Campaign Against Antisemitism is making a professional standards complaint with regard to the manner in which a complaint relating to antisemitic hate speech has been handled by an officer from Dyfed-Powys police.

When discussing an allegation against Daniel Davies, the owner of Tribestan UK, for the antisemitic e-mails sent to an Israeli man who attempted to order items from the company, Campaign Against Antisemitism was told that the matter would merely be recorded as a hate incident rather than a hate crime. When pressed on this, the officer said that he had reviewed the complaint, and that it would be recorded as the less serious matter, as the e-mails were simply “stating an opinion”.

One of the e-mails sent by Tribestan UK stated: “Unfortunately Jews have negativity on our businesses. Do you know why? Because Jews rip us off! Jews f*** us up!”

A second e-mail sent a short while later stated: “We don’t ship to Israel because the Jews rob us! Sorry but that’s a fact. They scam the world.”

Mr Davies has claimed that “our e-mail got hacked via wifi over a business phone”, which is a common excuse that we have heard from other companies that have sent antisemitic messages, who later claimed were the work of hackers.

At a time when British Jews are threatened by levels of antisemitism that are unprecedented in the UK since the Second World War, it is alarming and unacceptable that a police officer is incapable of distinguishing between the legitimate expression of a point of view and antisemitic hate speech that has been at the root of much of the persecution suffered by the Jewish people.

The Labour Party has succeeded in standing Rachel Abbotts as a councillor in Derbyshire amid claims that the Party totally ignored a complaint that she had posted on Facebook that “the Jews declared war on Germany in 1933.” Despite the complaint being passed to the local MP, Ruth George, the national Labour Party said that it had no record of a complaint and the local Labour Party said that the post was not antisemitic because Cllr Abbotts had shared it without commenting on it.

According to the JC, Cllr Abbotts posted the neo-Nazi material in 2016 as she took part in a discussion on Facebook with her partner, Mark Abbotts. He had told another person that: “people seem to forget that it was the Jews who declared war on Germany”, before attempting to share a link to back up his claim. When he could not share it, he wrote that: “Hitler stated that no-one will ever ask the victors if they told the truth…and its [sic] probably isn’t available, the truth apparently rarely is, but its [sic] still true…”

Cllr Abbotts then reportedly shared a screenshot of the article that her partner appeared to be referring to, an article republished on a website called “Wintersonnenwende”, which attempts to rehabilitate the image of Hitler and the Nazi regime.

According to Wintersonnewende, the article was originally published on The Barnes Review, a website the Southern Poverty Law Center calls “one of the most virulent antisemitic organisations around…dedicated to historical revisionism and Holocaust denial.” The article put the words “The Holocaust” in quotation marks and claimed that “Jewish leaders, in combination with powerful international Jewish financial interests” boycotted Germany “for the express purpose” of crippling the economy to bring down the Nazis. It added that Jewish people “effectively fired the first shot in the Second World War.”

It also claimed that the Nazis never planned to exterminate Jews and that the deportation of German Jews to the East was in response to “the leadership of the world Jewish community [having] formally declared war on Germany…the German authorities thus deemed Jews to be potential enemy agents.”

Complaints about the material Cllr Abbotts shared online were sent to local Labour MP Ruth George and in February she said that she had passed it on to the local and national Labour Party, according to the JC. The Party’s complaints unit, however, claimed to have no record of receiving the material and is now investigating “urgently”. Ms George herself was implicated in antisemitism and was forced to apologise in February after she suggested that the MPs who quit Labour to set up Change UK due to antisemitism may have been “financially backed” by Israel.

Fiona Sloman, who chairs the High Peak Constituency Labour Party, told the JC that the local Party became aware of the matter in February but stressed that “sole responsibility for investigating such matters lies with the national Labour Party.” The local Party met to re-examine Cllr Abbotts’ nomination for the council but found “no evidence of antisemitism on Rachel’s part”, she added, saying Cllr Abbotts had shared the article without commenting on it.

Cllr Abbotts was elected a Labour councillor on High Peak Borough Council in Derbyshire in the local elections last week, giving Labour a majority of just one seat.

In response to the exposé, Cllr Abbotts posted on Facebook that she was “deeply and sincerely sorry” for what happened. She claimed that she shared the article to dispute and not support her partner’s argument, saying there were “serious health issues” affecting both her and her partner, who “after talking it through, realised [his argument] was wrong.” Cllr Abbotts said this “in no way excuses what happened but I hope it provides some degree of context.” She said the suggestion Jewish people “declared war” on the Nazis was “an obviously wrong and clearly antisemitic claim.”

This is further proof that the Labour Party is institutionally antisemitic.

Another Derbyshire activist was implicated in the Labour antisemitic crisis recently. The Jewish News reported that Kasey Carver, who was photographed with convicted Holocaust denier Alison Chabloz, stood for Labour for the St John’s Ward in High Peak but failed to win a seat.

