in a precedent-setting case.

Ms Chabloz is fixated on the idea that the Holocaust did not occur, and that it was fabricated by Jews and their supporters as a vehicle for fraudulently extorting money in the form of reparations. This forms the basis for her second obsession, that Jews are liars and thieves who are working to undermine Western society. Ms Chabloz is also connected to extremist right-wing movements, at whose meetings she gives speeches and performs her songs, in the UK, France and North America. 

The three charges under section 127 of the Communications Act relate to two internet radio broadcasts featuring Ms Chabloz.

On 1st July 2019, we have alleged that Ms Chabloz was a guest on The Graham Hart Show, an internet radio show, with Graham Hart and Brian Smyth, both of whom are far-right extremists with antisemitic views. Mr Hart, who admits to admiring Hitler, was arrested in May following the presentation of evidence to the police by Campaign Against Antisemitism. During the show, Ms Chabloz said that “the police and the lower ranks, they will never get anywhere unless they become members of the local Freemason lodge, and that is basically the same as becoming a member of the synagogue”, and that “the Jews, they need to stop indoctrinating their children, you know their grandparents were gassed just because they were Jews. No wonder they grow up into psychotic maniacs. They are indoctrinated from birth with this bulls***, and they’ve been doing the same for centuries, even before the Holocaust. But the Holocaust is how most Jews identify themselves. That is the central pillar of Jewishness now, it’s the Holocaust: ‘Oh, we suffered so much’.”

On 5th May 2019, we have alleged Ms Chabloz was a guest on The Realist Report, an internet radio show hosted by John Friend, an American white-nationalist, antisemite and Holocaust-denier. During the show, in which Mr Friend endorsed Hitler’s treatment of European Jews, Ms Chabloz promoted the antisemitic conspiracy theory that the Jews control anything worth controlling; accused the Jewish people of inventing the Holocaust in order to profit financially; suggested that Hitler’s treatment of European Jews was caused by bad Jewish behaviour; insisted that there was nothing wrong with saying ‘Hitler was right’; claimed that the judge who convicted her had been intimidated by the ‘Jewish lobby’; and argued that Jews who did not conform to her idea of a member of Western society should be deported.

Appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today, Ms Chabloz denied the charges. The trial is set for 30th March 2021 at Hendon Magistrates’ Court and is expected to last for two days.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “We are pleased to see justice progressing in these cases. If convicted of these charges, Ms Chabloz must face a sentence with real teeth if the criminal justice system wishes to deter others from following her odious example.”

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.

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As EHRC authorises Action Plan for Labour to “drive out antisemitism” CAA warns “Jewish community should be under no illusions” in months ahead

The Labour Party has today published its Action Plan, entitled “Driving out antisemitism from the Labour Party”, as required by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in its devastating report on antisemitism in the Party.

The Action Plan covers numerous areas, including the need for a culture change in the Party and an “Independent Antisemitism Complaints Handling Process”, as well as greater consultation with the Jewish community. Campaign Against Antisemitism has been calling for some of these steps for years and included them in recommendations to the EHRC, which has now mandated that Labour finally take them.

Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “The Action Plan authorised by the EHRC shows just how far Labour has fallen. Having found that the Party broke the law, the EHRC has rightly adopted a remarkably firm enforcement approach for two years, made all the more necessary by last month’s disgraceful expedited reinstatement of Jeremy Corbyn to the Party.

“We welcome this Plan, which includes numerous steps that we have demanded of the Party for years but which it is only now promising to implement after being ordered to do so by the EHRC. As the complainant in the EHRC’s investigation, we have been vindicated. We look forward to working with Labour to drive out antisemitism and restore the Party to its fiercely anti-racist past, but there is a long way to go.

“The Jewish community should be under no illusions: the Action Plan does not envisage an independent disciplinary process until a year from now. This extremely long delay is down to the Party’s refusal to hold a special conference of its membership to make the necessary changes to its rulebook sooner. Until then, our complaints against fifteen sitting MPs, including Mr Corbyn, will remain outstanding, and it will be impossible for British Jews to assess whether Labour is addressing antisemitism effectively.

“This document shows just how much Labour still needs to do to transform its culture and processes. The Action Plan provides a roadmap, but it is a very long road indeed.”

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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

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.

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Arch conspiracy theorist Piers Corbyn “trolls Jews” by distributing leaflets in Jewish neighbourhoods comparing COVID-19 vaccines to Auschwitz

The arch conspiracy theorist, Piers Corbyn, has reportedly distributed leaflets in Jewish neighbourhoods comparing the COVID-19 vaccines to the Auschwitz death camp.

Referencing a headline in the Evening Standard that the new COVID-19 vaccines are a “safe path to freedom”, the leaflets apparently showed the slogan atop the infamous gates to Auschwitz.

Mr Corbyn, the brother of the former Labour leader, is a vehement opponent of pandemic lockdowns and has spoken at numerous rallies against lockdown rules, including appearing alongside the antisemitic hate preacher David Icke.

Recently, the former BNP leader, Nick Griffin, also compared the lockdown to Auschwitz.

Anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination networks have become known as hotbeds of antisemitic conspiracy theories and tropes.

Mr Corbyn has a history of controversy in relation to antisemitic conspiracy theories. He has previously retweeted @whiteknight0011, a notorious neo-Nazi who declared that “They will force Trump in to war What do you think happened to Hitler? Bilderberg CIA IMF Banker Gangsters They are the problem” along with four images. The @whiteknight0011 account has since been suspended. One image showed Lord Jacob Rothschild, the Jewish banker and philanthropist, against the background of a Nazi flag, claiming that he controls the world. A second showed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a puppeteer controlling ISIS through Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, orchestrating the war in Syria and Paris attacks as Lord Rothschild and the Queen look on approvingly. A third image showed the faces of supposed Jewish conspirators who run the world to society’s detriment, proclaiming: “Know your enemy”. The last image showed a family photo of the Royal Family, claiming that they are in cahoots with these Jewish conspirators in committing “the worst genocides, invasions and theft in all history.”

