London Arabic bookshop removes Mein Kampf from sale after furious backlash

A London Arabic bookshop has removed Mein Kampf from sale after facing criticism from Jewish organisations over its decision to stock Adolf Hitler’s antisemitic manifesto.

Aafaq Bookstore on Edgware Road confirmed the U-turn after three Arabic-language copies of the Nazi leader’s book were found on sale at the newly opened store.

A notice has now been placed in the shop window telling customers: “At Aafaq Bookstore, we value the views and concerns of our customers and the local community.

“After concerns were raised regarding a particular title, we reviewed the matter and decided to remove the book from sale.

“We remain committed to providing a welcoming bookstore for everyone in our community.”

Hyde Park and Paddington Labour also posted about the bookshop, saying in a now-deleted X post that it had been “wonderful” to visit the new store and that “simple dialogue and understanding can help prevent hate and division in our community”.

In a separate post, the local Labour group appeared to take credit for the book’s removal, declaring: “Resident concern resolved! We get things done!”

The decision follows criticism from the Community Security Trust (CST), Jewish Leadership Council (JLC), Board of Deputies and Conservative Hyde Park councillor Elliot Keck.

Keck sparked the row after visiting the shop and photographing three Arabic-language copies of Mein Kampf.

He also raised concerns about the shop’s proximity to West Central Liberal Synagogue.

Aafaq later disputed Keck’s account of how the books had been displayed, saying they had been stacked together among history books on a table at the rear of the shop and were not prominently displayed or promoted.

The bookshop also alleged that Keck had rearranged the three copies side by side before taking the photograph.

It previously told Jewish News: “The presence of a controversial historical book in a bookshop does not constitute endorsement of its ideas. Aafaq unequivocally rejects Nazi ideology, antisemitism, racism and Islamophobia.”

Keck rejected the bookshop’s response, telling Jewish News: “It is very clear from the images that I have separated them to show the number of copies they have on sale.

“This is a bizarre way to distract from the fact that upon opening they chose Mein Kampf as one of the first books to stock and display on one of their main display tables in what is a small bookshop.”

Questions had also been raised over whether the edition was intended for academic or historical study.

Critical and annotated editions of Mein Kampf include commentary that places Hitler’s claims and Nazi ideology in their historical context and challenges the text.

There is nothing visible on the front or back cover of the Arabic edition sold by Aafaq identifying it as a critical or annotated edition. Jewish News has not examined the book’s contents.

Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) previously highlighted the distinction, saying: “There is certainly a place for understanding history through annotated versions of texts which give important context, but not books that simply regurgitate hate and risk inciting violence.”

It added: “Bookshops selling Mein Kampf should immediately withdraw them and similar materials from sale.”

The edition carries the name Aafaq Publishing and Distribution. A webpage for Mein Kampf on Aafaq Publishing’s website gives a short biography of Hitler but makes no mention of the Holocaust or the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis.

Instead, the description notes that Time magazine selected Hitler as one of the 100 figures who had the greatest impact on the history of humanity in the 20th century.

CST previously told Jewish News: “No London Arabic bookshop should be publishing and promoting Mein Kampf, the most infamous antisemitic text of the Holocaust era.”

A JLC spokesperson said: “For an Arabic bookshop to be publishing and selling copies of Mein Kampf in the centre of London is utterly horrifying and highlights the major problem of Islamist extremism within parts of British society. In a climate of rising and ever more violent antisemitism, there must be stronger action to tackle the extremist ideologies that fuel it.”

Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg also highlighted the issue of context, warning that promoting the text “without clear refutation” would be “totally unconscionable”.

Mein Kampf, meaning “My Struggle”, was first published in 1925 and set out Hitler’s antisemitic and racist ideology years before the Nazis came to power and murdered six million Jews in the Holocaust.

The book remains legal to sell in Britain, including editions used for historical and academic study.