Organisers of rally against antisemitism urge public to ‘face down extremists’
The rally, which begins at 1pm on Sunday May 10 outside Downing Street, is expected to be attended by thousands
Organisers of a rally against antisemitism have called on the British public to “face down extremists” in the wake of multiple alleged antisemitic attacks.
The rally, which begins at 1pm on Sunday May 10 outside Downing Street, is expected to be attended by thousands.
Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis will be among the speakers at the rally organised by the Jewish Leadership Council and the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
Keith Black, chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council, said: “For two and a half years we have warned about the staggering rise in antisemitism in this country. Yet, antisemitism in Britain is not just rising, it is escalating into deadly acts of violence and terror.
“This Sunday at 1pm, people will gather outside Downing Street to stand against this hatred and face down extremists. It should not just be Jews who turn up. British values are being challenged by antisemites, and we have to stand against it together.”
The latest rally comes after two Jewish men – Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Ben Baila, 76, also known as Norman Shine – were stabbed in Golders Green on April 29.
Essa Suleiman, 45, is accused of attempting to murder his friend, Ishmail Hussein, at his home in Southwark in the hours before he allegedly attacked the two Jewish men.
The UK terrorism threat level was subsequently raised to “severe” by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, meaning a terror attack is “highly likely”.
The chief rabbi, speaking in the wake of the stabbings, called for “zero tolerance of antisemitism, with regard to hate marches”, saying these and other events can contribute to “a tone of antisemitism, which is in our country”.
He also warned “words of condemnation are no longer sufficient”, adding “this is a hatred that we must face down together”.
Following the stabbings, dozens of protesters gathered outside Downing Street on April 30 in a rally organised by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) to demand that the Prime Minister tackles antisemitism.
Speaking to protesters in Whitehall, Stephen Silverman, the CAA’s director of investigations and enforcement, said British Jews “worry about their safety” in the UK, and said that “we have seen no meaningful action which has consequences playing out before our eyes.”
Adrian Cohen, senior vice president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: “We call on society at large to draw a line. Antisemitism must be challenged wherever it appears, without hesitation. It must be defeated – action is essential”
The Metropolitan Police announced this week a community protection team of 100 extra officers to help safeguard the Jewish community, despite Sir Mark Rowley’s previous call for 300 extra police officers.
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner warned of a growing “pandemic” of antisemitism in the UK and said he is “very concerned” about the sustainability of the force’s current approach to protecting Jewish communities in the capital.
On Tuesday, Sir Keir Starmer warned Iran that efforts to stir up violence and hatred in the UK “will not be tolerated” amid suspicions Tehran could be backing antisemitic attacks.
The Prime Minister told leaders of community groups, senior Government ministers and police chiefs that there would be “consequences” if Iran was found to be behind some of the incidents.
Describing the situation as a “crisis” in the wake of the Golders Green attack, Sir Keir said new legislation would be rushed through to tackle “malign threats”.
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