Mr Corbyn has also claimed that “Zionists” were conspiring against his brother: when Jewish then-MP Louise Ellman complained of antisemitic attacks against her, Piers accused her of using it as a cover for political attack, tweeting: “ABSURD! JC+ All #Corbyns are committed #AntiNazi. #Zionists can’t cope with anyone supporting rights for #Palestine”.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Enforcement and Investigations at Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Piers Corbyn is an arch conspiracy theorist who was among the first to claim Antisemitism allegations against his brothers were part of an Israeli plot. Comparing the lockdown to the Auschwitz death camp, as former BNP leader Nick Griffin and others have done, is despicable. To deliberately distribute leaflets making that comparison in Jewish areas is vintage Corbyn harassment and baiting of Jews, and demonstrates that this is not about protesting lockdowns: it is about trolling Jews.”

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Success for CAA as Culture Secretary announces social media companies will have duty of care to users and “criminal antisemitic posts will need to be removed without delay”

The Culture Secretary has announced today that social media companies will have a duty of care to users under new legislation, and that “criminal antisemitic posts will need to be removed without delay”.

Oliver Dowden made the announcement in an article for The Telegraph, in which he pledged to crack down on other online vices, such as terrorism, child sexual abuse, self-harm, cyber-bullying and indecent material.

Social media companies that fail their duty of care will face gargantuan fines of up to ten percent of their global turnover, and Parliament will reserve the right to introduce criminal sanctions for executives if these measures do not bring about change.

Campaign Against Antisemitism launched a petition in August, in the aftermath of the Wiley episode, calling for new legislation urgently to introduce a requirement for technology companies to remove racist incitement within set timeframes, a duty of care for social networks with personal liability for executives, and tighter requirements to provide evidence to police under warrant.

The petition can be signed here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/333146/

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This is a big victory for those of us in the Jewish community who have urged the Government to compel social media companies to take responsibility for criminal content and racist incitement on their platforms. We are pleased that the Culture Secretary has taken these concerns on board and is proceeding with new laws to prevent criminals from operating online. Without this campaign by us and our allies, this announcement may not have come about, and we are grateful to all the other organisations, celebrities and activists who have pushed for this alongside us.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism continues its robust engagement with social media companies over the content that they enable to be published, and we continue to make representations to the Government in this connection.

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CAA submits complaint to Ofcom over Channel 4’s segment claiming International Definition of Antisemitism “silences” criticism of Israel, with no input from any mainstream Jewish representative

Campaign Against Antisemitism is submitting a complaint to Ofcom regarding a segment on Channel 4 News that aired last night that was devoted to criticism of the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Speakers during the segment repeatedly stated that the Definition “silenced” debate about Israel, which is precisely the “Livingstone Formulation” that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) confirmed was used to victimise Jews in the Labour Party to such an extent that it broke equalities law (Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant in the EHRC’s investigation of the Labour Party). In using this antisemitic formulation, the segment breached Ofcom’s guidance on harm and offence.

The failure to include a single representative from the mainstream Jewish community – in which there is a consensus in favour of widespread adoption of the Definition – represented a failure by Channel 4 News to show due impartiality in its programme, which is also a breach of Ofcom’s guidance.

The segment lasted almost ten minutes.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “It is extraordinary that Channel 4 News could have devoted an entire segment to discussing defining antisemitism without including a single representative of the mainstream Jewish community. If the programme had done, it might have realised that it was promoting the antisemitic ‘Livingstone Formulation’ that was used to such unlawful effect in victimising Jews in the Labour Party. It is precisely this sort of ignorance of what antisemitism looks like that makes widespread adoption of the Definition so important.

“We are submitting a complaint to Ofcom in respect of this outrageous segment, which serves only to confirm to the Jewish community that Channel 4 News is incapable of covering sensitive issues with due impartiality.”

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Prof David Feldman’s colleagues join CAA in slamming him for opposing International Definition of Antisemitism, which his own institution, Birkbeck, discloses to CAA it has now adopted

Two colleagues of Prof. David Feldman’s at the Pears Institute for the Study of Antisemitism at Birkbeck have joined Campaign Against Antisemitism in slamming him for opposing the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Recently, our Chief Executive, Gideon Falter, documented how Prof. Feldman, who is the Director of the Pears Institute, “has been on the wrong side of the fight against antisemitism throughout the past several years,” including by dismissing concerns over rising antisemitism, participating in and defending the Chakrabarti Inquiry, allying with certain pro-Corbyn factions in the Labour Party and opposing the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Now, two of his colleagues at the Pears Institute for the Study of Antisemitism at Birkbeck have joined these criticisms. Writing for the JC, Prof. Philip Spencer and Dave Rich, respectively an Associate and an Associate Research Fellow at the Pears Institute, commented that Prof. Feldman’s article opposing the Definition “in our judgment not only does not take antisemitism seriously [and] may actually provide encouragement to those who have systematically denigrated Jews in this country”. They also accused their colleague of using a “line of argument [that] comes dangerously close to a classic antisemitic trope in which Jews are seen to be seeking to promote their own interests at the expense of others.”

Birkbeck University has recently confirmed to Campaign Against Antisemitism that it adopted the Definition on 27th November 2020. Evidently, even Prof. Feldman’s own institution is not convinced by his stale arguments.

Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, reiterated: “The Pears Institute for the Study of Antisemitism at Birkbeck should not be lending its credibility to a man who does so much to hinder the fight against antisemitism.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has been at the forefront of the campaign for widespread adoption of the Definition, including by universities.

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

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“You Jews killed the Christians”, man tells Jewish woman on bus, before screaming at her baby: “Your mum is a murderer!”

A man told a Jewish woman “You Jews killed the Christians” before screaming at her baby: “Your mum is a murderer”.

