Al Quds speaker reported to police

Jewish News understands that concerns over Nazim Ali's remarks at the Al Quds Day march have been made known to authorities

21 June 2017, 1:12 pm

Nazim Ali (left) with an anti-Zionist rabbi from Neturei Karta

A prominent speaker at Sunday’s Al Quds Day march has been reported to the police over comments made during the demonstration, Jewish News understands.

It’s believed the Community Security Trust (CST) has complained to authorities about the Islamic Human Rights Commission leader Nazim Ali, over remarks made throughout the march.

The police told Jewish News they “Can confirm that we have received two allegations in relation to the Al Quds march on Sunday, 18 June. The allegations relate to flags displayed during the march and alleged anti-Semitic comments. Detectives from Westminster CID are investigating. There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.”

Ali, who introduced speakers during the Al Quds Day March, appeared to blame Grenfell Tower fire on Israel supporters. Addressing the 1,000 crowd at Grosvenor Square, he said: “Many innocents were murdered by Theresa May’s cronies – many of which are supporters of Zionist ideologies. Some of the biggest corporations who are supporting the Conservative Party are Zionists. They are responsible for the murder in Grenfell. The Zionist supporters of the Tory Party.”

Simon Johnson the CEO of the Jewish Leadership Council said: “It was disgraceful to hear a speech at the supposedly peaceful Al Quds day march stretching every sinew to be offensive and incite racial hatred against Jews. Trying to blame Zionists for the Grenfell Tower fire, when we know he meant Jews, is beneath contempt.”

Many carried banners with messages including “Boycott Israel”, “Freedom for Palestine” and “Zionism = racism”, with other placards say “we are all Hizballa” and comparing Benjamin Netanyahu with the Saudi Arabian king.

The demonstration wound its way through the capital’s retail heart, which was busy with shoppers, as Ali, on a loudspeaker led the protesters in chants of “Free Palestine”, and branded Israel supporters as “terrorists”.

Organisers of the annual Al Quds Parade through central London encouraged supporters to bring Hezbollah flags but no arrests were made. Despite both wings sharing the same flag – featuring a rifle – a disclaimer was pinned to the yellow flags suggesting they were ‘in support of the political wing’.

Britain currently bans the paramilitary wing but not the political wing – despite leaders of the group publicly sating they are one in the same thing.