Ms Chabloz was convicted of criminal offences in relation to songs mocking Holocaust survivors and claiming that the Holocaust was a Jewish fraud. She was convicted in the first case of its kind, following a private prosecution by Campaign Against Antisemitism, which the Crown eventually agreed to take over. She appealed the decision in the Crown Court and the conviction was upheld in February this year, setting a new precedent. Ms Carver, a committee member of Glossop Labour Club, was reported to the Party’s Governance and Legal Unit, as confirmed by local MP Ruth George a year ago. Ms Carver reportedly organised fundraising events with the group Glossop for Kids in Gaza which were attended by Ms Chabloz. A photograph from 2014 shared by Glossop for Kids in Gaza shows Ms Carver with Ms Chabloz and other activists holding up a Palestinian flag at an event. The photograph appears on Ms Chabloz’s Facebook page. Ms Carver told the Jewish News that: “I ran those benefits and [Chabloz] sang in one of them and that’s the photograph you refer to. She came to those benefits often. Then she left the area and then it came to our attention [in 2016] that some of the stuff she was putting out was outrageous antisemitism.”

Screenshots of deleted Facebook posts sent from Carver’s personal account have been widely circulated online. A Facebook post from 2015 linked back to a blog post published on the website “Semitic Controversies”, above which Ms Carver commented: “Just looked at the potentially Zionist influence of the BBC.” Another deleted post linked to a story published in “Global Research CA”, which suggested that Israel backs ISIS. The post read that: “Various indications of Israel support for ISIS in the past but this is looking more convincing. If true, just shows what a mixed up and morally reprehensible mess that has been created in Syria.” Ms Carver told the Jewish News: “I regret that and I have been to antisemitism training then and I am very much more aware of the sensitivity of the [BBC] post and I have apologised.” She added that she had not intended to promote the view that Israel backs ISIS. She added “Our branch has been put on antisemitism training to make people more aware.”

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has begun pre-enforcement proceedings against the Labour Party following a formal referral and detailed legal representations from Campaign Against Antisemitism, which is the complainant. The pre-enforcement proceedings are a precursor to opening a full statutory investigation.

In recent months, eleven MPs have resigned from the Labour Party over antisemitism, along with numerous councillors and members.

Over 50,000 people have now signed our petition denouncing Jeremy Corbyn as an antisemite and declaring him “unfit to hold any public office.

The Labour Party is set to lose control over Brighton and Hove City Council as one of its councillors, Anne Meadows, has told the BBC that she is leaving the Labour Party and joining the Conservative Party after what she described as “18 months of antisemitism and abuse”. Her defection means that the Conservative grouping on the Council is now larger than the Labour one. The Council has been led by the Labour Party since 2015.

This week the Labour Party has been rocked by a major split as eight MPs left the Labour Party over antisemitism to join The Independent Group, bringing the total number of MPs quitting the Labour Party over Jew-hatred to ten.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has referred the Labour Party to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which is now due to decide whether to open a full statutory investigation into antisemitic discrimination and victimisation within the Party.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has exposed a Labour councillor, Ifran Mohammed, who shared a Facebook post claiming that Jews were warned to stay home on 9/11.

Mr Mohammed is a councillor for the Ferndale Ward in Lambeth. According to Lambeth Council’s website, Mr Mohammed sits on the Equality Impact Assessment Panel and is a member of Faiths Together in Lambeth.

In stark contrast with his supposed commitment to equality and interfaith togetherness, on 5th December 2015 he posted a video on Facebook claiming that Jews “received a text message before the incident ‘Do not come to work in [sic] September 11’” and that there are “Israeli ties to the September 11 attacks”.

After Mr Mohammed failed to respond to our attempt to contact him, we provided details about the matter to the media. He did not respond to their requests for comment either, however he has been active on social media and has deleted the original Facebook post.

The claim that Jews were behind the 9/11 atrocities is one of the most vile antisemitic conspiracy theories of recent times, not least because so many Jews lost their lives that day.

That a Labour councillor’s Facebook page has been used to disseminate this lie is utterly appalling. Under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, antisemitic discourse in the Labour Party has thrived, even amongst its own elected representatives.

The once anti-racist Labour Party has been seized by antisemites. We have little faith that Mr Mohammed will receive anything more than a slap on the wrist.

We would like to thank the anonymous source which alerted us to Mr Mohammed’s post.

Councillors in Barnet have debated stripping Jeremy Corbyn of his allotment. Allotments are small plots of land available to local residents to grow fruit and vegetables. Mr Corbyn has an allotment administered by Barnet Council, despite the fact that he lives four miles from the allotment.