The incident took place on a 253 bus in Clapton Common, and was reported 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: CAD6969 13/12/2020.

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.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2019 showed that close to two thirds of British Jews believe that the authorities, in general, are not doing enough to address and punish antisemitism.

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Man shouts “I want to attack Jewish people” while chasing a Jewish man with glass bottles outside Sainsburys in Woodberry Down

A man shouted “I want to attack Jewish people” and “I will soon launch an attack” while chasing a Jewish man with glass bottles in Woodberry Down.

The incident took place outside a Sainsbury’s supermarket on Woodberry Grove, and was reported by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

The suspect was described as a black, slim, tall, muscular man.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting reference number: ref 4633159/20.

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.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2019 showed that close to two thirds of British Jews believe that the authorities, in general, are not doing enough to address and punish antisemitism.

Image credit: Google

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Labour’s Chanukah message greeted with reams of antisemitic messages

The Labour Party’s Chanukah message on Facebook has been greeted with reams of antisemitic messages from the Party’s social media following.

The graphic read: “Happy Chanukah from all of us at the Labour Party”. The accompanying message was: “As Jewish communities across Britain light the first candle of the menorah this evening, the Labour Party would like to wish you a very happy Chanukah. Chanukah Sameach!”

The antisemitic messages in response to the greeting included: “66,5 million Brits ruled over by 245,000.”; “Unless you’re a left leaning Jewish person…then we’ll suspend you from the party. I think you missed that bit…”; “…Shouldn’t the party be above all devise [sic] things like race and religion, it just looks so pro Jewish it is becoming embarrassing.”; “but only the right kind of Jews”; “I think you mean: Happy Chanukah, from Labour, to everyone in the Jewish community that agrees with the land grab”; “The electorate has spent the last ten years telling the Labour Party that they don’t represent working class people any more — The Labour Party responds by making more of a hue and cry about circa 360,000 people than any other minority group…”; “We might as well say Happy whatever it is… Otherwise we are expelled….”; “Better watch out, Starmer’s Stasi will be looking to find socialists to expel. Don’t mention Apartheid Israel’s war crimes.”; and “Starmer is rebranding Labour. It will now be known as the Likud party.”

Among the 2,000 comments, there was also plenty of pushback against these and other racist remarks.

Campaign Against Antisemitism recently 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 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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

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.

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Sir Keir Starmer under pressure again after Diane Abbott shares platform with suspended JVL member

Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure again after Diane Abbott reportedly shared a platform with a suspended Labour member.

Ms Abbott, the former Shadow Home Secretary under Jeremy Corbyn, shared a platform with Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, the Media Officer of Jewish Voice for Labour, an antisemitism-denial group and sham Jewish representative organisation. Ms Wimborne-Idrissi was recently suspended from Labour after giving a speech in support of Mr Corbyn and criticising the “weaponisation” of antisemitism in the Party.

The two shared a platform at the a ‘Solidarity with Jeremy Corbyn Sunday Stroll’ in London Fields, Hackney over the weekend.

This is not the first time Ms Abbott has shared a platform with a suspended or expelled Labour member, but, although Sir Keir made a pledge during the leadership election campaign that he would suspend MPs who gave a platform to former Labour members suspended or expelled in the wake of antisemitic incidents, the Labour Party declined to take any action last time. It remains to be seen whether Sir Keir or the Party will take a different course this time.

Ms Abbott is herself the subject of a complaint by Campaign Against Antisemitism, submitted to the Labour Party, which is still pending.

Campaign Against Antisemitism recently lodged a complaint against Mr 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 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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

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.

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Former BNP leader Nick Griffin compares lockdown to Auschwitz

The former leader of the BNP, Nick Griffin, has compared Britain’s lockdown rules to Auschwitz.

In a tweet, Mr Griffin wrote: “‘Science can set us free’ – Matt Hancock. There’s a slogan to put over the main gate into the lockdown concentration camp as the doctors experiment on the inmates.”

The phrase “science can set us free” is an allusion to the infamous slogan atop the gates of the Auschwitz concentration camp, “Arbeit Macht Frei” (“Work sets you free”), and the camp is known not only for the murder of untold numbers of Jews but also the hideous scientific experiments carried out on inmates.

In case there was any doubt about Mr Griffin’s meaning, the tweet included a picture of Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, signing a book of commitment to Holocaust education.

Comparisons of lockdown rules, regardless of politics, with the Holocaust are a form of minimisation of the Holocaust and an insult to the Jewish community and right-thinking people, and they do nothing to further the public debate.

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Labour frontbencher compares Prime Minister to Adolf Hitler

A Labour frontbencher has compared the Prime Minister to the Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler.

Bill Esterson MP, who is Shadow Minister for International Trade, tweeted: “My dad’s family is Jewish. We have no idea how many of our relatives were murdered in the holocaust. I fear [Prime Minister Boris] Johnson’s actions are leading us to a very dangerous place.”

Political disagreements on Brexit or other policy matters are no justification for comparisons with Nazi Germany, and Mr Esterson must apologise for the grotesque analogy.

It is understood that Mr Esterson has deleted the tweet.

Campaign Against Antisemitism recently 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 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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

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.

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Antisemitic vandal strikes for fourth time with “Heil Hitler” graffiti in Stamford Hill

New antisemitic graffiti in Stamford Hill is believed to be the work of a serial offender.

The latest graffiti – “Heil Hitler” messages scrawled on an ambulance and bus stops – is believed to be the fourth time the same offender has committed property damage of this sort.

The recent incident took place on Manor Road, and was reported 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 2643 10/12/2020.

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.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2019 showed that close to two thirds of British Jews believe that the authorities, in general, are not doing enough to address and punish antisemitism.

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CAA lawyers refer General Pharmaceutical Council to the Professional Standards Authority over decision on “Al Quds Day” leader Nazim Ali

Lawyers acting for Campaign Against Antisemitism have referred the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) over its decisions in relation to Nazim Ali, a pharmacist who leads the annual “Al Quds Day” march through London.

