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Original poster

To think there are very few allies against Anti-Semitism?

657 replies

Longingdreamer · 24/07/2025 14:04

This month, I have had experienced Anti-Semitism twice. Both times I was with my children.

Both times, my children were distressed, and no one around did anything to protect us or raise the alarm. When we asked for help, we were dismissed. We were in very busy public spaces both times: a tube platform, then a high street.

I reported the first episode to the police. I'm not even sure if it's worth reporting the second episode. Sadly it feels so mainstream, and the authorities are not supportive when I report it either.

OP posts:
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MyDearEagle · 24/07/2025 17:54

Glowingup · 24/07/2025 17:51

People do say it all the time to black people though - accusing them of “playing the race card”, all lives matter etc. don’t pretend that racism against black people is taken seriously.

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Yes, but many of the same people who would object to allegations of "playing the race card" in most other contexts are those who perpetuate and dismiss anti-semitism.

Bigminnie1 · 24/07/2025 17:53

Bobbingtons · 24/07/2025 15:45

The rise of right wing populism in Europe is definitely fiddling this problem. We see it every day with blatant and open islamaphobia in the streets and in the press and the centuries of endemic anti-Semitism to the point is just seen as acceptable lol at how many anti Semitic conspiracies have gone mainstream in the last few years gnomes of Zurich/new world order, etc
Even equating Judaism with Zionism is an issue. The majority of Jews are not Zionist. Jews are not responsible for the actions of Israel, the extreme right wing government and political scientists are, but lots of people are using the actions of the fascist state to target Jewish people just trying to live their lives

You are completely incorrect in your statement that the majority of Jews aren’t Zionist. Do you understand the meaning of Zionism?

Original poster
Longingdreamer · 24/07/2025 17:53

Glowingup · 24/07/2025 17:51

People do say it all the time to black people though - accusing them of “playing the race card”, all lives matter etc. don’t pretend that racism against black people is taken seriously.

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Do people say that racism against black people is falsely reported? I have never heard anyone say that.

Yet, there has been at least one person who says they disbelieve the documented cases of Anti-Semitism in this country.

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Glowingup · 24/07/2025 17:51

Bigminnie1 · 24/07/2025 17:45

Really- how dare you. I bet you wouldn’t say that to a black person saying they had experienced racism.

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People do say it all the time to black people though - accusing them of “playing the race card”, all lives matter etc. don’t pretend that racism against black people is taken seriously.

BeatrizBoniface · 24/07/2025 17:45

Reading David Baddiel's book "Jews Don't Count" was an eye opener for me, and sadly in the last couple of years I've seen too much evidence of it.

Bigminnie1 · 24/07/2025 17:45

This reply has been deleted

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Really- how dare you. I bet you wouldn’t say that to a black person saying they had experienced racism.

Original poster
Longingdreamer · 24/07/2025 17:44

BrokenHabit · 24/07/2025 17:42

I get the impression that as well as not making you physically safe, they didn’t really show any compassion either. That would be just as disappointing and depressing for me.

Yes, this is very true. The attitude was one of dismissal, rather than care. My children and I were visibly distressed, with the children crying. You would think that the normal reaction would be one of care and compassion, but sadly that is only available to certain people nowadays. Jews don't count.

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BrokenHabit · 24/07/2025 17:42

I get the impression that as well as not making you physically safe, they didn’t really show any compassion either. That would be just as disappointing and depressing for me.

BeatrizBoniface · 24/07/2025 17:40

MyDearEagle · 24/07/2025 17:38

I'm happy to read this, because I feel a little less alone!

I was delighted when Corbyn won the leadership election and originally brushed off the anti-semitism allegations but, for me, they became undeniable.

The British Left has a massive blind spot when it comes to antisemitism which, ironically, also makes many of them/us bad at Palestinian solidarity.

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I agree. The Corbyn years made it impossible for me to support Labour.

TooBigForMyBoots · 24/07/2025 17:39

There are definitely fewer allies than before @Longingdreamer.Sad

MyDearEagle · 24/07/2025 17:38

suitcasesarepacked · 24/07/2025 16:53

I think anti-semitism lurks constantly and needs very little provocation to flare up. For example, when Corbyn was leader of Labour my Twitter feed filled with antisemitic content and the died down again - but I don’t believe it went away. Just today my family was talking about the atrocities in Gaza and my father commented that Netanyahu was ensuring that Jewish people worldwide would face horrific anti-semitism for years to come. A provocation to cause dormant existing hatred to flare up again. I’m sorry for your experience. It’s awful and unjust. The irony is that whenever I see it - as appalled as I am by what’s happening in Gaza - I feel I can understand why Jewish people feel they need a ‘safe place’.

I did stand up for you OP. When Corbyn allowed anti-Semitism to run unchecked through Labour I stopped voting for Labour until it was addressed. I was appalled at those who saw the anti-semitism and still voted Labour. Again, it made me think that hatred against Jewish people was tolerated or ignored.

I'm happy to read this, because I feel a little less alone!