According to a report in the Daily Mail, the proposal to strip Mr Corbyn of his allotment is a direct response to the Labour Party’s treatment of Dame Margaret Hodge.

However the allotments are currently managed by the Barnet Allotment Federation and it is unclear whether the Council has the power to make decisions about the matter.

If you wish to make a submission to the members of the Barnet Allotment Federation committee, they can be contacted through their website.

Two Jewish Labour Party councillors from Haringey, North London have revealed how “It has become impossible to operate as a Jewish councillor in the Haringey party without having your views and actions prejudged or dismissed in terms that relate to your ethnicity.”

Haringey is considered to be the heartland of the pro-Jeremy Corbyn, far-left, grassroots movement Momentum with more than 20 Labour councillors having resigned or been deselected by pro-Momentum candidates.

The councillors, Joe Goldberg, who has served as councillor for the Seven Sisters ward since 2009, and Natan Doron, councillor for the Crouch End ward since 2014, say that they have received direct abuse in relation to their Judaism from Corbyn supporters, including from colleagues within the Council.

Councillor Goldberg, who is also the Council’s cabinet member for economic development, says a fellow councillor compared Academy schools to the Kristallnacht pogrom during which the Nazis attacked and in some cases destroyed synagogues, and murdered Jews. The same councillor also accused him of “bagel-barrel politics”, a reference to the popular Jewish food.

Councillor Goldberg, who runs his constituency surgery from the South Tottenham Synagogue, said: “This is not just on social media. Many members have repeated to me assertions about Jews having big noses, controlling the media and being wealthy. It has become impossible to operate as a Jewish councillor in the Haringey party without having your views and actions prejudged or dismissed in terms that relate to your ethnicity.”

Councillor Goldberg says he has complained formally to local party officials a number of times without any success, saying: “I complained to the Labour whip, Lorna Reith, but she told me antisemitism was a ‘debatable term’”. In response to this, Ms Reith said “It doesn’t sound like anything I would say”, that she takes antisemitism complaints “extremely seriously” and that Councillor Goldberg had failed to respond to her invites to meet to discuss the matter., However in 2015, according to the The Times, Ms Reith retweeted a photo comparing the Israeli military’s retaliation to Palestinian attacks to the Holocaust, which if true would be antisemitic under the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Councillor Doran, said that he recieved abuse whilst canvassing, not from a constituent but from a fellow Labour member. According to Councillor Doran: “One of them started having a rant about how Israel was a Nazi country and I had no right to be offended because Israel had no right to exist.”

The pro-Momentum candidate, Charley Allan, who was selected to replace Councillor Doran was suspended in 2017 after he used the term “Zio”.

Both Councillors Goldberg and Doran will be replaced in the May local elections by Momentum’s pro-Corbyn candidates.

When Councillor Goldberg announced his retirement, Shahab Mossavat, a momentum activist in Haringey tweeted: “At least [you] will have more time to count your money”, in reference to one of the oldest antisemitic stereotypes regarding Jews being miserly.

Regarding the incidents he has encountered, Councillor Doran said: “People are worried and scared and Haringey Labour is definitely not a safe space for Jews. This is 100% not the party I joined.”

In February, the Labour leader of Haringey Council announced her decision to stand down over rampant antisemitism and sexism in the local party. After ten years as leader of the Council, Claire Kober told The Times that she could no longer remain in her post due to the extreme hatred that had been subjected to and witnessed. Councillor Kober will stand down when local elections are held in May.

Councillor Kober, who is the most senior Labour woman in local government, cited a number of factors including the involvement of Labour’s Momentum faction in bullying, sexism and the decision to block a flagship housing project, but she said: “The levels of antisemitism I’ve seen in the Labour Party are just astonishing. The only thing I see that’s worse than sexism in the Labour Party is antisemitism.”

Recalling an incident in which Councillors were threatened for proposing to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism, Councillor Kober said: “I was met with this wall of sound. Many of them Labour Party members screaming, shouting, howling, trying to stop me speaking.” When the motion was passed, one voice was heard shouting: “We will see you at your Constituency Labour Party.” At the time Councillor Goldberg tweeted that he was threatened by fellow Labour Party members.

Under Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour Party has been seized by racists. Jeremy Corbyn is at home amongst them, having spent his political career seeking out and giving his backing to Holocaust deniers, genocidal antisemitic terrorist groups and a litany of Jew-haters. This is the point of no return: Britain must stand up for its Jewish community against the racists in control of the Labour Party. To be silent is to condone. On 8th April at 2pm, the British public will take a national stand against antisemitism in London. Join us – please register for updates on the venue and speakers at antisemitism.org/jaccuse and use our Facebook event to invite friends.

A billboard advertising “Al Quds Day”, the annual pro-Hizballah parade through some of London”s most iconic streets, has been removed following an intervention by Luton Borough Council.

