Latest news with #CampaignAgainstAnti-Semitism
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Calls for BBC to sack Gary Lineker after ‘Nazi propaganda' post about Israel
The BBC is facing fresh calls to sack Gary Lineker after the presenter shared a pro-Palestine video on social media featuring a rat emoji that has historically been used as an anti-Semitic slur. In footage which appears to have been deleted from his Instagram story, the outgoing Match of the Day presenter shared a post by the group Palestine Lobby. A cartoon image of a rat accompanied a video in which Canadian-Palestinian lawyer Diana Buddu attacked Israel's war in Gaza. Campaigners expressed immediate fury at Lineker's apparent endorsement of the emoji as rats were regularly used as tropes by Nazi Germany to depict Jewish people. The charity Campaign Against Anti-Semitism immediately took issue with Lineker's post. 'Nothing to see here,' the organisation posted on X. 'Just Gary Lineker's Instagram account sharing an anti-Israel video misrepresenting Zionism, complete with a rat emoji.' With Lineker leaving his Match of the Day hosting duties at the end of the Premier League season this month – he will continue to present FA Cup and international football until next summer – the BBC was urged to axe the former England captain and not let him go on his own terms. A spokesperson for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: 'The BBC has allowed the situation with Gary Lineker to continue for far too long. He has caused great offence with this video – particularly with his egregious use of a rat emoji to illustrate Zionists. BBC should ask him to leave now rather than allowing him to dictate his own terms.' Alex Hearn, co-director of Labour Against Anti-Semitism, added: 'Gary Lineker has been sharing increasingly extreme content as his fixation has grown, and it was apparent that it was only a matter of time before he crossed the line. 'Sharing content that uses a rat to demonise the very idea of a Jewish nation state draws directly from Nazi propaganda. It is unfathomable that this is apparently 'hateful conduct' on X, but acceptable conduct for the BBC. 'Lineker made ill-judged comparisons with Germany in the 1930s to further his political point of view, but now he is sharing ideas about Jews popularised in 1930's Germany. When will enough disrepute be enough for the BBC? It's time for Lineker to go.' Other critics on X, sharing screengrabs of Lineker's Instagram post, reported the post to moderators on the grounds it 'may violate X's rules against hateful conduct'. The CAA later added: 'Not only does this video deliberately misrepresent Zionism – the belief that Jews have the same right to self-determination as everyone else – but it adds a rat emoji in doing so. Why is it that Gary Lineker keeps sharing content on social media that seems to cater to Jew-haters?' Barrister Simon Myerson KC, who chairs the Leeds Jewish Representative Council, questions whether Lineker would 'have the guts to explain this to Emily Damari', one of the hostages captured by Hamas in their terror attacks targeting Israel on October 7 2023. The post comes weeks after Lineker, the former England captain, defended his right to express his opinions on issues such as Gaza in an interview with the BBC's Amol Rajan. 'I know where I stand on this,' he said. 'I'm sorry. It's more important than the BBC. What's going on there is the mass murder of thousands of children is probably something that we should have a little opinion on.' When Rajan pressed him on BBC staff remaining impartial, he then added: 'Why? It needs to be factual... It wasn't impartial about Ukraine and Russia... Why does it have to be impartial about... I understand if it's partial about our government and things in this country and everything like that, but something that's going on that far away. Why does it?' Lineker has regularly commented on the Israel-Palestine conflict and called for global governing bodies to ban Israel from sport worldwide last year in a post he later deleted. His comments in 2023, in which he said on social media that language used by the then-Conservative government 'is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s' triggered a BBC suspension and a mass walkout on BBC Sport staff, before new rules regarding social media use were published by the broadcaster. Lineker's spokesman has been contacted for comment. The BBC has also been asked for a response. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Jewish groups condemn ‘hateful' pro-Palestine march during Passover
Jewish groups have condemned a 'hateful' pro-Palestine march that took place during Passover. Critics called the march in Westcliff, near Southend in Essex, a 'hateful procession through the heart of a small Jewish community'. Crowds marched through the streets, allegedly chanting 'stop killing children' as families walked home from synagogue after Sabbath prayers. The Campaign Against Anti-Semitism said: 'Even by the standards of the past 18 months, the march in Southend was despicable. '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 mediaeval blood-libels.' The group also alleged that the protesters 'displayed support for terrorist organisations banned in the UK' and assaulted a volunteer from its demonstration and event-monitoring unit. Videos circulated on social media showed crowds of protesters carrying crosses and dressed in celebration of Christianity. It was also alleged that campaigners marched past several synagogues during a time when Jewish members of the community were celebrating Shabbat at the end of Passover. 