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South Yorkshire Police has recorded a hate incident after a woman was filmed describing Jewish people as “killers and psychopaths” during a protest outside Sheffield Town Hall.
The force confirmed that the incident had been recorded following the circulation of footage on social media and that an intelligence report had been submitted for review by relevant departments.
The woman was filmed making the remarks during a demonstration on Wednesday 4 November, in footage subsequently shared by the antisemitism watchdog account GnasherJew.
“Jews are the most hated people on Earth. Why? Because they are killers and psychopaths,” she said.
When asked “all Israelis?”, she replied: “90 percent!”
There was no apparent police intervention during the exchange, although it remains unclear whether officers who were nearby witnessed the remarks.
The demonstration came amid a row over Sheffield City Council’s Labour-Green power-sharing agreement, following the Green Party’s adoption of a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism.
As previously reported by Jewish News, Sheffield Labour initially announced it was ending its power-sharing arrangement with the Greens before subsequently agreeing to continue working together.
The incident comes days after Jewish News revealed details of a National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) document setting out a five-point plan to strengthen the policing of antisemitism across Britain.
The proposals called for a more consistent national response, including improved officer training and more assertive use of existing powers.
The document acknowledged that existing legislation leaves room for different interpretations, potentially resulting in inconsistent enforcement.
“However, the current law leaves much open to interpretation based on context, which inevitably leads to inconsistency,” it stated.
South Yorkshire Police did not explain why officers had not apparently intervened during the exchange.
A spokesperson said: “During protests, our priority is keeping people safe and maintaining public order while respecting the right to lawful protest.
“People also have the democratic right to express strongly held views, but that right does not extend to criminal offences.
“There is absolutely no place for hate crime in South Yorkshire, and where offences are committed, we will act robustly and pursue those responsible.”
It is not yet clear whether any criminal investigation will follow.
Jewish News has also contacted the NPCC for comment on the incident and its plans to strengthen the policing of antisemitism.
Do you recognise the woman pictured in this article? Email editorial@jewishnews.co.uk
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