A Jewish member of the public received a photograph from a friend of a billboard advertising the procession in Luton and immediately contacted the Council. The billboard claimed that the procession, at which organisers hand out placards saying “We are all Hizballah” and Hizballah flags, would be a “rally in support of Palestine”. The billboard, which bore no logos, also featured a prominent photograph of antisemitic hate preacher and former supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, beneath a photograph of Nelson Mandela.

The member of the public wrote an eloquent complaint, informing the Council that the billboard was “inciting and inflaming tensions between the Muslim and Jewish communities”. In response, the Council said that it had contacted colleagues from Bedfordshire Police who “were in agreement that it [the billboard] has the potential to be divisive and stir up emotions which could damage the cohesive nature of our communities.” The letter continued: “Following discussions with the parties concerned with the operation of the billboard, the posters have now been removed.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism wishes to thank the members of the public, who wish to remain anonymous, for their actions, and we commend Bedfordshire Police and Luton Borough Council for swiftly acting to remove the billboard.

The “Al Quds Day” march is nothing more than a celebration of genocidal antisemitic terrorist group Hizballah under the auspices of registered charities which we have reported to the Charity Commission.

Nazim Ali, the leader of last year’s march is currently standing trial after Campaign Against Antisemitism launched a private prosecution. We allege that during the march, Mr Ali used a portable public address system to say: “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.” We also allege that he said: “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 trial continues.

Whilst the British government has proscribed the “military wing” of Hizballah under the Terrorism Act 2000, the “political wing” is not proscribed, something that even Hizballah finds ridiculous. In October 2012, Hizballah Deputy Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, said: “We don’t have a military wing and a political one; we don’t have Hizballah on one hand and the resistance party on the other…Every element of Hizballah, from commanders to members as well as our various capabilities, are in the service of the resistance, and we have nothing but the resistance as a priority.” Hizballah’s Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, who is the leader of any fictitious “wing” of Hizballah that the government may wish to imagine, said: “If Jews all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide.” We continue to campaign for Hizballah to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation in its entirety, and we are discussing our proposals with the government.

The Labour leader of Haringey Council has announced her decision to stand down over rampant antisemitism and sexism in the local party. After ten years as leader of the Council, Claire Kober told The Times that she could no longer remain in her post due to the extreme hatred that had been subjected to and witnessed. Councillor Kober will stand down when local elections are held in May.

Councillor Kober, who is the most senior Labour woman in local government, cited a number of factors including the involvement of Labour’s Momentum faction in bullying, sexism and the decision to block a flagship housing project, but she said: “The levels of antisemitism I’ve seen in the Labour Party are just astonishing. The only thing I see that’s worse than sexism in the Labour Party is antisemitism.”

Recalling an incident in which Councillors were threatened for proposing to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism, Councillor Kober said: “I was met with this wall of sound. Many of them Labour Party members screaming, shouting, howling, trying to stop me speaking.” When the motion was passed, one voice was heard shouting: “We will see you at your Constituency Labour Party.” Labour Councillor Joe Goldberg tweeted that he was threatened by fellow Labour Party members.

Councillor Kober was particularly disgusted however when a Momentum-backed candidate told a Jewish Councillor that “you will have more time to count money” after the local elections in May. Councillor Kober’s attempts to have him disciplined or expelled were rejected by the hard-left faction.

Echoing the sentiments of other Labour Councillors who have resigned over antisemitism, Councillor Kober said: “Antisemitism is tolerated within the Labour Party. That Ken Livingstone is still in the Labour Party I find inexplicable.”

We commend Councillor Kober for her principled decision and for speaking out, however we find it utterly abhorrent that the Labour Party, Her Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition, has become a place where even senior figures who wish to see antisemitism punished are intimidated and hounded out of the Party.

Brighton and Hove City Council has been forced to ban members of the public from its Chanukah celebration over security fears. The celebration at Hove Town Hall had been due to be a public event, but it had to be held behind closed doors, reportedly due to threats from “anti-Israel” protesters.

The event was held behind closed doors just before the start of a Council meeting and the public gallery was kept closed. According to The Argus there was a security presence from Sussex Police but the ceremony was not interrupted and there was no demonstration.

It is extremely sad that the celebration of Chanukah, a festival which commemorates victory over antisemitism and is especially supposed to be celebrated publicly, had to be held in private.

Councillor Beinazir Lasharie, who reportedly said that “I’ve seen compelling evidence that links Zionists to ISIS” has been appointed Deputy Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea “to help the Council rebuild trust with residents following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower.”

In February 2015, Councillor Lasharie reportedly posted a video on Facebook entitled: “ISIS: Israeli Secret Intelligence Service”, commenting on it: “Many people know about who was behind 9/11 and also who is behind ISIS. I’ve nothing against Jews..just sharing it.” When questioned by journalists she reportedly said: “I’ve seen compelling evidence that links Zionists to ISIS.”

