British Jewish left-wing activists crash Reform UK Jewish event, disrupt Nigel Farage

Protest banner against launch of Reform Jewish Alliance in the Central Synagogue, London, on 10 February 2026

Ben Kroll reports in Haaretz on 12 February 2026:

Far-right British politician Nigel Farage’s last bid to woo Jewish voters was met with fierce resistance this week, as members of a Jewish anti-occupation group disrupted an event he was holding at a London synagogue, protesting his anti-immigration platform.

“An attack on one minority is an attack on all,” said one protester, one of four activists from the Na’amod group who disrupted the event on Tuesday. The group defines itself as “a movement of Jews in the U.K. seeking to end our community’s support for Israel’s occupation and apartheid.”

Both Farage and his populist party, Reform U.K., have long faced accusations of antisemitism. The leader drew heavy criticism for a 2009 interview with far-right host Alex Jones, in which he claimed “globalists” were engineering a “new world order,” and for 2017 remarks suggesting American Jews wield disproportionate influence over politics.

The far-right politician spoke at an event hosted at London’s Central Synagogue, marking the launch of the Reform Jewish Alliance, the party’s effort to appeal to Jewish voters.

As Farage began to speak, one activist yelled out, “The Torah says to love the stranger, for we were once strangers in Egypt.” Immediately afterward, a man sitting next to him stood up and screamed, “My ancestors fled pogroms, you incite them on refugees.”

A woman then stood up and said, “My mother didn’t fight the Mosley fascists in Cable Street for this,” referring to a set of clashes in October 1936 between the British Union of Fascists led by former MP Oswald Mosley, the Metropolitan Police and anti-fascists – including the Jewish People’s Council.

A young woman then stands up from her chair and yells at Farage: “My grandmother fled Germany. You would deport her,” she charged. Video from the event shows that at least one of the disrupting activists was forcefully removed from the venue while being verbally abused.

In addition to the disruption conducted by Na’amod activists, the gathering was also picketed outside by dozens of protesters, many of whom belong to Jewish pro-Palestinian groups such as Jewish Anti-Zionist Action and the Jewish Bloc for Palestine.

Picketers held signs reading “antifascism is a Jewish tradition,” “Reform U.K. are not your friends,” and displayed alleged quotes from Farage that used Nazi-affiliated rhetoric.  Max Hammer, a spokesperson for Na’amod, told Haaretz that the protesters’ goal was to oppose the event held by Farage and his “racist rhetoric.”

By holding the event in a well-known synagogue, Hammer said it “provides a veneer of Jewish support” for the far-right leader. The organization was “shocked that respected members of the [Jewish] community provided a platform” for Reform U.K., with the spokesperson adding that Farage “isn’t a friend to any minority, including Jews.”

Farage, who played a major role in taking the U.K. out of the European Union in 2020, has capitalized on – critics say stoked – concerns about migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, which he has called an invasion. He welcomed protests outside hotels housing asylum-seekers over the summer, some of which turned violent.

Opponents say Farage has demonized migrants and fueled misinformation. Last year, he inaccurately suggested police were withholding information about a stabbing rampage at a dance class that left three children dead. False claims that the attacker was an asylum seeker sparked days of rioting across England.

Hammer warned of what he called “increased normalization” of Farage and Reform U.K., which has been leading in all major polls conducted in recent months. While the country is not expected to hold a general election until 2029, Farage said the Reform Jewish Alliance could help the party secure up to 15 seats, compared to its current eight, according to The Guardian.

Regarding the choice to protest an event being held outside a synagogue, given the ongoing discussions being held in the United States and the United Kingdom regarding demonstrations at places of worship, Hammer said it was something that came up during the planning stages of the disruption.

“All of us agreed that we wouldn’t want to make anyone feel unsafe,” he says, emphasizing that the point was of extreme importance, especially on the heels of the deadly attack at Manchester’s Heaton Park synagogue.

According to Hammer, prior to the action, Na’amod confirmed that there were no religious services being held at the synagogue concurrently with the Reform U.K. event. Additionally, the signs used by protesters were purposefully worded in a way that wouldn’t stir emotions. However, Hammer says that despite this, there were “multiple acts of friction” between protesters and eventgoers, but thankfully they did not turn violent.

Jewish Anti-Zionist Action, which also took part in the picketing, lauded the disruption of the event in a post on social media, saying that the Na’amod activists reminded Farage and all attendees “what Reform actually stands for: Racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, queerphobia, and xenophobic anti-immigration policies that would have seen Jewish refugees, many of which were our own family, prevented from entering the U.K. last century.”

“We will not stand by whilst fascists are welcomed into our community and places of worship,” the group said. “Shame on Central Synagogue, and every member of our self-elected leadership for collaborating on this event and initiative,” the statement added.

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