Last month, the GPhC’s Fitness to Practise Committee, found that Mr Ali brought the pharmaceutical profession into disrepute, following a two-week hearing that culminated on 5th November arising from a complaint by Campaign Against Antisemitism.

However, in our submission to the PSA, we have argued that the ruling of the GPhC’s Fitness to Practise Committee was “irrational and perverse”.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s initial complaint to the GPhC related to Mr Ali’s actions in 2017, when he led the pro-Hizballah “Al Quds Day” parade for the controversial London-based organisation calling itself the Islamic Human Rights Commission, just four days after the Grenfell Tower tragedy in which over 70 people were burned alive.

Heading the parade, surrounded by the flags of Hizballah, the genocidal antisemitic terrorist organisation, Mr Ali shouted over a public address system: “Some of the biggest corporations who are supporting the Conservative Party are Zionists. They are responsible for the murder of the people in Grenfell, in those towers in Grenfell. The Zionist supporters of the Tory Party. Free, Free, Palestine…It is the Zionists who give money to the Tory Party to kill people in high-rise blocks. Free, Free, Palestine. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

At another point he told marchers: “Careful of those Rabbis who belong to the Board of Deputies, who have got blood on their hands, who agree with the killing of British soldiers. Do not allow them in your centres.”

The events were filmed by members of Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Demonstration and Event Monitoring Unit.

Mr Ali is the Managing Partner of Chelsea Pharmacy Medical Clinic. Campaign Against Antisemitism submitted a complaint to the GPhC, which confirmed that the matter “calls into question the pharmacy professional’s fitness to practise as a pharmacist.”

The PSA has the power to review the findings and refer the matter to the High Court under the National Health Service Reform and Healthcare Professionals Act 2002, and we have asked it to exercise its statutory power on the grounds that the decision made by the GPhC’s Fitness to Practise Committee was insufficient to protect the public.

In particular, we have objected to the ruling that Mr Ali’s statements were not antisemitic, including by attempting to distinguish between “antisemitism” and “antisemitic”. We have asked the PSA to consider the International Definition of Antisemitism adopted by the British Government, and the Guidance to all Judiciary in England and Wales produced by the Judicial College that makes clear that the word “Zionist” or “Zio” as a term of abuse has no place in a civilised society.

Furthermore, we have argued that the ruling misapplied the law when asking whether a “reasonable person” would have considered the comments made by Mr Ali as being antisemitic. The GPhC’s Fitness to Practise Committee ruled that Jewish bystanders who saw the demonstration or watched the recording of it posted online could not be considered to be reasonable persons because of their “selective view of events”.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Since 2017, we have fought to ensure that Nazim Ali faces the consequences of his actions. As a pharmacist, he is bound by professional rules, and we are pleased that due to our complaint his regulator ruled that he brought his profession into disrepute.

“However, the ruling was deeply flawed, finding Mr Ali’s remarks not to be antisemitic, and considering Jewish bystanders not to be reasonable persons. This cannot be allowed to stand due to the example that it sets, and the fact that the failure to properly understand the enormity of Mr Ali’s actions and their impact appears to have led to the decision to merely issue him with a warning, which is insufficient to protect the public. That is why we have asked the PSA to refer this matter to the High Court.”

We are extremely grateful to Simon Braun, a partner at Perrin Myddelton solicitors, for acting pro bono for Campaign Against Antisemitism in this matter.

Campaign Against Antisemitism previously sought a criminal prosecution of Mr Ali. When the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) refused to prosecute him, we launched a private prosecution which the CPS disgracefully used its statutory powers to take over and discontinue, protecting Mr Ali from prosecution.

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How long does it take the Conservatives to investigate alleged antisemitism? Today marks one year since the Party announced three investigations, two of which are still outstanding

Today is the one-year anniversary of the Conservatives’ announcement of three antisemitism investigations. To date, the Tories have only disclosed that one has concluded, with those into Sally-Ann Hart MP and Lee Anderson MP apparently still outstanding. The Party must complete these investigations immediately and publish the outcomes.

In the closing days of the General Election in December 2019, the Conservative Party announced that it was commencing investigations into alleged antisemitism on the part of three Parliamentary candidates – Sally-Ann Hart, Lee Anderson and Richard Short – two of whom won their seats.

Only some of the allegations were reported at the time; others are still unknown.

We have received confirmation from the Conservative Party that the investigation into Richard Short has concluded, but while the Party has claimed to us some months ago that the investigation into Lee Anderson was near completion, we have not been provided with any further updates, nor has any public disclosure been made.

The investigations, during which the subjects were not suspended from the Party, have now taken a full year since they were announced, and there is still no indication of when the investigations might be formally concluded and the outcomes disclosed.

One of the MPs, Sally-Ann Hart, claimed in a television interview several months ago that a panel investigation relating to her had also been concluded and that she had attended social media training, but there has been no public announcement.

In the absence of any public disclosures by the Party, as far as we are concerned the investigations into Lee Anderson MP and Sally-Ann Hart MP are still open until the public is verifiably informed otherwise.

Ironically, since not all of the allegations have been made public, their gravity cannot be assessed, leaving the Party’s procedural failures in the spotlight.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Today we mark the one-year anniversary of an announcement of three investigations into antisemitism by the Conservative Party. One of them has concluded, but the Party has declined to disclose the progress in two of the others, which both relate to sitting MPs.

“These investigations were reassuringly announced by the Conservatives at the end of last year, in some cases before the allegations were even known to the public. But there is no justification for these investigations to be taking this long. These are not murder investigations, and the Tories now risk making their poor procedures and lack of transparency, rather than the allegations themselves, the real story. The Conservative Party must conclude these investigations immediately and finally publish the results.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism advocates for zero tolerance of antisemitism in public life. To that end we monitor all political parties and strive to ensure that any cases of concern are properly addressed.