It was initially reported that Labour had suspended Councillor Lasharie for her comments but Kensington Labour later said that she had been reinstated as “the Labour Councillor for Notting Dale” and confirmed that, following an investigation, her suspension was lifted in December 2015. However, this was contradicted by reports in March 2016 that she had not been suspended after all. Ms Lasharie’s status at this time is unknown, owing to the conditions of secrecy imposed by the Chakrabarti report.

Councillor Lasharie’s appointment as Deputy Mayor came to light when Campaign Against Antisemitism asked Councillor Lasharie to comment on her previous comments on social media as part of our research into antisemitism in political parties. We received a lengthy statement from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in response, stating that Councillor Lasharie, who lives near Grenfell Tower, agreed to be Deputy Mayor “to help the Council rebuild trust with residents following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower.” It added that “She will help the Council build new connections and bring new voices to the Council, as well as strengthening the ties we already value with many groups and individuals across the Royal Borough.”

Regarding the allegations, it said that “Following an investigation by the Labour Group, disciplinary charges against Councillor Lasharie were dropped. It was important that these allegations were investigated in full, recommendations were drawn up which did not include disciplinary action and Councillor Lasharie was reinstated to the Labour Group.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has written to Councillor Elizabeth Campbell, the leader of the Council, to make her aware of the matter and to seek her response. Councillor Campbell can be contacted at [email protected].

Brent Council in London has voted in a lengthy meeting to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism, however councillors have overwhelmingly decided to water the definition down, as well as voting that Jewish rights to self-determination should only be recognised alongside Palestinian rights. The decision was strongly opposed by three Jewish residents who said that Jewish people did not want the definition to be passed.

The motion to adopt the definition was proposed by Conservative Councillor Joel Davidson, using the same wording used by the British Government, the College of Policing, and governments and organisations around the world. On behalf of the Labour group on the Council, Councillor Neil Nerva backed the motion but expressed concern that the definition might create a “hierarchy of hate crime”, so he proposed a second motion which expressed generic opposition to hate crime, to be passed alongside Councillor Davidson’s motion adopting the definition.

However, Labour Councillor Shafique Choudhury gained the support of most of his Labour colleagues and a majority of councillors in his effort to rewrite the definition to make some Jewish rights contingent on Palestinian rights. Whereas Councillor Davidson’s motion stated that “The guidelines highlight manifestations of antisemitism as including…”, Councillor Choudhury’s more equivocal amendment was adopted, stating that “The guidelines highlight possible manifestations of antisemitism as sometimes including…”. Furthermore, Councillor Choudhury gained support for his idea to replace a sentence stating 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, with a version demanding recognition for Palestinian rights, replacing the sentence with his alternative wording that “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination alongside Palestinian rights of self determination” is antisemitic.

Brent Council also heard from three Jewish men who attacked the notion of adopting the International Definition of Antisemitism, with one of them even branding the proposal as an “insult”, despite the definition already having been adopted by many other councils, as well as the London Assembly and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. All three men claimed that the definition would be used to stifle criticism of Israel, despite the definition clearly stating that “criticism of Israel similar to that levelled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.”

Speaking out against the proposal, Rabbi Dr Frank Dabba Smith of Liberal Judaism’s Mosaic Synagogue decried “witch hunts and hateful rhetoric directed towards Jews like me” for criticising the “policies of the State of Israel”. He also criticised the attention being given to antisemitism, saying: “I am very aware that Islamophobia and hatred towards Muslims is much worse than antisemitism in this country”.

David Kaye, who identified himself as a Jewish resident and Labour Party member said that he had come to speak out against the definition. He said that he was representing many Jewish friends and colleagues who felt that adopting the definition would be unnecessary, claiming that the definition was hardly a definition at all because its terms were so vague, despite the definition having been checked and validated in a legal opinion commissioned by Campaign Against Antisemitism. He said that there is “no connection” between antisemitism and the State of Israel, in spite of plentiful evidence to the contrary, and that use of the word “trope” by those proposing the adoption of the definition was “playing tricks” by suggesting that some people opposing Israel might be “secretly” antisemitic and using coded language, even though some clearly do. Mr Kaye also warned councillors that Zionism did not have the support of all Jews, and that debating the resolution was “divisive” and “an insult”.

Mr Kaye was followed by Michael Coleman, who said that he was “from an orthodox Jewish family”, who claimed that he was representing many Jewish families who opposed adopting the definition on the basis that it may “chill free speech”, may be used to attack “[Jeremy] Corbyn and the left” and would be used to “defend the State of Israel from criticism”. He claimed that those promoting the definition did not speak for British Jews, but that he did.

