Latest news with #antisemitism
Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Comic Reginald D Hunter is being privately prosecuted over 'anti-semitic' social media posts one day before he begins UK tour
The comedian Reginald D Hunter is being privately prosecuted over allegedly 'anti-semitic' social media posts one day before he begins a UK tour, it has emerged. The 56-year-old US stand-up is accused of three counts of sending an offensive communication on three different occasions - on August 24, September 10 and September 11 last year - to Heidi Bachram on X, formerly Twitter. He was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court today but Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram issued a warrant for him to attend court on July 7 in his absence. Prosecutor Donal Lawler told the court that Hunter was a 'well-known comedian' who is being privately prosecuted by the charity Campaign Against Antisemitism. It is alleged Hunter sent a computer-generated sexual image to Ms Bachram in August last year, with the charges claiming it was 'grossly offensive'. On September 10 he is said to have tweeted Ms Bachram saying: 'THIS is why I HATE these people and am committed to their destruction not because JEW hatred Not even because they are European Nazis pretending to be JEWS Because of all the lying. Mama HATED liars and bequeathed that hatred to ALL of her children.' The following day, it is alleged he sent another message saying: 'Hey sugar. I don't hate you for being an agent of evil. Not new Not even uncommon. 'You being a liar a persistent liar KNOWING the truth, is why I will see you and your kind ended, even if it costs me EVERYTHING. You are not even a JEW. Run tell that.' Reginald D Hunter (pictured) was due to appear befire Westminster magistrates today but Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram issued a warrant to attend court on July 7 in his absence Hunter regularly tours the UK and has appeared on comedy panel shows Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Have I Got News For You and 8 Out Of 10 Cats. Mr Lawler told the court on Friday that the comedian was due to begin a tour of England and Wales tomorrow. The prosecutor said Hunter was scheduled to do a gig in London on July 6, adding that his legal team may be able to serve him his court summons in person at the venue on that date. The CAA describes itself as an organisation of volunteers which works to 'expose and counter antisemitism through education and zero-tolerance enforcement of the law'. Hunter's representatives and the CAA have been approached for comment. The charity has posted today on X: 'A warrant has been issued for Reginald D. Hunter to attend court in relation to a private prosecution brought by CAA. 'Mr Hunter is charged with three offences under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003, relating to posts on X that he allegedly published in September 2024. 'The first hearing took place today at Westminster Magistrates' Court, but Mr Hunter failed to appear. A warrant has now been issued for him to attend court on a future date. 'This is one of a number of private prosecutions that CAA is bringing, and there will be more to say on the case in due course.' Hunter previously had a performance cancelled by council chiefs after being accused of 'encouraging a baying mob' to hound out an Israeli couple during one of his performances at last summer's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He was due to perform at a council-owned hall in Scottish town Giffnock, but local authority East Renfrewshire Council axed the show - saying: 'We have a commitment to our community, and to our values of diversity and inclusion, which we take seriously.' Police Scotland initially said they were 'reviewing the circumstances' after being 'made aware of a hate incident which reportedly took place'. They then told MailOnline last August 16: 'All information gathered was fully reviewed and no crime was established.' Hunter had been performing his new standup show 'Fluffy Fluffy Beavers' at Edinburgh Fringe when he made a quip about how watching a recent Channel 5 documentary about domestic abuse had made him think of Israel. Hunter then related a story about how his partner had complained about not being able to access the Jewish Chronicle's website, as it is behind a paywall. He was reported as saying: ''Typical f***ing Jews, they won't tell you anything unless you subscribe.' 'It's just a joke,' he added. His statement on social media came after a couple walked out of one of his gigs at the festival When two Israeli audience members objected to his jokes, they were reportedly sworn at, called 'genocidal' and told 'you're not welcome' by fellow spectators who also shouted: 'Free Palestine.' Hunter took to X at the time to apologise for his part in the incident, claiming it was part of his job as a comedian to 'push boundaries'. The comedian, who is from Albany in the US state of Georgia but has lived in the UK since 1997, insisted he was 'staunchly anti-war and anti-bully'. He added: 'I regret any stress caused to the audience and venue staff members.'
CBS News
2 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
Richard King Mellon Foundation provides Tree of Life with $2.5 million grant
The Tree of Life is getting a huge funding boost thanks to one local non-profit. It was announced on Thursday that the Richard King Mellon Foundation gifted Tree of Life a $2.5 million grant to support building a national center for education, remembrance, bridge-building, and the celebration of Jewish culture. "The Richard King Mellon Foundation's grant comes at a critical juncture for The Tree of Life and the broader Jewish community," said Carole Zawatsky, CEO of The Tree of Life. "Our mission to uproot antisemitism and hate is of the utmost importance at this moment. We are incredibly grateful for the Foundation's generosity and continued support, which is symbolic of our core belief that antisemitism is an American problem and all of us – Jewish and not – must work together to counter it." The gift from the Richard King Mellon Foundation now gives the Tree of Life a total of $3.5 million in investment. "Our community is incredibly thankful for the continued support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation," said Michael Bernstein, chair of the board at The Tree of Life. "Our bold vision to realize a future where our children live without fear of antisemitism depends on partners like this who support our work." Tree of Life breaks ground on new synagogue Last year, after months of demolition, ground was broken on a new synagogue in Squirrel Hill. It was a day more than five years in the making; one filled with emotion, resilience, and hope, as the synagogue broke ground on a new space and a new chapter in its history. Since the horrific shooting on Oct. 27, 2018, the building had remained vacant until then, as construction began on the site of the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. The main sanctuary will remain for worship, but the new building, what's being called a 'reimagined' Tree of Life, will memorialize and celebrate the lives of those tragically killed. "We announce loudly and clearly to the entire world that evil did not win," Rabbi Jeffrey Myers said at the groundbreaking. Construction is expected to be completed in a couple of years.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Investigation into racially aggravated attack on teenage boy
A teenage boy has been injured in an racially aggravated assault at a London Underground station, police have Transport Police (BTP) were called to Hampstead Tube station on Monday evening, following a report of an assault and victim was taken to hospital with minor injuries and was discharged later, BTP force has confirmed it is investigating the incident as racially motivated and has appealed for information. A Jewish security charity, Shomrim neighbourhood watch, posted on social media the day after the incident that "three Jewish boys were threatened with a knife by six or seven suspects".Community Security Trust (CST), a charity with the remit of "protecting British Jews from terrorism and antisemitism", said in a statement: "We are aware of the appalling racist assault on a group of Jewish boys that took place at Hampstead Station on 26 May."CST is in contact with one of the victims' families and is providing them with support. "CST is also in contact with the British Transport Police and Transport for London as the investigation continues."We urge anyone who witnessed the incident or has any relevant information to contact the police or CST as soon as possible."