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In “scandalous” decision, Sheffield United is sole Premier League football club not to adopt International Definition of Antisemitism

Sheffield United is the only football club of the Premier League’s twenty member clubs to refuse to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism.

The Premier League and the other nineteen clubs adopted the Definition yesterday, but The Blades have declined to do so.

It is hoped that this adoption will enable the Premier League to identify and discipline anti-Jewish racism among players and employees, and will send a signal to fans that antisemitism has no place in football. Sheffield United’s decision not to adopt the Definition sends precisely the opposite message.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We and others have worked hard to ensure widespread adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism, with Lord Mann in particular campaigning vociferously for the Premier League and its constituent clubs to adopt it. Their decision to do so is a momentous day for everyone who opposes racism in sport.

“It is therefore all the more astonishing that Sheffield United alone would disgracefully decline to adopt the Definition. It sends absolutely the wrong message to fans and players, and undermines the growing consensus that racism has no place in football. Serious questions must now be asked of the owners and management of the club over this scandalous own goal.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has consistently backed efforts by the Government to encourage widespread adoption of the Definition by local authorities, universities, public bodies and other institutions. The UK was the first country in the world to adopt the Definition, something for which Campaign Against Antisemitism, Lord Pickles and others worked hard over many meetings with officials at Downing Street.

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Premier League adopts International Definition of Antisemitism

The Premier League has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

It is hoped that this adoption will enable the Premier League to identify and discipline anti-Jewish racism among players and employees, and will send a signal to fans that antisemitism has no place in football.

Bill Bush, executive director of the Premier League, said: “The Premier League is committed to tackling any form of discrimination in football. Our adoption of the IHRA’s working definition will enable us to be more effective in dealing with any antisemitic behaviour targeting our clubs or personnel. We continue to work closely with clubs and relevant authorities to ensure that any incident of discrimination is dealt with appropriately. The adoption of the [International] Definition of Antisemitism is the latest step in the Premier League’s continued work to ensure that football is a welcoming environment for all.”

Lord Mann, the Government’s Independent Advisor on Antisemitism, has campaigned vociferously with football clubs for the adoption of the Definition in the sport. The anti-racism group Kick It Out  and the Jewish Leadership Council also contributed to the campaign.

Earlier this year, Chelsea became the first Premiership football club to adopt the Definition.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has consistently backed efforts by the Government to encourage widespread adoption of the Definition by local authorities, universities, public bodies and other institutions. The UK was the first country in the world to adopt the Definition, something for which Campaign Against Antisemitism, Lord Pickles and others worked hard over many meetings with officials at Downing Street.

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Counter-terror police investigating stabbing of two women in Burnley M&S after antisemitic rhetoric reportedly shouted at the scene

Two women were stabbed inside a Marks & Spencer department store in Burnley today amid claims that antisemitic rhetoric was shouted at the scene.

It is understood that a 57-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Although the incident is not currently being classed as a terrorist incident, counter-terrorism officials are involved in the investigation.

It is believed that various possible motivations and mental health issues are being examined.

One victim was a member of staff in her forties; the other was a shopper in her sixties. It is being reported that both are being treated in hospital for injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. Neither victim is related to the suspect, and a knife was recovered at the scene.

Courageous shoppers and staff restrained the suspect as he allegedly shouted antisemitic comments – which is apparently what has prompted the involvement of counter-terrorism police in the investigation – before he was arrested.

Supintendant Stasia Osiowy said: “We recognise that this incident will have caused a great deal of concern in the community, and I would like to reassure people that we have a dedicated team of officers and staff carrying out inquiries and a number of extra patrols in the town centre as reassurance. This is not being treated as a terrorism incident, but due to some comments made at the scene, counter-terrorism detectives will be leading on the investigation. At this time we are keeping an open mind as to motivation, but what I can say is that we are considering the mental health background of the man we have arrested.

She continued: “I would like to appeal to members of the public who may have seen or filmed this morning’s incident, or who have information which could assist, to get in touch with us. I would like to thank those members of the public who acted very quickly, and without regard to their own safety, this morning in order to detain the attacker. Without their brave actions, this incident, while serious, could have been so much worse.”

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the police on 101.

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JVL’s Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi reportedly suspended from Labour after rebellious meeting of her local Chingford and Woodford Green Labour Party

It is being reported that Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi has been suspended from Labour pending an investigation after a rebellious meeting of her local Chingford and Woodford Green Labour Party.

Ms Wimborne-Idrissi is the Media Officer of Jewish Voice for Labour, an antisemitism-denial group and sham Jewish representative organisation, as well as the Vice-Chair of Chingford and Woodford Green Labour Party.

The recent meeting reportedly featured speeches from both the Chair, Gary Lefley, and Ms Wimborne-Idrissi criticising Sir Keir Starmer and General-Secretary David Evans over their response to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s damning report into antisemitism in the Labour Party.

The Labour Party and many of its local branches have been in a state of confrontation over the past several weeks (if not months) over antisemitism issues and the suspension by the Party and rapid readmission of Jeremy Corbyn.

In her comments, Ms Wimborne-Idrissi allegedly said: “The cynical manipulation of Jewish fears and concerns is unforgivable and undermines all our work against racism of all kinds.” She also reportedly criticised the “weaponisation” of antisemitism, saying: “May I just say there are many Jews in the party, including me, who endorse 100 percent what Pippa said about the weaponisation.”

It is reported that these speeches by the Chair and Vice Chair encouraged other aggressive speeches, and that both Mr Lefley and Ms Wimborne-Idrissi have been suspended from Labour pending an investigation.

Recently, Ms Wimborne-Idrissi called for Labour members to “resist” Sir Keir Starmer’s efforts to address antisemitism in the Party.

Campaign Against Antisemitism recently lodged a complaint against Mr 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 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.