Brent Council’s vote on adopting the International Definition of Antisemitism was turned into a fiasco by people who appeared to be more obsessed with the politics of the Middle East than surging antisemitic crime in Britain. It is deeply regrettable that the debate was hijacked by such people, including Jews who represent a minority view which they claim is widely held, who have successfully ensured that instead of adopting the International Definition of Antisemitism, Brent Council has now adopted its own diluted version.

The leaders of West Dunbartonshire Supports the People of Palestine (WDSPP) in Scotland have reportedly shared shocking antisemitic posts on social media, but they apparently continue to enjoy the support of West Dunbartonshire Council. This support allegedly included making council premises available for WDSPP events, publicising the group’s activities on the council’s website, and even providing funding.

A researcher, David Collier, has meticulously uncovered appalling antisemitic conspiracy myths social media by leading members of WDSPP. Some of the graphic examples allegedly include sharing links that accuse the Israeli Secret Service, Mossad, of murdering Princess Diana; accuse a Mossad agent of being responsible for the 7/7 London bombings; accuse Israel of harvesting Ukrainian childrens’ organs; support the idea that Israel controls the US Congress; and allege that the leader of ISIS is a Mossad agent and that Israel is training ISIS terrorists.

They also allegedly shared links to modern-day antisemitic hate preacher, David Icke, to a Holocaust denial website about “Rothchild Zionism” and to an article and caricature claiming that six million Jewish deaths was a lie and only a total of only 271,000 Jews died in Nazi concentration camps.

Mr Collier also reported that these activists are involved with the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC). This comes in the wake of his 160-page report that confirmed widespread antisemitism inside the SPSC. The report, titled “Jew Hate and Holocaust Denial in Scotland” was the result of two years of research and investigation into the activities of the SPSC.

When alerted to the posts, Council Leader Jonathan McColl replied: “The shared posts are quite clearly the worst kind of conspiracy theory nonsense, designed to cause offence, and in no way contribute to sensible debate. That said, having looked at what you have sent, I cannot see anything written by any of the individuals on behalf of the group they are involved in that could be seen as racist.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism calls on West Dunbartonshire Council should show that it is serious about countering antisemitism by formally adopting the International Definition of Antisemitism, and then applying it by having nothing further to do with WDSPP.

Haringey Council has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism amid threats and heckling from the public gallery. Council Leader Claire Kober, a Labour Party councillor, proposed a motion to adopt the definition, and the motion was seconded by Gail Engert of the Liberal Democrats, with the support of both parties. The motion appears to have been passed unanimously, however activists interrupted proceedings repeatedly by shouting from the public gallery, with one voice heard shouting: “We will see you at your Constituency Labour Party.” Labour Councillor Joe Goldberg tweeted that he was threatened by fellow Labour Party members.

Campaign Against Antisemitism welcomes the fact that the motion was carried with cross-party cooperation, and commends those who proposed it. Nevertheless, it is concerning that local members of Labour’s Momentum faction organised a lobbying event on the specious basis that the definition supposedly suppresses criticism of the State of Israel and stifles support for Palestinians. As we have repeatedly pointed out, the definition clearly states that “criticism of Israel similar to that levelled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic”, a point which was also made during the debate at Haringey Council.

It has also been reported that a number of Labour councillors were excused from voting after they indicated they would refuse to back the motion.

We commend the councillors who proposed and supported this motion. The opposition to the motion took the form of a menacing rabble and we call on the Labour Party in particular to discipline any of its members who took part in heckling and threats. Regrettably we hold out little hope that they will take any action at all.

The debate follows the publication on Sunday by Campaign Against Antisemitism of expert legal guidance on the definition which finds that “The Definition is a clear, meaningful and workable definition” which “should be used by public bodies on the basis that it will ensure that the identification of antisemitism is clear, fair and accurate.”

Bedfordshire Police has confirmed that Ashuk Ahmed MBE is “no long [sic] a member” of its Independent Advisory Group (IAG). No additional information or explanation was given.

Campaign Against Antisemitism exposed Mr Ahmed in April in the Daily Mail over his antisemitic social media posts, including the conspiratorial charge that ISIS is a Jewish invention whose horrors are propagated by the “Jewish media and their gentile pawns” in order to “justify more slaughter.” Mr Ahmed also posted a conspiracy theory video entitled “Humanity United against AshkeNAZI”, an extreme antisemitic group which claims to “expose…the current take over of the United States by the Jewish Ashkenazi tribe.” Ahmed further claimed that “Zionists control half the world”, told racist jokes in which Jews spitefully spit in Arabs’ clothes and urinate in their drinks, claimed “Jewish democracy” means bloodlust, wrote that the Labour and Conservative Parties are in the grip of their “Zionist paymasters” and painted the Israeli Prime Minister with blood dripping from his mouth while feasting on a child (reminiscent of the blood libel, a medieval antisemitic trope).

