Nearly one year on, the police are still missing the mark
Despite having over eleven months of experience in policing weekly anti-Israel protests, the Metropolitan Police Service is still missing the mark.
Many of our supporters will have seen images online of anti-hate activist Mark Birbeck, who was recently arrested after holding a sign at an anti-Israel protest stating that under UK law, Hamas is a terrorist organisation.
Mr Birbeck’s bail conditions prevented him from entering the City of Westminster on the day of Israel-related protests, attending Israel-related protests and contacting Niyak Ghorbani, who was also arrested after holding a sign bearing the same simple statement of fact.
In order to avoid breaching his bail conditions, on the night of an Israel-related protest last week outside the Foreign Office, Mr Birbeck stood on the Lambeth side of Westminster Bridge with his sign in order to give people a “gentle reminder” that Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation.
We decided to keep him company, and film what happened.
Following a bail application at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court, Mr Birbeck’s bail conditions were overturned. However, disgracefully, Mr Ghorbani is prohibited from attending any Israel-related protest on a Saturday without obtaining prior permission from the police.
Campaign Against Antisemitism has provided the legal defence for both Mr Birbeck and Mr Ghorbani throughout their ordeal. We will continue to provide free legal defence to those who are improperly arrested whilst standing up to antisemitism. It comes at a significant cost, but it is the least that we can do for those who stand with Jews amid this outpouring of antisemitism.
The question is, why is it necessary?
All the while, at the very same protest, anti-Israel demonstrators in London chanted for the complete eradication of the only Jewish state with calls for a return to “1948”. And their only solution? To “globalise the Intifada” through armed “resistance” — a phrase synonymous with terror, violence, and the murder of innocent Israelis.
This isn’t about coexistence; it’s about the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state.
Damning report on policing of protests released
The Policy Exchange think tank has released a damning report into the policing of anti-Israel protests. The report reinforces what we have been saying all along and echoes a number of our legislative and policy recommendations.
The Met has failed abysmally in its policing of these demonstrations and ordinary people trying to go about their lives have had their rights curtailed.
According to the report:
- 80% of British adults believe that the police should intervene if protesters are holding banners containing racist or derogatory slogans.
- 78% of British adults believe that the police should intervene if protesters are climbing on buildings or public monuments.
- 78% of British adults believe that the police should intervene if protesters are holding banners or chanting slogans that are threatening or implying violence to specific groups of people at home or abroad.
- 71% of British adults would not go through with their plans to travel with small children if a major protest were to take place in a nearby town or city centre. This rises to 88% when answered by over-65s.
Matt Twist, Assistant Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police, admitted: “When we look back at the policing of protests over the past eight months, we know we didn’t get everything right, particularly in the early stages in October.”
Next month will be one year since anti-Israel protesters took over our streets on a regular basis. Real change is long overdue. The British public deserves better.
The full report can be read here.
Making sure that the Foreign Secretary hears our voices
Campaign Against Antisemitism recently wrote to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, after it was announced that the UK would suspend some 30 licences for arms exports to Israel, to ask whether legal advice had been sought in relation to the restoration of funding to UNRWA, and for a summary of that advice similarly to be published.
We asked our supporters to write to the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, the Solicitor General, Sarah Sackman, and the Attorney General, Lord Hermer.
Following our call to action, three Labour MPs, including the Solicitor General, wrote to the Foreign Secretary, noting that “constituents have been in touch and expressed deep concern and upset” at the decision. The full letter can be read here. He has yet to respond.
Thank you to those who wrote to your MPs, and to those who shared with us the responses that you received.
Our call to advocate for the hostages
We will soon mark one year since Hamas abducted 251 Israelis and other nationals from Israel and took them into captivity in Gaza. Over 90 hostages remain in Gaza, including four who have been held by Hamas since before October 2023.
Thank you to our many supporters who wrote to their MPs, educating them and urging them to advocate for the hostages and ensure that their plight is not forgotten within the walls of our Parliament.
If you have yet to share a particularly supportive or hostile response from your MP, please let us know by e-mailing [email protected].
Unfortunately, there are still many people out there who deny that Israelis are being held hostage by Hamas.
We recently obtained and published footage of someone defacing posters of the hostages. The incident occurred in Hampstead, North London and we encourage anyone with further information to contact us at [email protected].
What is the biggest threat to an antisemite?
In the wake of 7th October, Jewish student life on campus was turned on its head.
That is why we hosted our first ever student panel where Jewish university students spoke about their experiences of antisemitism on campus in Britain following Hamas’ 7th October terrorist atrocities in Israel.
Our audience heard stories from our five panellists that were at the same time moving, troubling, and at times, inspiring.
Gili, one of the students on our panel, spoke of the importance of being a proud Jew on campus. He also emphasised how vital support from fellow students is against those who aim to intimidate Jews on university campuses.
One of the attendees wrote to us after the event to thank Campaign Against Antisemitism and tell us that whilst it was “sad hearing what [the students] are facing at university…the love that they have for their Judaism and the strength they have in standing up to antisemitism is wonderful”.
Education is a crucial part of the fight against antisemitism. Our work has never been more important.
Thank you to our audience for dedicating your time to learning more about what Jewish students are facing, and thank you to our panellists for bravely sharing your stories.
If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].
Become a Student Ambassador!
Are you a student at university in 2024-2025, or do you know somebody who is? Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Student Ambassador programme is an exciting opportunity to work with us in a prestigious year-long initiative.
Student Ambassadors will work closely with our Education Officer and wider team to help us to expose and challenge the rising tide of antisemitism overwhelming UK university campuses.
The contributions of our students are more important now than ever before to the fight against antisemitism.
For further information and details about the programme please visit antisemitism.org/become-a-student-ambassador.
Applications close on 30th September so make sure that you apply soon!
We need you
We are hiring two paid positions in diverse areas of our work.
Are you a lawyer? Are you disgusted with surging antisemitism? Do you want to hold antisemites to account?
We are seeking an experienced solicitor or barrister to become our new General Counsel.
Our in-house General Counsel will be at the forefront of the fight against antisemitism, using this unique position to hold antisemites to account and force the authorities to fulfil their duty to protect British Jews.
For more information, please visit antisemitism.org/jobs/general-counsel.
Are you skilled in creating impactful videos? Do you want to help combat Jew-hatred?
Campaign Against Antisemitism is looking for a Video and Content Creator to join us in the fight against antisemitism.
The Video and Content Creator will play a critical role in shaping visual narratives that educate, inform and inspire action against antisemitism.
To find out more, go to antisemitism.org/jobs/video-and-content-creator/.
Are you a medical professional, or a recent patient?
We are collecting testimonies on antisemitism in the medical field.
We are interested to hear from doctors and other medical practitioners, staff, patients and anyone else who has encountered antisemitism in medicine over the past year.
If you have been affected, please e-mail us confidentially at [email protected] with the subject: “Medical”.
After eleven months, we are still calling on the police, our ministers and members of Parliament to stop making the same mistakes. But it is clear that public dissatisfaction with these failures is growing and decision-makers are beginning to listen.
We will continue to make our voices heard and remain unrelenting in our fight against anti-Jewish racism.