In the first release of its Antisemitism in Political Parties research, Campaign Against Antisemitism showed that Labour Party candidates for Parliament in the 2019 general election accounted for 82 percent of all incidents of antisemitic discourse by parliamentary candidates.

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.

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The SNP has selected an MP previously suspended for antisemitism to sit on its conduct committee: it’s a wrong move

An SNP MP previously suspended for antisemitism and subsequently readmitted was yesterday selected at the Party’s conference to sit on its internal conduct committee.

Neale Hanvey was the SNP’s Parliamentary candidate for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath in the 2019 General Election, but during the campaign it emerged that he had posted antisemitic comments on social media in 2016, in one case comparing Israeli policy to that of the Nazis, in breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism, and in another case sharing an image of the Jewish financier George Soros depicted as a puppet master controlling the world.

Upon the revelation, Mr Hanvey recognised the breach and issued an immediate apology, saying that he was “genuinely and deeply sorry”. The SNP nonetheless suspended him, despite the impact that this suspension could have on the Party’s chances in the marginal seat. Mr Hanvey remained on the ballot under the SNP’s name, however, because the deadline for nominations for electoral candidates had passed.

Local SNP activists continued to campaign for Mr Hanvey, however, despite the calls from Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader, for them to cease doing so and campaign for neighbouring candidates instead. Whether these calls were genuine or simply issued to appear to distance the Party from Mr Hanvey’s comments in the knowledge that the activists would ignore the calls anyway and help elect someone who appeared to be the SNP candidate is not known.

Mr Hanvey won the election but entered Parliament as an independent MP. After six months, he was readmitted. However, Campaign Against Antisemitism later discovered that on the day Mr Hanvey issued his original apology, he had “liked” a series of tweets that appeared to undermine the substance and purpose of his apology, bringing his sincerity into question. In June, we brought this to his attention, and he replied: “The past six months have been an important journey and learning process for me…I’ve developed my understanding of antisemitism in all its forms. I am now absolutely clear that, however unintentional, the social media posts I shared two years ago were antisemitic in nature. I have apologised unequivocally and I was grateful for the opportunity to reflect on my journey in a recent article for Jewish News. While I cannot undo mistakes in the past, I have learned from them and I am committed to using my role as an MP to challenge and promote a better understanding of antisemitism, racism and intolerance of all forms.”

Mr Hanvey quietly deleted the offending social media activity.

The SNP has also faced a deeper, related controversy in recent months when a Party official tasked with investigating Mr Hanvey on behalf of the Party was herself forced to resign after she described Israel as a “Nazi state”. It is likely that the Party therefore has more to do to eliminate antisemitism among its officials and members.

Mr Hanvey’s elevation to the conduct committee is not an appropriate move so soon after his readmission after a suspension for antisemitism.

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.

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University of Birmingham adopts International Definition of Antisemitism

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

The adoption comes after a call from the Education Secretary for universities to adopt the Definition.

Recently, Lancaster, Cambridge, Manchester Metropolitan and Buckingham New Universities have adopted the Definition.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has consistently backed efforts by the Government to encourage widespread adoption of the Definition by local authorities, universities and public bodies. The UK was the first country in the world to adopt the Definition, something for which Campaign Against Antisemitism, Lord Pickles and others worked hard over many meetings with officials at Downing Street.

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

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University and College Union’s “reputation in the Jewish community is in the gutter” after its KCL branch passes motion calling on University to revoke adoption of International Definition of Antisemitism

King’s College London’s (KCL) branch of the University and College Union (UCU) has passed a motion calling on the University to revoke its adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism two years ago.

The motion noted the call by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson on universities to adopt the Definition and said that the branch was “gravely concerned” that KCL allegedly adopted the Definition “without concern for its grave implications on critical education and the college’s declared commitment to diversity and inclusion”. It described the Government’s policy (and other Government positions) as “detrimental to academic autonomy, academic freedom” and claimed that they “intimidate and suppress speech of union members and college faculty who work on…Palestine and Israel”.

The motion resolved “to defend and protect academic freedom and reject any attempt at adopting and enforcing the deeply flawed [Definition] and its ‘illustrative examples’. Some of these examples require us to deny or suppress matters of historical record and contemporary reality, which is a breach of the UK’s Equality Act and Human Rights Act.”

The motion also resolved to “defend and protect academics…who teach on Palestine and Israel from any attacks on their academic freedom” and to “urge KCL management” to “reaffirm KCL’s commitment to academic freedom, including freedom of speech…critical of Zionism and Israel” and to “coordinate with other [Higher Education Institutions] in the UK to defend academic freedom and student activism from external and politically motivated attacks, including anti-democratic and top-down directives from Government.”

Finally, the motion resolved to urge KCL to “revoke its adoption” of the Definition and “to submit to the national UCU a motion along the same line as this motion.”

The motion was tabled and passed on Friday.

One Jewish member of the branch reportedly said that “I am so exhausted with having to emotionally respond to people questioning what constitutes antisemitism,” and “that members of my union would go to the trouble of putting forward a motion to reject [the Definition is] quite confronting.” The member added that the motion made them “uncomfortable”.

The member in question had previously left UCU almost twenty years ago over matters relating to Israel and antisemitism but had re-joined since then in order to be represented by the union during pension strikes. It is regrettable that a union, whose primary purpose is to ensure that its members receive equitable treatment at work, has repeatedly found itself making campuses unpleasant for Jewish academics, workers and students.

UCU has a long history of controversy in relation to antisemitism, and has a very poor reputation in the Jewish community.

Binyomin Gilbert, Programme Manager at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “UCU strikes again. For the umpteenth time, this union has found itself at the centre of an antisemitism controversy. Its reputation in the Jewish community is in the gutter, and this latest motion by one of its branches will do nothing but confirm it as a unwelcoming place for Jews.”

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

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Senior United Nations official asks whether Labour politician pledging to Jewish audience that she will fight antisemitism has also ‘offered solidarity to Palestinians’

A senior official at the United Nations has tweeted to ask whether a Labour Party politician pledging to a Jewish audience that she will fight antisemitism has also ‘offered solidarity to Palestinians’.