Despite interviewing Mr Ahmed under caution about the posts, Bedfordshire Police allowed him to remain on the IAG, which advises on hate crime among other duties. He quietly stood down following a complaint to police in November 2014, but then returned as Vice Chair of Bedfordshire Police’s South IAG.

When we raised the matter with Bedfordshire Police in April, Chief Superintendent David Boyle told us that “there have been no concerns raised among the force of impartiality from any current serving members [of the IAG].”

Astonishingly, Mr Ahmed was also selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Parliamentary constituency of Luton South, despite the Party already knowing that he was an antisemite. The Party only moved to suspend Ahmed when Campaign Against Antisemitism exposed him in the Daily Mail. Mr Ahmed clearly has some standing in his local community and was awarded an MBE in 2009 for “services to young people.” He has worked as a community development officer for North Hertfordshire Council, and he has also worked at a radio station which received the Queen’s Award for Volunteering and which purportedly works to tackle extremism.

We are pleased that Bedfordshire Police has at long last confirmed that Mr Ahmed no longer advises the force, though we remain deeply dissatisfied by the way that the force has handled the matter. Bedfordshire Police was fully aware of Mr Ahmed’s views, having investigated him themselves, and those views should have disqualified him from being considered for advisory roles. Bedfordshire Police still has questions to answer.

We have now written to the Honours Forfeiture Committee to recommend that Mr Ahmed be stripped of his MBE.

A giant banner depicting Theresa May with star of David earrings has been taken down by Bristol City Council. The banner was found around Bristol’s Bear Pit and featured Jeremy Corbyn as Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars films, whilst Theresa May was shown wearing star of David earrings alongside the caption “For a few”.

Local residents contacted Campaign Against Antisemitism, the local council and the police, leading to the removal of the banner by the Council. We understand that a police investigation has now been opened.

Nima Masterson, one of the people who reportedly put up the banner, told the Bristol Post: “It’s not meant to be that at all. It’s a tiny element of the whole banner. What we are doing with that symbol — it’s an earring — is a reference to Theresa May’s government’s relationship with Israel. It is a critique of her foreign policy, rather than against religion. This is about foreign policy.”

The poster uses the emblem of the Jewish religion in a way that can be interpreted to infer that Theresa May is under the control of Jews, which draws on antisemitic conspiracy myths. Of course those responsible for the poster may say that they meant nothing of that nature and intended only to criticise Israel. If that is the case then they should have found a less offensive way of doing so. It is outrageous that the banner was allowed to be put up and we are pleased that those behind it have recognised that it should be removed.

Image credit: Bristol Post and Jennie Banks

The board of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority has voted to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism. The definition was adopted by the Prime Minister in December, making the British government the first in the world to formally adopt the definition, something Campaign Against Antisemitism worked hard to achieve over many meetings. At the time, we also recognised the significant contribution of Sir Eric Pickles to the result.

The International Definition of Antisemitism is clear and detailed, leaving no doubt as to what antisemitism is. In particular, this definition tackles the full spectrum of antisemitism, from ancient slurs to conspiracy myths to antisemitism in discourse about Israel.

The Authority’s board adopted the definition which was one of the recommendations of a report entitled “Challenging Hate and Building Cohesion”.

The definition’s adoption came following a campaign by local community leader Marc Levy, who said: “Greater Manchester Combined Authority is leading the way in terms of tackling hate crime and we are hugely encouraged by their move to adopt the [International Definition of Antisemitism]. The Greater Manchester Jewish community know that it is vital that there is a clear and practical definition that will allow us to fight antisemitism in all its forms. I look forward to continuing to work with the GMCA as we continue to make strides in this area.”

Greater Manchester Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner, Tony Lloyd, said: “Greater Manchester has a strong record in standing against antisemitism and all other forms of hate crime. We know that we’re at our strongest when all our communities celebrate our difference, but recognise that there is more that unites than divides us. In Greater Manchester we have the highest level of hate crime reporting in the country, which is as a result of years of work to build community cohesion and instilling confidence that hate crime will be taken seriously. By adopting International [Definition of Antisemitism] we will continue that work to build strong communities.”

 

After a public outcry, Wandsworth Borough Council has decided not to name a new housing development after Sir Edwin Alliot Verdon-Roe, accomplished aviator, antisemite and prominent member of the British Union of Fascists.

We encouraged our supporters to contact the Council and the local MP, Rosena Allin-Khan, spoke out against the move.

In a statement, Greenland Group, the property developer which had proposed honouring Verdon-Roe, said that Wandsworth Borough Council had requested that the name be changed, and that they had been unaware of Verdon-Roe’s politics.

