Antisemitism rally draws a crowd
The report by the Daily Express is followed by one from the Jewish Chronicle. Plus Notes and links at foot.
Hundreds gather outside the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand for today’s rally. Caption Daily Express, photo by Lee Thomas.
‘Anti-Semitism is poisonous’: hundreds gather for rally against anti-Jewish attacks
By Max Evans, Daily Express**
September O1, 2014
The newly-formed Campaign Against Anti-Semitism (CAAS) says Jewish people in Britain are facing “levels of anti-Semitism not seen in this country for almost a century”.
Pointing to attacks on individuals, businesses and synagogues, the group was joined by hundreds of supporters at 2pm today to demand greater action by the police and the Government to combat hostility towards Jewish people across the UK.
“Unless we act now to force the issue, anti-Semites will continue to go unpunished and the nature of British society will change.
“We must unite to turn the tide,” the group said in a statement.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis addressed the crowd on the issue of anti-Jewish feeling in Britian.
“Antisemitism is poisonous not only for Jews, but for all humanity.
“Whilst we are fortunate to live in a country where the fight against antisemitism is being led by our government, we have a collective responsibility to ensure that there will be zero tolerance of antisemitism in our society.
“The commitment and drive in this regard shown by grassroots activists across our community is to be commended,” he said before the event.
Maajid Nawaz, a Muslim activist and co-founder of Quilliam, a counter-extremism think tank, and Douglas Murray, a conservative commentator and associate director of the Henry Jackson Society, were also due to speak.
Supporters bore banners reading: “Prosecute hate before it’s too late”, and “Zero tolerance for anti-Semites”.
CAAS says there has been a sharp spike in Judeophobic attacks, especially since Israeli armed forces launched Operation Protective Edge on July 8 in the Gaza Strip.
Sacerdoti condemning the John Adams opera, the Death of Klinghoffer, as glorifying terrorism, on Channel 4 news. Screengrab.
Jonathan Sacerdoti, spokesman for CAAS, said: “There is a wave of widespread anti-Semitism sweeping across Europe, and also here in Britain.
“British Jews are afraid. Citizens are looking to the police and government to enforce the law with zero-tolerance against antisemites, as they do in other cases of racism.
“It is only through zero-tolerance that the tide of anti-Semitism can be turned. This demand is backed by the full spectrum of Jewish organisations.”
Some of the hundreds at the rally against antisemitism seem to have confused the issue with displaying support for Israel. Photo by Lee Thomas.
Rising anti-Semitism and mass protests against the Israeli assault on Gaza have prompted almost two-thirds of British Jews to question their future in the UK, according to a Jewish Chronicle poll published earlier this month.
The Chronicle asked 150 people: “Since the protests against the war in Gaza began, have you or your friends had a discussion about whether there is a future for Jews in the UK?”
About 63 per cent replied: “Yes.”
The Community Security Trust, which works to protect the Jewish community, has reported that July was the second worst month of anti-Semitism since British records began, with 240 incidents logged.
Supermarkets selling Israeli goods have been targeted, synagogues have been vandalised and MP George Galloway was interviewed by police for declaring Bradford “an Israel-free zone”.
During a recent interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Rabbi Mirvis said that, while criticising Israeli policy did not constitute anti-Semitism, it did “create a context within which anti-Semitism can thrive.”
A shop owned by Jewish charity Norwood, whose president is Express Newspapers owner Richard Desmond, has been targeted with pro-Gaza posters.
A sign proclaiming “Hitler was right” was also displayed at a recent rally for Gaza.
Communities Minister Lord Ahmed has raised concerns about the apparent increase in anti-Jewish sentiment in the House of Lords.
The Institute for Jewish Policy Research reports that up to 80 per cent of British Jews say non-Jews blame them for the Israeli government’s actions.
It found the experience of anti-Semitism is often bound up with perceptions of the political and military decisions of the Israeli government.
Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles recently said anti-Semitic attacks have “no place” in Britain and must be met with the “full force of the law”.
His department hosts a working group of community representatives and Government officials dedicated to combating anti-Semitism.
Mr Pickles said: “Whatever one’s views about Israel and Gaza, there is absolutely no place in our country for anti-Semitic attacks.
“Those who commit hate crimes should expect to be punished with the full force of the law. Everyone who believes in British liberties should condemn anti-Semitism.”
Thousands turn out for London rally against antisemitism
By Rosa Doherty, Jewish Chronicle
August 31, 2014
The demonstration was organised by grassroots group Campaign Against Antisemitism, in response to the rise in attacks against Jews across Europe and the UK, in the wake of the Gaza conflict.
CAA spokesperson Jonathan Sacerdoti said: “This is the largest rally against antisemitism this country has seen for decades.
“We are united with our dissatisfaction that Jews are not being protected sufficiently from antisemitic attacks.
“Be it attacks on individuals, to the very real and genuine terror attacks on our Jewish organisations, synagogues and schools.