Mark Seddon is media advisor to the President of the General Assembly and has previously worked as a speechwriter for a former UN Secretary-General, as well as for Al Jazeera as its UN correspondent.

Mr Seddon was reacting to a report on Twitter that Labour’s Deputy Leader, Angela Rayner, told a Jewish group: “If I have to suspend thousands and thousands of members, we will do that. Because we cannot and we will not accept an injury to one, because an injury to one is an injury to all.” Ms Rayner was referring to attempts to address Labour’s scandal of institutional antisemitism.

Mr Seddon replied to the tweet saying: “Today is the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Has Angela Rayner recorded her support and solidarity for those being oppressed? A genuine question.”

There is no interpretation of Mr Seddon’s question, given its context, other than that he sees efforts to combat antisemitism in the UK as somehow connected to or even contrary to certain stances on Middle Eastern politics, and that Ms Rayner had no moral authority to address a domestic Jewish group on antisemitism without also expressing a position on a foreign policy matter.

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

The Jewish community will not be surprised at all that UN officials hold these sorts of views. The media outlets that publish work by Mr Seddon should, however, think twice in future about doing so.

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Lancaster University Students’ Union BME officer told to “stop being a Zionist shill” and a “gay n*****r” in appalling responses to feedback form

Lancaster University’s Students’ Union’s Black and Minority Ethnic Officer was told to “stop being a Zionist shill” and ““stop being a gay n*****r” in a feedback form.

Last Wednesday, Max Kafula contacted students inviting them to provide feedback on his work in his capacity as an officer in the Students’ Union, but he was forced to shut down the online portal following a spate a antisemitic, racist and homophobic abuse.

The responses quoted above came in reply to a question on the form: “If you said that you did not have confidence in me, what could I do to improve it?”

In another question, Mr Kafula asked for suggestions of what he could do in the remainder of his term in office. One response was: “Stop selling out to the illegitimate state of Israel.”

In a statement on social media, Mr Kafula wrote: “This is not only outright homophobic, racist and antisemitic, but it is also absolutely disgusting,” adding: “No one should even have these views.”

He has reported the comments to the police as a hate crime, reportedly saying: “No ifs, no buts, it’s a textbook hate crime.”

In a statement, the Students’ Union said it is “shocked, disgusted and disappointed to have to report that a member of its officer team has been subjected to horrific racist and homophobic abuse,” adding: “We do not expect anyone associated with us, either through work or volunteering, to be exposed to such horrid vitriol. We also do not expect such hate within our university community, but it’s a stark reminder of why it’s so important that we keep pushing for equality.”

Lancaster University recently adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism after a campaign by Jewish students.

Binyomin Gilbert, Programme Manager at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Antisemitic, racist and homophobic abuse is absolutely unacceptable. The perpetrators behind these cruel obscenities must be identified and sanctioned. Lancaster University recently adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism; sadly, it now has an opportunity to apply it.”

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

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CAA says CPS “ignoring Jewish victims” after it closes most police investigations into Labour antisemitism

Campaign Against Antisemitism has said that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is “ignoring Jewish victims” after it closed most police investigations into Labour antisemitism.

The Metropolitan Police has reportedly dropped fifteen of the 23 criminal investigations in relation to Labour antisemitism without charges. It is understood that the decisions in most of the cases were taken after the police asked the CPS for advice.

Seven cases are still under investigation, but there has only been one successful conviction in two years. In June, an expelled Labour activist, Mohson Rasool, 61, was convicted of sending a grossly offensive message online and given nine weeks’ community service.

The matter arose after the radio channel LBC and Campaign Against Antisemitism referred a secret dossier, which was compiled by the Labour Party and subsequently leaked, to the Metropolitan Police. Earlier this year, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police came under pressure for taking so long to decide on how to proceed even on the few cases that the CPS determined might be actionable.

The CPS has now reportedly ruled that the cases still held by the police did not meet the threshold for prosecution.

Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “While the rest of British society has been appalled by the rampant antisemitism in the Labour Party, the CPS is living on another planet. We referred cases from Labour to the police more than two years ago. At the time, the cases were said by top police officials and criminal barristers to be clear cut, but the CPS has only charged one of them and has now told the police to close cases on ten more activists.

“This is just the latest failure of the CPS to prosecute antisemitic hate crime. The CPS must stop ignoring Jewish victims and take antisemitic crime seriously. After years of vile antisemitic abuse from within the Labour Party, the CPS seems determined to do nothing at all about it.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2019 showed that almost half of British Jews believe that the CPS is doing too little to fight antisemitism.

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.

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Supporter of Jeremy Corbyn who called Jewish women MP a “f****** racist Zionist c***” and sent antisemitic abuse to other Labour Parliamentarians avoids jail

A supporter of the former Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who sent antisemitic abuse to Labour MPs had avoided jail.

Nicholas Nelson, 31, admitted to three charges of sending communications of an offensive nature in mid-2018. The communications were sent via telephone calls and e-mails to the Jewish women MPs Dame Margaret Hodge and Dame Louise Ellman, as well as Lord Mann, who was then a Labour MP and remains a prominent campaigner against antisemitism. All three Labour MPs were critics of Mr Corbyn.

Mr Nelson, who is from Norfolk, told Dame Margaret: “Margaret should f*** off, you f****** racist Zionist c***. You need to get out of the Party and I hope you die, you Tory c***.” In a telephone call on the same day, Mr Nelson reportedly added: “Margaret Hodge is an apartheid-supporting disgusting scumbag bitch.”

In a victim statement, the MP said: “I considered the emails to be threatening and was left feeling nervous and unsure about my personal safety. For the first time, I now feel under threat because of my Jewish identity.”