Verdon-Roe supported Sir Oswald Mosley during the 1930s, a time when Mosley’s ‘blackshirt’ thugs terrorised London’s Jews. Dr Steven Woodbridge, Senior Lecturer in History at Kingston University, told the Evening Standard: “Even during the Second World War, he was contributing articles to the publications of extreme-right parties. I think his views would be abhorrent to people today. There was a definite strand of antisemitism in his thinking and outlook.”

We are pleased that Verdon-Roe, an ardent antisemite, will not be honoured.

Wandsworth Borough Council has decided to name a new housing development after Sir Edwin Alliot Verdon-Roe, accomplished aviator, antisemite and prominent member of the British Union of Fascists.

Verdon-Roe supported Sir Oswald Mosley during the 1930s, a time when Mosley’s ‘blackshirt’ thugs terrorised London’s Jews. Dr Steven Woodbridge, Senior Lecturer in History at Kingston University, told the Evening Standard: “Even during the Second World War, he was contributing articles to the publications of extreme-right parties. I think his views would be abhorrent to people today. There was a definite strand of antisemitism in his thinking and outlook.”

It is disappointing, and unacceptable that, notwithstanding Verdon-Roe’s achievements in the field of aviation, Wandsworth Borough Council has decided to bestow the honour of naming a new development after him.

Campaign Against Antisemitism urges the Council to reconsider their decision and choose a more appropriate figure to name the building after.

You may wish to e-mail Wandsworth Borough Council’s leader, Councillor Ravi Govindia CBE, at [email protected] to let him know your thoughts.

The London Assembly has unanimously voted to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism. The definition was adopted by the Prime Minister in December, making the British government the first in the world to formally adopt the definition, something Campaign Against Antisemitism worked hard to achieve over many meetings. At the time, we also recognised the significant contribution of Sir Eric Pickles to the result.

The International Definition of Antisemitism is clear and detailed, leaving no doubt as to what antisemitism is. In particular, this definition tackles the full spectrum of antisemitism, from ancient slurs to conspiracy myths to antisemitism in discourse about Israel.

Labour Assembly Member Andrew Dismore proposed the motion, saying: “The recent rise in antisemitism is utterly obscene. We have a large Jewish population in London and they, like everybody else, should be protected from the words and actions of the intolerant and ignorant…In recent months we’ve seen Jewish people, and their properties, become the target for acts of hatred. If we’re to weed out antisemitism, we need to be clear about the challenge on our hands. These guidelines leave no room for doubt about the many ways in which antisemitism manifests itself. By adopting them we’re issuing a warning that any expression of antisemitism will not be tolerated. While it is vital the Assembly responds quickly and unequivocally to recent events, this motion goes beyond expressing alarm: we must take action to stamp out this despicable behaviour and we must take it now.” The motion was seconded by Conservative Assembly Member Gareth Bacon.

Throughout his career, Andrew Dismore has shown himself to be a true friend to the Jewish people of London and we are extremely grateful to him and his colleagues for taking this step.

Police constable Shahid Shah has won a fight to keep his job after being caught out posting an image of the Israeli Prime Minister superimposed on Adolf Hitler. “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is explicitly specified as antisemitic according to the definition of antisemitism used by the UK College of Policing.

Shah apologised and admitted that he had breached professional standards, but his lawyer, Julian King, successfully argued that he should merely receive a formal written warning and take part in diversity and social media training.

According to the Manchester Evening News, Shah posted the image during a debate on Facebook in a private group for police officers. The image superimposed an image of Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu on a picture of Hitler pointing at a map with Nazi colleagues. The debate apparently turned antisemitic, with one officer commenting to ask whether the “execution of six million Jews is OK too?”

Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan told the disciplinary hearing: “He did cause offence to members of the Jewish community, failed to show initially that he accepted what he had done was wrong and showed he had failed to learn lessons from a previous warning about what he had posted on Facebook.” The hearing also heard that Shah “only apologised when he was interviewed” about the post.

Shah responded: “If this has caused people upset, I’m sorry. It was never my intention to offend, only to prompt debate about the situation in Gaza. I saw innocent women and children being killed and wounded and I wanted people to think long and hard about the situation.”

Shah’s lawyer told the hearing that the Professional Standards Branch of Greater Manchester Police had initially recommended the PC should face misconduct rather rather gross misconduct proceedings, which would have meant that he could not be dismissed, however Assistant Chief Constable Shewan overruled the decision and instigated gross misconduct proceedings which could result in dismissal.

The chair of the hearing panel said that Shah had made an “early admission, apologised in his interview and accepted it was an error of judgment.”

We commend Assistant Chief Constable Shewan for his decision to overrule the decision of the Professional Standards Branch to merely bring misconduct proceedings, however many Jews will feel that they have been failed this disciplinary process.

Justice, justice, you shall pursue - צדק צדק תרדף
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