'Deliberately antagonistic' The Community Security Trust, which helps protect Jewish communities, condemned the march as 'a deliberately antagonistic act'. A spokesman said: 'People have the choice about when and where to protest, and organising a pro-Palestinian march of this nature near to synagogues on the Sabbath is a deliberately antagonistic act that we utterly condemn. 'It causes fear and alarm in the local Jewish community and damages wider relations. The new police powers announced by the Home Secretary to prevent this kind of intimidation cannot come into force a moment too soon.' Amy Abdelnoor, 46, from Essex, an author and a speaker at the march, confirmed that protesters were chanting 'stop killing babies' but defended the choice of words. She said: 'Given that Unicef has called it a war on children, I think it's entirely accurate to say stop killing children. 'We were calling on the Government to stop arming Israel, we were calling on the Israeli government to end the occupation, we were calling on the Israeli government to stop bombing Gaza and we were calling on the Israeli government to stop killing children.' Addressing the concerns raised by Jewish groups, Ms Abdelnoor said: 'There was no provocation whatsoever, and it was made very clear that this was presented as religious, but it's not, its political. There were two speakers at the rally today who were Jewish, and one of them made very clear that he felt safe. 'The marches normally are at the end of the sabbath, so it's utterly disingenuous, cynical manipulation of the Jewish faith and utterly untrue. This has nothing to do with religion – it's all to do with ideology. It's absolutely cynical manipulation of Judiasm'. A spokesman for Essex Police confirmed a group of orthodox Jews in the vicinity of the demonstration 'were supported by officers who escorted them to the opposite side of the road to ensure their safety'.
Telegraph
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Police drop inquiry into protester who said ‘Hamas are terrorists'
Police have dropped a 'ludicrous' investigation into a protester who held a 'Hamas are terrorists' banner at pro-Palestine demonstrations. Niyak Ghorbani, an Iranian dissident, became well known last year for protesting against Hamas while standing along the routes of several protests held in London against Israel's retaliation to the Oct 7 attacks. In November last year, he was accused of making racially aggravated threats to kill a supporter of Palestine at a demonstration outside Queen Mary University of London in Mile End. A police investigation was launched after the pro-Palestinian protester alleged that Mr Ghorbani said: 'I'll kill you, you Arab b------'. Mr Ghorbani was campaigning against the university's decision to host Francesca Albanese, a UN special rapporteur, who previously compared Israeli actions with the Holocaust. Ms Albanese, who was appointed to her position in 2022, had also previously said that American opinion on the Israel-Palestine conflict was 'subjugated by the Jewish lobby'. On the day of Hamas's attacks against Israel, she tweeted: 'Today's violence must be put in context.' A formal protest against her was cancelled due to security concerns but several protestors including Mr Ghorbani continued nonetheless, where they were met by pro-Palestinian counter-protesters. Mr Ghorbani has since been told that the investigation into his behaviour has been dropped, according to the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism. Stephen Silverman, director of investigations and enforcement for the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, said: 'We welcome the decision to drop the ludicrous investigation against Niyak Ghorbani, who should never have been subjected to this ordeal in the first place. 'It is appalling that those who speak out against terrorism are targeted while actual extremists go unchallenged. We are proud yet again to have provided legal assistance to Mr Ghorbani and we will continue to stand with all those who stand with the Jewish community and face repercussions for doing so.' In April last year, a judge told the Metropolitan Police it could not stop Mr Ghorbani from attending pro-Palestinian protests with his sign which reads 'Hamas are terrorists'. The 38-year-old has been manhandled and attacked by some protesters, but insists he is doing nothing wrong in pointing out that Hamas is a proscribed terror group under UK law. In May last year, Mr Ghorbani was arrested for racism after eating a banana during a pro-Palestine protest. He had been accused of making a racist gesture with it while standing with counter protesters in central London. Mr Ghorbani's lawyer insisted his actions were not racially motivated and the bail conditions were unnecessary and disproportionate. After his arrest, police imposed bail conditions on the 38-year-old, banning him from attending any protest relating to Palestine or from entering the London boroughs of Camden or Westminster. But a judge threw out the strict bail conditions, ruling that the conditions were neither proportionate nor necessary. A Met Police spokesman said: 'No further action will be taken against a man who was arrested following an altercation in Mile End Road on Nov 12 2024. 'Inquiries are still ongoing into an allegation of perverting the course of justice relating to the same incident.'