Dame Louise was told: “Louise Ellman is a hypocritical Tory c*** who is so thick she is trying to smear Corbyn with an event she herself attended.” Her Parliamentary assistant said that she felt “extremely uncomfortable and distressed” after reading an e-mail from Mr Nelson.

Lord Mann received a telephone message in September 2018 that said: “Kill yourself. When are you going to have a stroke?”

This conviction was not Mr Nelson’s first offence. In 2018, he was sentenced to twenty weeks in jail – suspended for a year – for harassing another two Jewish Labour MPs, Luciana Berger and Ruth Smeeth, both of whom were victims of significant levels of antisemitic abuse while in Parliament.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court’s Deputy Chief Magistrate, Tan Ikran, said: “I’m of the view that these offences are so serious that they cross the custody threshold. People should feel able to come forward and serve as MPs without fear of violence and threat. Certain communities have felt particularly under threat. And these courts will send a clear message to those who threaten members of those communities, who attack them because of their faith.”

However, while Mr Nelson was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison suspended for eighteen months, as well as a 30-day rehabilitation order, 240 hours of unpaid work and £200 in victim surcharge and costs, the magistrate said that if all the convictions had been sentenced at once, he would have sent Mr Nelson to jail, but “I have considered carefully whether I can suspend the sentences and I felt just about able to do so. That doesn’t take away the seriousness of the offences. That simply reflects we are now two years down the road, that there have been no further offences and that I see you are now seeking the assistance of a psychiatrist and dealing with issues you say were a feature of your life then.”

Mr Ikran said of Mr Nelson’s language that it is “the most vulgar, obscene, threatening vocabulary I can think of.” He added: “I took a very serious view in December 2018. I did so then and I do so now because there has been a significant increase in threats made to MPs – threats of violence, threats based on their faith and on race. It’s something I have not encountered previously, but over the last couple of years this has become commonplace.”

Mr Nelson’s counsel said that Mr Nelson is “ashamed of his conduct” and read a letter from the defendant saying: “I want to offer a full apology to Louise Ellman, Margaret Hodge and John Mann for the harm caused by my conduct.”

It is understood that Mr Nelson, who also sent antisemitic abuse to other Labour MPs, is no longer a member of the Labour Party.

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.

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“Alexa, was the Holocaust a hoax?”: Parliamentary antisemitism watchdog calls for action against Amazon for smart speaker that presents antisemitic conspiracies as truthful

A Parliamentary antisemitism watchdog has discovered that Alexa, Amazon’s smart speaker that provides answers to questions by reference to online resources, presents antisemitic conspiracies as truthful.

The leadership of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism has written to Amazon UK’s Vice President to alert him to Alexa’s propensity to answer antisemitic questions by directing users to websites “using selective quotes and misleading sources” and without providing any context.

For example, when asked “Do Jews control the media?”, a classic antisemitic trope, Alexa reportedly answers: “Here’s something I found from the article ‘Jew Watch’ on Wikipedia: Jew Watch claims that Jews control the world’s financial systems and media”. Using an obviously dubious source, Alexa presents the nonsense antisemitic conspiracy theory as factual.

To the question “Was the Holocaust a hoax?”, Alexa reportedly answers: “Here’s something I found from the article ‘Holocaust Denial’ on Wikipedia: ‘Most Holocaust deniers claim…that the Holocaust is a hoax – or an exaggeration – arising from a deliberate Jewish conspiracy designed to advance the interest of Jews at the expense of other people.” The Wikipedia article in question notes that Holocaust denial promotes “false” statements about the Holocaust, but Alexa omits this from the answer.

The letter to Amazon, which can be read below, provides further examples.

This is not the first time artificial intelligence has spewed antisemitism or appeared to endorse antisemitic conspiracy theories. Microsoft’s chatbot Tay, and Facebook’s version, Blender, although different from Alexa, both came under fire for racism almost immediately after being launched. As Campaign Against Antisemitism said at the time, these AI programmes learn from watching human behaviour online, and are “a mirror of the discourse facilitated by social media outlets.”

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Conservative MPs and peers warned against use of controversial “cultural Marxism” phrase

The All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism (APPG) has warned a group of Conservative MPs and peers against the use of the controversial phrase “cultural Marxism”, noting that the term could “inadvertently” act as a “dog-whistle for the far-right”, where the phrase is increasingly popular.

28 MPs and peers used in the phrase in a letter to The Telegraph regarding what they perceived to be the adverse politicisation of numerous cultural institutions, criticising a political slant that they described as “coloured by cultural Marxist dogma, colloquially known as the ‘woke agenda’.”

Andrew Percy, a Tory MP and co-Chair of the APPG, said that some of his colleagues were surprised at the popularity of the phrase on the far-right and undertook not to use it again.

The signatories included Sally-Ann Hart MP and Lee Anderson MP, both of whom were put under investigation by the Conservative Party over alleged antisemitism late last year. Campaign Against Antisemitism has previously criticised the Party for taking so long over the investigations, which we can only assume are still ongoing until the results are disclosed.

When the story of the letter broke, a spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Terms such as ‘cultural Marxism’ and ‘elitist bourgeois liberals’ can function as antisemitic dogwhistles, even if they are not always intended as such, while the dangers of promoting conspiracies about powerful minorities controlling society are obvious. The authors of this letter should endeavour to find less toxic language to promote their politics.

“We also note that two of the signatories – Sally-Ann Hart and Lee Anderson – are, to our knowledge, under apparently interminable investigations by the Conservative Party in relation to alleged antisemitism. Until the results of those investigations are made known, we can only assume that they are still in progress, which is unacceptable after so long. The Party must immediately explain what conclusions have been reached.”

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.

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

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Campaign Against Antisemitism is a volunteer-led charity dedicated to exposing and countering antisemitism through education and zero-tolerance enforcement of the law. Everything that we do is done by people who volunteer their time, using donations contributed by members of the public. Join the fight against antisemitism by subscribing to our updates, volunteering, or donating.