10,000 Jews and allies rally against antisemitism at Downing Street demo

Up to 10,000 people gathered in Whitehall on Sunday to rally against antisemitism, following the recent surge in attacks on the community.

Strict security measures were in place as attendees were put through airport-style security at the Trafalgar Square entrance to Whitehall before joining the rally, backed by the Jewish Leadership Council, the Board of Deputies, and other leading communal and grassroots organisations.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and politicians from all the main political parties, along with Progressive Judaism co-leaders Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, were among the long list of speakers addressing the crowd.

Despite requests from the stage made by JLC chief Keith Black for speakers to be treated with respect, Labour’s Work and Pensions minister Pat McFadden was drowned out by boos from some sections of the crowd as he attempted to speak.

Shouts of “shame”, “it’s your party’s fault”, “when will you act?” and “Jew harmer” were openly heard from some attendees, many of whom were linked to grassroots groups that have staged a succession of protests over the past few years.

Attempting to ignore the hecklers, McFadden said: “Friends, I hear you, I am with you, I am here to fight antisemitism.”

But the JLC’s Black repeatedly had to call for the crowd to show “respect” as the booing continued. McFadden added: “I come to speak for something, for the freedom, for the freedom that marks us out as a great country.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch was given a far more positive response as she said: “Many of you know that I was born in this country, but I grew up in Nigeria, and in 2014, I remember when 300 schoolgirls were stolen from their school by Islamic extremists, and only a few returned. I remember on October 7, I saw that same terror, the murder and the massacre of young people at a music festival.

“There are many, many different pockets of antisemitism in this country, but I am most worried about the growth of extremism and terror around the world and how it targets many groups in this country.

“Britain has been a sanctuary for Jewish people, and it must always be a sanctuary for Jewish people.”

Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, was also met with applause and praise as he addressed a rally against antisemitism in central London.

Jewish News understands that several communal organisations raised objections to his appearance ahead of Sunday’s demo.

But those who argued that many of those attending earlier antisemitism demos had been supportive of Reform UK won the argument, and he was allowed to speak.

Tice told the cheering crowd: “The scourge of antisemitism has been allowed to flourish in our beloved country, and we have to say we are sick and tired of warm words from waffly politicians.”

He added: “We need to take on the failure of leadership in our universities. Maybe we should say to the universities, if you allow this to carry on, forget any form of grants. Forget any form of student loans. Forget any form of research funding.”

Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, went on to the stage to some jeers, but the MC of the event told the audience he was there as a friend, and the boos subsided.

Sir Ed said: “Extremism is the enemy of the Jewish people. Extremism is the enemy of our country.

“I say to moderates, let us unite. Let us unite, because the extremists are on the march, and if we don’t unite, they will win.”

Protesters at the event were waving Israeli flags, the Union flag, Iranian protest flags and holding protest placards.

Some signs said: “British Jews deserve better”, “Where is Keir?” and “Brits against antisemitism”.

Earlier, Rabbi Mirvis had been applauded as he told the crowd: “It is unacceptable that poisonous antisemitism has become normalised in the UK. We see it within political circles, within the media, on university campuses, in our schools, we see it in the arts, in the NHS and on our streets. It is unacceptable that antisemitic attacks are now starting to become normalised, and that will explain why an arson attack at the former Nelson Street synagogue last Tuesday went by with hardly any coverage.”

The JLC’s Black began the event, declaring: “We are fighting for the very soul of this nation. It is a fight for British values, for the right of every citizen to live free of fear, free of racism and free of discrimination. We will not shrink from this responsibility, nor cower in the shadows as history makes its call upon us, and with your support, we shall prevail.”

Cohen, the Board’s acting president, added: “Thank you so much for being here today in your thousands. I can see Jews, I can see non-Jews, friends of all faiths and none.

“It’s so great to see the Iranian flags here. It’s so great to see the Kurdish flags here. It’s so great to see so many of you here today to come and stand with our community and to say we support you.”

He continued: “This is no perception. This is real. It’s in our streets, and it’s online. We need every one of you right now because we’re in a fight against hatred, but we won’t succumb because we are resilient. The threat – whether left or right or Islamist extremist extremism – this is a threat to most basic British values. To tackle antisemitism is a national responsibility.”

Saul Taylor, President of the United Synagogue, addressed the crowd. He told attendees how he had met the prime minister in Kenton Synagogue the week of the Kenton attack. He said: “I told him the huge and rising costs that you are all paying for security, costing the United Synagogue, the charity that I proudly lead, upwards of £1m a year. I told him of one synagogue alone that pays £20,000 a month for guarding. He gasped. This amounts to a tax on being Jewish in Britain. We appreciate the funds that have been provided by the government, but Jews shouldn’t need 24/7 security in modern Britain.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism chief executive Gideon Falter also spoke adding: “I’ve come back from Israel and that place is thriving.”

He claimed: “About this place – we have become a disgrace against the nations.”

There were small pockets of booing as the two Progressive Judaism rabbis spoke. Levy said: “We stand here heartbroken, angry and frightened, and that fear expresses itself in different ways. We also stand here determined to stand as Jews in this country.”

Meanwhile Baginsky added: “The opposite of antisemitism is belonging, and belonging is built with relationships.

“There must be serious and sustained action against antisemitism. This is a statement about the country we believe in, and we all want our country to inherit.”

Boy George sent a video message to support a central London antisemitism rally attended by thousands of people.

The pop star previously said he had been left “in tears” following the stabbings of Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Ben Baila, 76, in Golders Green last month.

In the aftermath of the assaults, he said he had received abuse online over his messages of solidarity with the Jewish community.

In a pre-recorded message, the singer said he wished he could have attended the event, saying, “Not only for those amazing Jewish people, but also for people who support their Jewish friends”.

He said, “People like me keep being thanked for speaking up for Jewish people. I don’t want to be thanked for doing what is right.

“I have so many Jewish friends and know some would be there today, but even if I don’t know you, I send you my love, and I hope today we send a powerful message to the entire world. God bless you all and have the most amazing event.”

Others to speak at the event included Lord Walney, Fiyaz Mughal and the Bishop of Willesden.

Mughal, founder of Faith Matters, said:”You are not alone.

“You are part of a Britain that I want to see. Where you are listened to , respected , where you don’t live behind walls.

“Some in my faith community are part of the problem . There are some who believe in Islamist extremism who are making all our lives difficult.

‘It is a collective fight for us all to take back the soul of Britain.”

Walney urged the government to make clear what it means by “doing all in its power” to tackle the rise in Jew-hate.

Meanwhile the Bishop of Willesden, the CoR interfaith representative, added:” We’ve rushed out of our church he’s to be with you today.

“Something vital is at stake: the soul of our society itself.

“Antisemitism is evil and must be confronted wherever it arises. It isn’t another passing prejudice – it’s survived across centuries and across political movements. ”

He said it would be “perverse to see our Jewish brothers and sisters and the sole responsibility for fighting antisemitism. ”

“The Jesus I follow was born Jewish and lived Jewish,” he added.

“For Christians this is matter of spiritual integrity and moral leadership.”

Also among those to attend the rally were Michael Gove, Sajid Javid, and Michael Ellis, along with shadow attorney general Lord Wolfson.