BBC News
14 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Harvard's Jewish foreign students feel scared in Trump row
If President Donald Trump says he's punishing Harvard University to protect Jewish students, not everybody is than 2,000 Harvard students identify as Jewish, and for some of those from abroad, Trump's rhetoric has stirred fear and uncertainty. "I thought when I left Israel I was leaving a conflict zone," PhD student Genia, 41, tells me. It's foreign students like her that fear becoming collateral damage in Trump's crackdown on some of America's most elite last week trying to strip Harvard of its ability to enrol international students, the Trump administration suffered a legal blow on Thursday when a judge indicated she would block the move while the case plays out in the ruling is unlikely to deescalate the conflict between Trump and Harvard, an institution he accuses of being too left-wing and failing to combat antisemitism when pro-Palestinian protests have unfolded on campuses."It's been hard. We've had guest speakers here saying my heritage and sacred texts should be decolonised, and questioning my existence" says Genia, who is studying is halfway through her studies which focus on language acquisition in babies who are blind. She worries being sent back to Israel if the foreign ban prevails."I do think that it is very important to learn to be uncomfortable and offended. But I think it should be applied to both sides... it's not been balanced. ""I've had two years of dealing with massive amounts of campus hostility and now we get this mayhem... it's not making things better." In a small backdown, the government has given Harvard 30 days to prove it meets the requirements of enrolling foreign students. If the measure is ultimately allowed, it could deliver a devastating blow to the university, where more than a quarter of students are from overseas. There are no exceptions for Israelis or other international Jewish order ostensibly designed to protect Jewish students like Genia appears to have put those from abroad, in peril. It's led to accusations that President Trump has politicised says: "I think that it is very important that we recognize that there is a distinction between what we want and what the US government probably wants."The university's president insists Harvard has taken major steps to tackle all forms of hatred - as well as anti-Jewish activity. Alan Garber says the cuts the Trump administration is imposing on the institution will "hurt" the country, not just Harvard, because academics were conducting research deemed "high-priority" by the Machlis, 27, is about to graduate. Her family is here to see her walk the stage in her cap and gown. She is upbeat but that feeling had been missing for a while."For the first time in a long time, I feel very proud to be a student at Harvard. Harvard has been under immense pressure by the Trump administration, and the institution has shown it is making decisions with integrity to defend its academic freedom and to not bow down to the power grab," she says. "The university still has a lot to prove and do when it comes to tackling antisemitism" she adds, "but I'm proud with what President Garber is saying and doing." Another Israeli at Harvard - who works as a research fellow – is concerned about the Trump administration's approach. The 38-year-old didn't want to be identified as she weighs up her future.."I see that Harvard is really trying to address the problems... but you cannot change a culture and problems. These are not Harvard specific problems, and they're not even problems of the American elite. These are big problems in the world and it does not take a week, or a day, to solve them."She draws parallels with her home country and adopted country"Israelis have been experiencing democratic backsliding in a very intense way and I think we should be the first to recognise what's going on here in the US."Harvard Professor Steven Levitsky goes further. He has spent decades studying authoritarian governments and believes that President Trump is using antisemitism as a cover to bring elite education under his control. "We're the biggest fish. We're the most prominent, most prestigious, and also the best university in the country. So if you want a single representative of higher education to take a whack at, Harvard is the obvious target," he tells me."If the Trump administration is able to bully Harvard into acquiescence, then it knows that no other university will be able to stand up to on experiencing antisemitism throughout his life, he says: "I've never seen or experienced antisemitism here at Harvard. And so the kind of the notion that we have a serious problem that requires federal intervention, as a Jew who's lived here for 25 years, I can tell you it's laughable."But this ongoing battle threatens to leave Harvard in a different place even if the school is successful in its fight. Many international students say they're already looking to build their academic future elsewhere, while others who have graduated say they plan to take their skills to countries outside of reporting by Eva Artesona
Bloomberg
17 hours ago
- General
- Bloomberg
Trump Turns His Ire to University of California
Welcome to Bloomberg's California Edition—covering all the events shaping one of the world's biggest economies and its global influence. Join us each week as we put a unique lens on the Golden State. Sign up here if you're not already on the list. The University of California system entered into Donald Trump's flight path as his administration barrels through universities it has accused of not doing enough to curb antisemitism.