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jews are being erased from the Holocaust by the very people saying ‘never again'
It's almost unbelievable, but Jews are being written out of the Holocaust story. Even that one day of remembrance could not go unmolested. At least Good Morning Britain apologised for its broadcast with anchor Ranvir Singh and a reporter at Auschwitz. In the original clip on Holocaust Memorial Day, Singh said: 'Six million people were killed in concentration camps during the Second World War as well as millions of others because they were Polish, disabled, gay or belonged to another ethnic group.' As the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism and others pointed out, the word Good Morning Britain was struggling to say was 'Jews'. The next day, Singh went on air again: 'We said six million people were killed in the Holocaust, but crucially, we failed to say they were Jewish. That was our mistake for which we apologise.' Fair enough, but evidence of this marginalisation of the 'Jewishness' of the Holocaust can be found in many places and in many forms. It's almost impossible to tell when this is inadvertent or when it is genuinely nefarious. In the worst cases, it's clear that the same people who are happy to accuse Jews of weaponising the Holocaust are themselves weaponising it against Jews. Unsurprisingly, Students for Palestine led the way in this regard. Their Holocaust Memorial Day statement wasn't exactly focused on those six million Jews murdered in the name of anti-Semitic mania. 'From the Reform Party to the Trump Administration to Zionism, any form of white supremacy must be torn down by any means necessary… we cannot allow the Holocaust to be weaponised as a tool to inflict violence onto the Palestinians as it has been by the Zionist entity.' I'm sure the Zionist entity was grateful for the group's thoughts at that difficult time. What happened at Good Morning Britain was not an isolated incident. Even the European Commission's official statement neglected to mention Jews. Perhaps the most darkly comic moment came towards the end of BBC One's hour-long special on Monday, where after a succession of stories of commemoration, the BBC – unable to resist some vox pops with Gen Zers in a field – shoehorned a young man wearing a keffiyeh into the discussion so he could mention Islamophobia. It spoke of that refusal to take the Holocaust for what it was and what it means today. If you unfocus Jews as the victims of the Holocaust, then you can't understand how it could happen. To equate it with a current war or with other iterations of racism or prejudice is absurd and immoral. It's not 'My Grievance Day', it's Holocaust Memorial Day. Angela Rayner posted a picture of herself accompanied by the words, 'Tonight, I'm lighting a candle to remember all those who were murdered just for being who they were, and to stand against prejudice and hatred today.' It's the horrible ambiguity of such a statement that is so unsettling. You can see this as a universal message of solidarity or you can see it as cowardly, and by not mentioning the Holocaust itself, who died in it and why, it looks like a cop out. Many will look at a statement such as this and assume – rightly or wrongly – it is designed more in the interests of placating voters hostile to Israel than remembering the mass of Jewish dead. Jeremy Corbyn chose Holocaust Memorial Day to muse on the dangers of fascism in Tribune. It will not have gone unnoticed by critics that among references to the 'growth of far-Right populism' and 'anti-migrant rhetoric', there was not a single mention of the possibility of anti-Semitism existing on the Left. I'm sure there are Jewish people who remember his time as leader of the Labour Party who feel like they are being trolled. Perhaps the saddest exhibition of such diversion came in Dublin, where the Irish president, Michael D Higgins, chose a Holocaust Memorial Day event to discuss – against the explicit wishes of the organisers – the hostage exchange and ceasefire in Gaza. Some attendees turned their backs while two women were forcibly removed by security, one shouting, 'How am I, as a Jew, being kicked out of my own event.' Contrast the approach of Higgins (who has form when it comes to Israel) with that of King Charles, who took the trouble to go to Auschwitz and exhibited the dignity the occasion merited. The final word falls to the pro-Palestinian activist who left a placard on the Kindertransport statue at Liverpool Street Station on Holocaust Memorial Day. The message equated the 1.5 million Jewish children systematically murdered by the Nazis with the suffering in Gaza. If I were Jewish, I'd be tempted to wonder what the value of this day actually is, since if it continues to be steered away from commemorating Jewish suffering it will, almost incredibly, become a nexus for anti-Semitism. It's an inversion almost too distasteful to contemplate. It's not that Gaza or any other conflict should not be discussed in earnest (though try finding someone who is willing to apply the same zeal over Sudan or the Uyghurs) but that to press that button again and again on this one day is like gaslighting an entire community at the moment of their greatest trauma. For the bad faith actors, that is exactly the point. In some of these examples you can almost smell the caution, the trepidation about giving Jewish people their unarguable place at the heart of this remembrance, as if – perhaps subconsciously – to do so would offend or alienate too many to make it advantageous. That is anti-Semitism by stealth, a creeping vine that obscures the truth for convenience's sake. 