Jury takes just 28 minutes to unanimously clear ‘Khaybar Khaybar Ya Yahood’ chanters
Despite Jewish communal groups having unambiguously described what the infamous slogan means, a mother and daughter were found not guilty at Southwark Crown Court this week
Jewish groups have expressed dismay after two women filmed chanting a notorious slogan seen as referring to the 7th century killing of Jews by Muslims were unanimously cleared by a jury this week of threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour intending to stir up racial hatred.
Fatiah Boumazouna, 55, and Hadjer Boumazouna, 28, were arrested the day after the demo near Trafalgar Square on 28 October 2023 – three weeks after Hamas attacked Israel.
As reported by CourtNewsUK, footage played in court showed Fatiha chanting “Khaybar Khaybar Ya Yahud Jaish Muhammad, sa yahud”. The chant, which translates to “Khaybar Khaybar, oh Jews, the armies of Mohammed are coming”, is a reference to the 7th century battle of Khaybar, when Jewish tribes in Arabia were slaughtered by forces under Mohammed, the founder of Islam.
CST, the main organisation protecting the UK’s Jewish community, has previously described the Khaybar chant as “effectively a call for Jews to be killed”. As described by the ADL, America’s most prominent organisation combating antisemitism, the Khaybar chant “has been heard at numerous anti-Israel demonstrations around the world…Invoking this slogan today at such a demonstration problematically shifts the complex Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a religious battle between Islam and Judaism. Moreover, in celebrating a past military defeat of Jews, this chant can be perceived as a threat of armed violence or forcible expulsion against Jews today.”
Brett Weaver, prosecuting, said the footage showed “these two defendants together in amongst protestors at the demonstration.
“Fatiha can be seen holding a megaphone and engaged in chanting, with her daughter behind her joining in.”
Weaver described the chant as being “in effect a threat that Muslims will again kill Jewish people in the present day or in the new future.”
However, the jury, at Southwark Crown Court, reportedly took just 28 minutes before reaching their decision to acquit the two accused.
A spokesperson for CST said: “It is very disappointing that this case did not result in a conviction, but we hope this outcome will not dissuade the CPS from continuing to prosecute cases of people allegedly inciting antisemitic hatred wherever possible.”
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “This is the second time that a prosecution by the CPS of people who allegedly chanted ‘Khaybar Khaybar, ya yahud, Jaish Muhammad, sa yahud’, has failed. The chant is unmistakably threatening to Jewish people. But a jury apparently somehow disagreed. Nothing, it seems, can possibly be construed as being threatening to Jewish people if it means someone might be held to account. Another miscarriage of justice that will do nothing to reassure British Jews that the system is up to the job of protecting them and deterring haters.”
A JLC spokesperson said: “Chants of “Khaybar, Khaybar, ya yahud” are among the clearest examples of incitement against Jewish people heard at regular anti-Israel demonstrations. This slogan cannot credibly be misconstrued as a legitimate political slogan against the State of Israel. Rather, it is a direct expression of racial and religious hatred towards Jews.
“Such chanting should be met with the full force of the law. The police and CPS must not allow a disappointing failed prosecution to deter them from taking robust action to protect British Jews.”
The mother and daughter, who handed themselves in to police the day after the march, had both told the police that they “had no idea that the words I repeated were in any way a chant of racial or religious hatred, it was not my intention to recite racial or religious hatred in any way, and I would like to apologise for any offence caused.”
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