Anti-Semitism filmed outside debate on Labour anti-Semitism
Anger and hostility outside event at Conway Hall, entitled ‘Corbyn, Anti-Semitism and Justice for Palestine’
Attendees at a London event on anti-Semitism in the Labour Party have been caught on camera making anti-Semitic remarks and distributing material equating Israel to Nazis.
More than 500 people attended the event on Tuesday night at Conway Hall, titled ‘Corbyn, Anti-Semitism and Justice for Palestine,’ which was chaired by Christine Blower of the National Education Union.
Speakers included Bernard Regan of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and Richard Kuper from Jewish Voice for Labour.
Outside the event there were angry scenes, with claims and counter-claims of harassment and abuse from those attending and those protesting outside.
Using hidden and overt cameras, pro-Palestinian protesters filmed those filing in to the event. Among those filming were Campaign Against Anti-Semitism founder Joseph Cohen, who is now a member of the Israel Advocacy Movement.
The video, later posted to YouTube, captures participants and protesters arguing and screaming, with one man who claimed to be Jewish handing out leaflets in which the Star of David and the swastika were amalgamated.
Absolutely packed out rally at Conway Hall in defence of Jeremy Corbyn and against attempts to stifle criticism of Israel.#CorbynAntisemitismPalestine #WeAreCorbyn #BackNECcode pic.twitter.com/HuIQ3IUGMn
— Shabbir Lakha (@ShabbirLakha) August 21, 2018
Likewise, pro-Israel protesters were accused of shouting “vile anti-Semitic abuse” at Jewish participants filing in to the hall by Shabbir Lakha, a journalist covering the event.
The man later told pro-Israel protesters: “Unless you’re in the pay of the Israelis, grow up.” At this point another woman was heard saying: “Think of the dollar. That’s all you care about, isn’t it, with your silver [an apparent reference to a protester’s clothing]. You like silver and you like gold… That’s all you care about.”
Elsewhere, a young man attending the event told a camera that he supported Hezbollah and Hamas, but pro-Israel protesters were also accused of shouting “vile anti-Semitic abuse” at Jewish participants filing in to the hall.
Shabbir Lakha, a journalist covering the event, wrote: “People in the queue to get into the rally were harassed by a small group of protesters draped in Israeli flags, who called people Nazis and fascists, and shouted vile anti-Semitic abuse at the Jewish people in the queue.”
Inside the hall, Stop the War convener Lindsey German said: “What is going on at the moment in the Labour Party is nothing short of a politically motivated witch-hunt.”
Outside, one woman who accused protesters of being part of “the Zionist lobby” was shown saying: “If you walk around expecting to be treated like ‘Jewish scum’ that’s what’s going to happen to you.” The preamble to that remark was not shown.
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