A pro-Palestine car parade through London has caused outrage, after video circulated showing participants calling for the rape and murder of Jews over loudspeaker.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is divisive in the West, with American and British conservatives proudly proclaiming their support for Israel, and most leftists usually falling on the pro-Palestinian side together with the Muslim diaspora. Amid worldwide rallies and protests against Israel’s latest strikes on Gaza, a parade in London has stoked outrage among Jews and Israel supporters.
Video purportedly shot on Sunday near a Jewish community center shows a convoy of vehicles decked out in Palestinian flags, with a participant unleashing a tirade of anti-Semitic abuse over a megaphone or speaker.
UNBELIEVABLE!"F**k the Jews" "F**k their daughters" "F**k their mothers" "Rape their daughters" "Free Palestine"Finchley Road, London, this afternoon!@CST_UKpic.twitter.com/AYZmuCG0x5
— SussexFriendsofIsrael (@SussexFriends) May 16, 2021
“F**k the Jews...f**k their mothers, f**k their daughters, and show your support for Palestine,” the man thunders. “Shut them out, rape their daughters,” he continues, as other drivers in the convoy honk their horns.
The video was instantly condemned online. “This is pure racism,” Jewish news editor Jack Mendel tweeted, adding that “this is why Jewish people are scared when there is violence in Israel/Palestine.”
This is absolutely vile. They must be caught and face consequences. There is no place for this poisonous hatred - at all, ever. https://t.co/A3GmeSedUt
— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) May 16, 2021
The police need to arrest these vile fascists - it’s a direct incitement to violence, sex crime & hatred against our Jewish community No excuses: these scum need a boot putting through their doors ASAP. There is no place for this in Britain https://t.co/DAWXWdUdE0
— Martin Daubney (@MartinDaubney) May 16, 2021
Further video shows the convoy rolling through what Mendel called “heavily Jewish neighbourhoods,” where the honking and flag-waving continued. In this footage, no anti-Semitic abuse was heard.
Video now circulating of more antisemitic thugs in cars, driving though heavily Jewish neighbourhoods, waving Palestinian flags and honking horns.This is pure antisemitism. And it is terrifying and harassing a faith community. They should be identified and prosecuted. pic.twitter.com/Ir5d8Bcfmn
— Jack Mendel