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Tony Greenstein restraining order stops him from contacting Labour disputes team

Expelled Labour activist and 'notorious antisemite' handed two-year punishment, charged with two counts of harassment

Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor

Tony Greenstein
Tony Greenstein

The “notorious antisemite” Tony Greenstein has been given a restraining order forbidding him from contacting the Labour Party’s disputes team.

Greenstein – who was expelled from Labour over antisemitism allegations in February 2018 – was handed a two-year restraining order at Brighton Magistrates Court on Thursday.

He was charged with two counts of harassment, one against the Labour party’s disputes team and the other against one of its employees, who Jewish News is not naming.

The order prevents Greenstein from contacting the disputes team, from using expletives in communications with Labour, and from trying to enter the party’s central London headquarters.

Brighton and Hove News reported that Greenstein, 67 spoke to confirm he understood the terms of the order.

The first charge was that he harassed the disputes team in seven emails sent to various members between 5 June, 2020 and 29 October 2020, with abusive, insulted and offensive language, including veiled threats to employees.

The second was that he harassed a Labour Party staff member by sending her four offensive emails between 11 June, 2020 and 29 October, 2020.

Speaking for the defence Ed Fish told the court: “There have been some discussions between the prosecution and defence and the prosecution proposed they would offer no evidence if a restraining order was agreed.

“The charges relates to a complaint made by Tony Greenstein in relation to antisemitism investigations by the Labour party and how they behave, in correspondence with the complaints team and he does accept that he did use choice language.”

Greenstein had originally pleaded guilty to the charges back in March.

The anti-Zionist activist appeared in court wearing a Free Palestine badge.

Last November who lost a libel case with the Campaign against Antisemitism after the called him a “notorious antisemite.”

 

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