An undercover investigation by The Independent has revealed disturbing details of a recent secret meeting of the antisemitic, far-right London Forum. David Irving, the notorious Holocaust denier, was a keynote speaker at the event attended by “a receptive crowd of around 100.” Irving, whose self-published books were on sale, gave a “rambling speech” met “with a standing ovation” in which he described Auschwitz as “small beer” and now “like Disneyland”, concluding: “I am still standing, the fight goes on, and I will continue writing true history as I find it to be true.”
The paper disclosed that the gathering was compèred by London Forum chief and a neo-Nazi leader, Jeremy Bedford-Turner. In March, a landmark High Court judicial review action brought by Campaign Against Antisemitism forced the Crown Prosecution Service to cancel its decision not to prosecute Bedford-Turner over an antisemitic speech to neo-Nazis in July 2015. It is now reconsidering its decision.
Alison Chabloz is also reported to have performed. Chabloz is awaiting trial for allegedly posting a video to YouTube in which she sang “(((Survivors)))”, a song which allegedly mocks Holocaust survivors and claims that they are liars. The prosecution of Chabloz began as Campaign Against Antisemitism’s first private prosecution, after the authorities failed to act. According to The Independent, “When she suggested the judge hearing her case had Jewish ties, using the euphemistic term ‘one of our friends’, one audience member called out: ‘Could you tell by the size of his nose?’ Another shouted ‘there’s no business like Shoah business’, using the Hebrew word for the Holocaust.” To end her appearance she reportedly performed a parody of Edith Piaf’s “Je ne regrette rien”, and allegedly said she was ready to be sent to jail for her beliefs before performing an antisemitic quenelle salute to applause.
Other speakers at this alarming event at the Swedish Seamen’s Church in Rotherhithe included Vincent Reynouard, a Frenchman who has been imprisoned for Holocaust denial, and David Shayler, an MI5 agent turned 9/11 truther who has claimed he is the Messiah. Reynouard reportedly urged attendees “to block the construction of a planned Holocaust memorial in Westminster.”
In February, Campaign Against Antisemitism exposed the disgraceful neutrality of the InterContinental Hotels Group towards hosting similar neo-Nazi events.
