OPINION: Moderates must stop extremists hijacking demos or lose right to protest
As uncomfortable as it might be, Diaspora Jews must push police and politicians to do more to show there are consequences for hateful acts, even if it is among a minority
Most of us woke up on Friday to the distressing news of what had happened on the streets of Amsterdam. As we searched for details, videos were arriving of the hunting, persecution, and attacks on the streets of Amsterdam of Israelis/Jews by groups supporting Palestine.
This follows a day after the Paris St Germain team owned by Qatar, allowed an enormous Free Palestine banner in violation of all kinds of regulations when PSG was playing a team owned principally by an Israeli businessman. Amazingly UEFA said that this did not break any rules.
As horrible as it has been the reality is that this is just an escalation of what has been happening across many cities in the west. There have been extensive examples of aggressive behaviour and hate language that has been tolerated in the name of free speech and the right to protest. Interestingly, this tolerance has not been shown in other situations with other groups.
In all these situations, there has been police supervision to some degree, but there seems to be a desire by authorities to do as little as possible not to offend or confront the perpetrators. And when action has been taken, there has been a desire to act on the other side too to show balance.
The lack of security forces and authorities to act strongly against the extremist sides of these protests has continued to embolden protesters further and further. What happened in Amsterdam last night was not accidental. It has been reported that it had been planned and the attackers anticipated that police action would be limited until it was too late.
We are living in a world where the police and authorities are so afraid of being seen confronting some communities that even the extreme groups in those communities are allowed to thrive and strengthen. Of course, most of the protesters are peaceful (although clearly not that night) but that is not the point. If a small percentage are not peaceful and the rest of the protesters do nothing about it, then it is a problem.
As an example, when people say, “free Palestine”, but they are also glorifying and supporting Hamas, how can they describe themselves as peaceful (even though your professors in college might call them liberation fighters).
Within Jewish communities there has been extensive debate about how to deal with the police on these situations given the significant role they have. The police are fundamental in the everyday life of any society and unfortunately have become increasingly important for the security of Jews across the diaspora. So, criticising them is not always easy.
Unfortunately, they are clearly failing at showing the strength necessary to deal with these extremist groups. Hampered by a desire to not be seen as blocking fee speech or the legitimate right to protest or targeting a particular community, they are allowing these extreme groups to become emboldened with little repercussions.
These extreme groups will not react to some arrests. They do not care. They probably think it is badge of honour.
To stop this chaos and terror, moderates must conclude that the extremists are hurting everybody, including the moderate’s cause. If the moderates cannot control them or even try to limit extremism, then the moderates themselves should lose their right to protest. It is as simple as that. You cannot have it both ways. If you are peace loving, how do you join these people or allow them in your group and if you do, your peace-loving credibility is clearly gone.
Until either the police and security forces across the western world make it clear that there are consequences for allowing extremists to hijack arguments and protests, they will not end.
You can have all the views you want on the middle east conflicts and be as negative on the actions of any other parties including Israel in it. I am happy to debate any of you on them anytime and admit that in some cases we will not have a resolution. Debating respectfully and peacefully is fundamental and how people learn and grow.
But if you are not able to separate yourself from the extremists and crazies that support your cause, you cannot argue for being moderate. And the police and authorities need to have that approach also.
I have had enough.
Being a citizen of a country or of a certain religion does not give the right to anybody to harass and hunt others based on identity and if western security forces are not doing all they can to protect Jews, they are complicit with the harassers. It is not complicated. It is that simple.
Today you can hear the leaders of Amsterdam talk in shame about what happened in their city that night. Credit for them to admit what happened. But they need to make sure that the police have instructions to make sure these things cannot happen. Unless I see that, it will be more words with no backbone.
Jews have been persecuted for centuries and generally our only option has been to first live among ourselves in smaller areas and then finally leave. But these are different times now. We have a country that is strong and that will defend us whether in the country or across the diaspora. You now have a power partner that will support you in your fight wherever you live.
But the Jews in the diaspora need to show their strength and rally the large number of non-Jews who will support us. The majority of the Jewish diaspora are proud of their country of living and contribute mightily to the wellbeing of those countries. They want to continue to live that way. Showing our strength is not about using violence as the barbarians did that night. But it is about being more demanding that their rights are protected like anybody else, as uncomfortable as that is.
Extremists threaten everybody including those that they hate as well as moderates in their communities. It is in the interest of all to defeat extremists, but we have to have the courage for that.
We have to say we have had enough and demand that the authorities act. If they do act, then it is a society and place that you can be proud to be a part of. If they don’t, why would you want to live there?
You might not like the question, but it is time that it gets addressed properly before it becomes rhetorical. I have had enough.
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