“It is time that we say enough.”
Also speaking was Maajid Nawaz, chairman of the anti-extremist organisation, the Quilliam foundation.
He told protesters: “Do not let them make you feel you have to hide your Jewish identity.
“Do not hide your ethnicity, your religion or your culture and if I have anything to do with it, in this country you will be safe.”
He said: “We must find cross-cultural and cross-religious ties in the fight against antisemitism.”
Other speakers included writer and journalist Douglas Murray who said British Jews must call for communal leaders to “do more”.
Board of Deputies president Vivian Wineman and senior vice president Laura Marks were booed as they took to the stage to deliver their speeches.
Some of the crowd could be heard calling out, “you need to do more” and “resign”.
CAA spokesman Mr Sacerdoti defended the leadership by saying: “It is great that the communal organisations who have been criticised for not doing enough have come on board and have supported us in organising an important day.”
Notes and Links
Daily Express
The Daily Express was the only UK newspaper, apart from the Jewish Chronicle, to report the rally. As a right-wing publication, owned by publisher Richard Desmond, President, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Jewish charity Norwood, it is unlikely to have under-estimated the numbers who attended the CAA rally.
Jonathan Sacerdoti
Director, Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy (IMED see below); former director of public affairs, the Zionist Federation; spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism.
Who we are
Our Vision
Campaign Against Antisemitism envisages a Britain where Jews can openly practise their religion, enjoy their culture and choose to identify with Israel without fear of antisemitism, where antisemites are treated by British society and the law with total intolerance.Our mission
Campaign Against Antisemitism UK empowers individuals to counter antisemitism in all its forms, including both classical antisemitism as well as antisemitism which masquerades as political opposition to Israel.What we do
Alongside the traditional channels (reporting antisemitism to the police and community security trust). We believe the community must also take direct action to combat the increasing hostility Anglo-Jewry is experiencing.[our emphasis, JfJfP]We counter antisemitic protests, seek out antisemites online and apply direct pressure to organisations and institutions that enable antisemitism in the UK.
Advisory Committee
Mandy Blumenthal, Justin Chorn, Joseph Cohen, Jordan Jay, Gideon
Leaders of biggest Jewish organisation ‘presiding over its rapid disintegration’ May 2013, includes BoD member Jonathan Sacderdoti saying “It seems the JLC has achieved its final goal of essentially emasculating/killing off the 250-year old democratic body.”
Former Zionist Federation Official On The Run, New Left Project discovers Sacerdoti had hurriedly removed all information about himself from his personal online posts.
“Sacerdoti began removing videos, photos and written evidence of his former role with the pro-Israel group hours after our article questioning his BBC appearances appeared. (His cat Herzl, named after the founder of Zionism, appears to be less concerned).
“First to disappear was his LinkedIn profile (which we made a screengrab of here). It contained details of his consultancy firm Sacerdoti Creative Consultancy and work at InstMed but no reference to the Zionist Federation or the Board of Deputies of British Jews, another influential pro-Israel group to which Sacerdoti was recently elected.
“Next to go was a picture of Sacerdoti meeting Israeli President Shimon Peres (preserved here) which Sacerdoti had uploaded to Flickr and captioned ‘Jonathan Sacerdoti, of Her Majesty’s Secret Service’.
“Sacerdoti scrambled to hide the video evidence of his previous appearances for the Zionist Federation in the media—such as his defence of Israel’s May 2010 attack on a Gaza aid flotilla the day after it happened on Sky News and Al Jazeera—by changing the settings of the incriminating videos on his YouTube channel, MrJonSac, to private. He also removed a video he produced with Gili Brenner of Israel advocacy group StandWithUs, promoting a pro-Israel campaign.” NLP, November 17th, 2012
Ex-Zionist Federation activist poses as neutral expert – and BBC taken in, Sacerdoti as BBC’s go-to man, November 2012
More on the Jewish boat to Gaza…, “Jonathan Sacerdoti of the Zionist Federation said: “Obviously Glyn Secker speaks for himself and his small fringe group, but the vast majority of Jewish opinion in this country stands behind Israel.” June 2010.
Stop ignoring the facts about Cast Lead, Sacerdoti defends Operation Cast Leaqd in the New Statesman, December 2011 in his role as director of the Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy
Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy (IMED)
About IMED
The Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy, based in London, works with policy makers, analysts, the media and the wider public, to educate about the circumstances required to achieve and increase liberal democracy in the Middle East. We place particular emphasis on the pursuit of genuine democracy, which must include free and regular elections, provisions for the protection of minorities, and safeguards for an independent judiciary and free media.What does the Institute do?
The Institute works through educational, research, social and media activities, to advance human rights in the Middle-East. We promote the equal treatment of minorities in the region (including religious, racial, gender or sexual minorities), aiming to highlight extremism and all forms of hate-crime.
