Magistrate reprimanded after social media posts about Jews and Israel

A magistrate has been reprimanded for serious misconduct after publishing a series of social media posts about Jews and Israel, including one on the day of the Heaton Park Synagogue terror attack last year which asked “why there is always an attack on a Jewish person when Israel wants to divert media attention?”

Ansar Gulzar, who is also believed to be a Labour party activist, had been reported to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) by the UKLFI campaign group over four Facebook posts published between June 2025 and January 2026.

On 2 October 2025, in the hours following the Heaton Park terror attack, Gulzar, a magistrate in Buckinghamshire, posted: “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of Manchester. Every life matters. Question bothering me is why there is always an attack on a Jewish person when Israel wants to divert media attention?” In another post, he wrote: “America has a long & brutal history of slave trade. Africans were American slaves between 16th & 19th century. Americans are Israeli slaves from 19th century.”

Gulzar, who is a member of the Aylesbury Labour Party and stood as a Labour candidate for local election as recently as last year, took full responsibility for the Facebook posts, going on to say that he had been under the  impression that the posts could only be seen by his family and friends and were intended for general discussion.

In a statement published by the JCIO yesterday, the office said: “Following an investigation under the Judicial Conduct (Magistrates) Rules 2023, a nominated committee member found the allegations proven and concluded that Mr Gulzar’s conduct amounted to serious misconduct. In reaching this recommendation, the nominated committee member found that the four posts formed a course of conduct rather than a series of isolated incidents, that they expressed views on highly controversial and political matters, that they had the potential to cause emotional harm and undermine public confidence in the judiciary, and that Mr Gulzar had referred to his judicial office on social media contrary to the applicable guidance.”

The statement went on to say that that “the nominated committee member recommended a reprimand”, which was subsequently agreed with by a judge on the UK’s High Court of Justice, alongside the Lord Chancellor. A reprimand A is the second-most serious disciplinary sanction available for judicial office-holders, after removal from office

A spokesperson for UKLFI said: “We welcome the finding that Mr Gulzar’s conduct amounted to serious misconduct. Judicial office-holders must command the confidence of everyone who comes before them, including Jewish people and those connected with Israel.

“It was particularly important that these social media posts were considered as a course of conduct rather than in isolation. A serving magistrate who publicly expresses highly controversial political views capable of creating an impression of prejudice risks seriously undermining confidence in the impartiality of the justice system.

“We are pleased that the concerns we raised were investigated and that a serious disciplinary sanction has been imposed.”

The Labour party has been contacted for comment.