'Six million Jews' might put viewers off. 'Six million people' sounds more universal. But the Holocaust isn't universal. It existed in a context that is increasingly being ignored. It's no good blithely brandishing the sentiment of 'never again' while erasing Jews from the Holocaust. Decoupling this singular Jewish experience from Auschwitz is precisely how 'never again' becomes just 'again'. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Half of Jews have considered leaving Britain in last two years because of anti-Semitism, survey finds
Half of the Jews in Britain have considered leaving the country in the past two years because of anti-Semitism, a survey has found. Polling by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism (CAA) on Holocaust Memorial Day revealed the extent of the fear felt in recent years by British Jews. Anti-Semitic incidents in Britain have reached a record high following the October 7 attacks and subsequent Israel-Hamas war. The study analysed 4,078 responses from British Jews, who were surveyed last June and contacted primarily through Jewish networks and religious bodies. It found that 50 per cent agreed with the statement: 'In the past two years I have considered leaving Britain due to anti-Semitism.' This was up from 48 per cent in November 2022. Only a third (34 per cent) said they believe that Jews have a long-term future in the UK amid safety fears in the wake of the October 7 attacks. The Metropolitan Police has come under fire over its perceived failures to tackle anti-Semitic chants on pro-Palestinian marches, while anti-Semitic abuse in British universities has reached record levels. A majority of British Jews (58 per cent) said they hid their religion in fear of discrimination. Eighty-five per cent of those surveyed were dissatisfied with Sir Sadiq Khan, Labour's Mayor of London whose response to weekly pro-Gaza marches drew heavy criticism. Sir Sadiq has sought to reassure Jews in the capital that they are safe but has been embroiled in a number of scandals relating to his response to the demonstrations. He was criticised in May after suggesting there must be equally strong criticism of the actions of Hamas and Israel. The previous month, Sir Sadiq had apologised after accusing the Chief Rabbi of singling him out for criticism over his stance on Israel because he is a Muslim. Ninety-two per cent said the BBC's coverage of matters of Jewish interest was unfavourable. The corporation has repeatedly insisted its reporting of the Israel-Gaza conflict is 'impartial'. Danny Cohen, a former director of the BBC, accused the broadcaster of making 'false and damaging claims' about Israel's conduct in the war in a report published in September. A CAA spokesman said: 'As we reflect today on historic anti-Semitism, as a society we also have to ask ourselves: why are we doing so little about anti-Semitism right here, right now? 'We need more arrests, prosecutions, serious sentences and a ban on the anti-Israel marches. From politics to the BBC to universities, the Jewish community sees betrayal across our civil and cultural institutions. 'The cumulative result is that less than half of British Jews feel welcome in the UK. Anti-Semitism has become our nation's great shame, and time is running out.' It came as a study found that nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of Britons believe Holocaust denial is common in the UK today. A survey of 1,000 adults by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany also found 23 per cent of respondents had encountered distortion or denial online. Denial or distortion in this case includes any attempt to negate the facts surrounding the persecution of Jews during the Second World War. This could take the form of stating that the Holocaust, which claimed the lives of six million Jews and millions of others, was invented or exaggerated. Holocaust denial has been steadily growing across the world amid the increasing influence of social media and its lack of infrastructure to combat the spread of misinformation. Out of those who had seen Holocaust denial online, 42 per cent said they had seen it on X, 37 per cent on Facebook and 30 per cent on YouTube. X and its owner Elon Musk, the world's richest man, have been at the centre of several controversies about the spread of false information online. The tech billionaire was stung multiple times for sharing fake news following the Southport riots, including a false Telegraph headline about planned internment camps on the Falkland Islands. Mr Musk last week faced intense scrutiny for a salute made at Donald Trump's inauguration, which many critics likened to a fascist salute. He responded by accusing them of 'dirty tricks'.
