“Stop killing children”: Anti-Israel march in Southend
A march took place on Saturday in a residential area of Southend with a small Jewish community. The march passed one synagogue directly, and passing within the close vicinity of other synagogues.
The march took place despite the marchers appearing to fail to give police the required legal notice of their plans. Police did not intervene to stop or move the march.
There were multiple arrests on the march — which featured chants of “Stop killing children” and expressions of support for proscribed terrorist organisations — but police largely failed to act.
According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism, e.g. blood libel, to characterise Israel or Israelis,” is an example of antisemitism.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Even by the standards of the past 18 months, the march in Southend was despicable. Essex Police should never have permitted this hateful procession through the heart of a small Jewish community, as families walked home from synagogue after Sabbath prayers during Passover. Not only did police allow this march, despite it apparently being organised without the required legal notice, they took minimal action as marchers shouted ‘Stop killing children’ — a chilling echo of medieval blood libels — and openly displayed support for terrorist organisations banned in the UK. Protesting a conflict thousands of miles away had no place in a quiet residential neighbourhood; this was, in reality, a demonstration targeting Jews.
“A volunteer from our Demonstration and Event Monitoring Unit was assaulted for filming the march, yet police failed to intervene. The few arrests made were far too little, too late, as another Jewish community in the UK was intimidated into staying indoors while police stood by inertly.
“The Government has not acted to compel police to enforce the law robustly. British Jews were abandoned by authorities who appear increasingly unwilling to protect their Jewish citizens, allowing extremist mobs to act with impunity.”
