Anti-Zionist activist restrained by police after rushing at car driving Starmer
Barnaby Raine had tweeted after Hamas' 7th October atrocities: 'Shabbat Shalom and may every coloniser fall everywhere'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
A mob who tried to ambush Keir Starmer’s car after he gave a speech defending his stance on Gaza included a activist who had appeared to celebrate the Hamas atrocities of October 7th in a social media post.
Another protester to assemble outside the central London venue and attempt to ambush the car escorting the Labour leader was a notorious anti-Israel activist who was once condemned for vandalising the wall of the old Warsaw Ghetto.
Starmer was widely praised after giving a speech at Chatham House, central London, in which he outlined the need for “humanitarian pauses” in Gaza to allow aid to reach the besieged population, but rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Israeli response to the terrorists of Hamas.
But a small group of protesters outside unveiled banners including one reading Jews Against Genocide, and following his speech attempted to ambush Starmer’s vehicle as he left accompanied by a security team.
Jewish News can reveal that among the group of pro-Palestine activists on Tuesday was Barnaby Raine, a far-left Jewish academic and Novara Media commentator, who was pinned back by police officers as he attempted to lunge towards the car used to drive the Labour leader.
Raine, who previously defended Jeremy Corbyn over claims of antisemitism under his leadership, had sparked widespread fury on the day of the October 7th terror attacks tweeting as the news of the atrocities emerged:”Shabbat Shalom and may every coloniser fall everywhere.”
The outspoken Westminster School educated anti-Zionist has previously described the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine as a “utopian lie” and claimed the Palestinians have been “ethnically cleansed” from their homeland.
???? Protesters run at Sir Keir Starmer’s car and clash with the police@LBC pic.twitter.com/1e3SyVPP6g
— Henry Riley (@HenryRiley1) October 31, 2023
Also taking part in the same anti-Starmer protest, which some media outlets described as a gathering of “Jewish peace” activists was Ewa Jasiewicz, who once sprayed “Free Gaza and Palestine” on the walls of the old Warsaw Ghetto, an act in 2010 that was condemned by communal groups across Europe.
The Community Security Trust said at the time Jasiewicz had behaved in way that displayed “arrogance and callousness”.
On Tuesday she posted a photo of the small demo on X, formerly known as Twitter, writing: “Keir Starmer you can’t hide – you’re endorsing genocide.”
Others to join the protest included Corbyn’s former communications head James Schneider and Jewish Voice For Labour’s Jenny Manson, while the Novara Media presenter Ash Sarkar, tweeted: “Now, outside Keir Starmer’s speech: Jewish protestors calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.”
In his speech Starmer told the assembled media and other guests that “the only credible approach” to allow aid to reach the people of Gaza as Israel sought to eliminate Hamas was through “humanitarian pauses.”
He said pauses were the only way to allow aid to get in to Gaza and for hostages to be able to leave.
“While I understand calls for a ceasefire, at this stage I do not believe that is the correct position now,” Starmer said.”Hamas would be emboldened and start preparing for future violence immediately.”
He said a humanitarian pause was “the only credible approach that has any chance of achieving what we all want to see in Gaza – the urgent alleviation of Palestinian suffering”.
"While I understand calls for a ceasefire at this stage, I do not believe that it is the correct position now," Sir Keir Starmer says
Labour's leader says "Hamas would be emboldened" and would "start preparing for future violence immediately"
https://t.co/Jx83kUchlU pic.twitter.com/VTW27bTMPx— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 31, 2023
After the speech Starmer answered questions from the media, including one put to him by Jewish News stating that while his own stance on Israel’s response to Hamas had impressed many in the community, there were concerns about MPs still speaking at the mass Palestine rallies.
Starmer was also repeatedly asked if Labour frontbenchers diverging from the party position would be sacked.
He said the party was unified on wanting to see an “alleviation of this awful situation” and that he would “engage sensitively” with his colleagues’ concerns, but did not say that they would be disciplined for breaking with the party line.
Following the speech, the Jewish Labour Movement and the MP Margaret Hodge were among those to praise his stance on the Middle East crisis.
Mike Katz, the JLM national chair, said: “This was an important intervention from Keir Starmer, setting out clearly why a humanitarian pause, not a ceasefire, will most likely deliver what everyone should want: a release of hostages and sufficient aid to alleviate the clear suffering of Palestinian civilians.
“This was clear leadership from Starmer. MPs and others should reflect on the how best to achieve the desired outcome in Gaza and how they can ease community tensions on our streets, and unite behind his position. Surely what matters right now is what works.”
MP Hodge said: “Keir is correct in his calls for a realistic, lasting route to peace today, and I stand by his remarks.”
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