I was delighted when Corbyn won the leadership election and originally brushed off the anti-semitism allegations but, for me, they became undeniable.

The British Left has a massive blind spot when it comes to antisemitism which, ironically, also makes many of them/us bad at Palestinian solidarity.

Glowingup · 24/07/2025 17:35

There’s gangs of thugs in Canary Wharf shouting abuse at the moment because refugees are being housed there. There was appalling behaviour during the riots following the murders in Southport. Prejudice in general appears to be on the rise.

BeatrizBoniface · 24/07/2025 17:33

One of the busiest modes of public transport, CCTV and a police force and still they won't act on racism. Shocking.

Original poster
Longingdreamer · 24/07/2025 17:31

Kendodd · 24/07/2025 17:22

That's awful OP.
Did the station staff not do anything? They must have loads of CCTV. I bet the police investigation is half arsed at best.
Despite this, do please report the other incident even so it just appears in reporting statistics.
Are you white OP? The reason I ask is that I can well believe Jews are the most targeted group for racism at the moment, but it's treated with a shoulder shrug. There is very much a view though that white people cannot be victims of racism. I've been on courses and been told this and if often repeated on MN. When I raised the experience of Jewish people and travellers I've been told that prejudice not racism, (so obviously not nearly as bad - my addition).

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Loads of CCTV around. It's scary that these people still feel emboldened in this scenario: they know nothing will be done.

Station staff did absolutely nothing, in fact worse than nothing (by sending us into the path of the perpetrators again).

Jews being 'white' is a nuanced discussion. The people who care most about who is 'white' (white supremacists, Nazis) do not consider us to be white. No one would look at my children and I and consider us to me Northern European. My children have been mistaken for being North African based on their looks. It depends on your definition of what is white.

Dianne Abbott and her Anti-semitic comments have been very unhelpful, but sadly represent what a lot of people think. We are 'Schrodinger's white': both white enough to be considered to benefit from white privilege, and for people not to take Anti-Semitism seriously, but not white enough to not suffer from racism from white supremacists.

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Kendodd · 24/07/2025 17:22

Longingdreamer · 24/07/2025 15:03

I can't give precise specifics due to an ongoing police investigation, but it included threats to our lives, as Jews, and I asked London underground staff in the station for help.

I do feel that if it was any other form of racism it would be taken more seriously. Unfortunately, people people don't seem to care when it is Anti-Semitism.

That's awful OP.
Did the station staff not do anything? They must have loads of CCTV. I bet the police investigation is half arsed at best.
Despite this, do please report the other incident even so it just appears in reporting statistics.
Are you white OP? The reason I ask is that I can well believe Jews are the most targeted group for racism at the moment, but it's treated with a shoulder shrug. There is very much a view though that white people cannot be victims of racism. I've been on courses and been told this and if often repeated on MN. When I raised the experience of Jewish people and travellers I've been told that prejudice not racism, (so obviously not nearly as bad - my addition).

MyDearEagle · 24/07/2025 17:18

Bobbingtons · 24/07/2025 16:41

Which bit is incorrect, the modern Zionist movement claims that that their right to Israel is because they are the chosen people and that God promised them the land.

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The British left defines the word "Zionism" differently from most of the rest of the world. It is very unhelpful.

Outside of the British Left
a Zionist is, broadly, someone who believes in the continued existence of Israel.

nomas · 24/07/2025 17:18

BrokenHabit · 24/07/2025 16:52

I think many black people don’t bother reporting it. It’s seen as ‘normal’ and almost expected, which is horrifying. It’s all depressing. We should challenge antisemitism and all racism.

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Yep, immigrants and refugees also don’t typically report attacks.

Original poster
Longingdreamer · 24/07/2025 17:11

GAJLY · 24/07/2025 17:07

Could you report the Incident to customer services. Ask them to train staff accordingly. Might help future people.

I have made a complaint and asked for training. Tfl has not seen any fault in the actions of their staff. I am escalating my complaint.

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BeatrizBoniface · 24/07/2025 17:10

Longingdreamer · 24/07/2025 17:03

That's not the case, because I have witnessed a case where a woman was in danger on the tube, and I helped her and brought her to tfl staff, who put her in a room which was safe away from the public. I have seen that assistance is offered in a different situation.

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It's good that they did that for her, but troubling that wasn't your personal experience.

GAJLY · 24/07/2025 17:07

Could you report the Incident to customer services. Ask them to train staff accordingly. Might help future people.

Original poster
Longingdreamer · 24/07/2025 17:06

Rainonwednesday · 24/07/2025 17:04

So sorry this happened to you OP. I'm not Jewish but will be travelling to the March Against Anti-Semitism in September. I know from speaking to friends and acquaintances that there are many more people who are appalled by what they have seen since October 7th in terms of anti-Semitism.

Thank you

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Rainonwednesday · 24/07/2025 17:04

So sorry this happened to you OP. I'm not Jewish but will be travelling to the March Against Anti-Semitism in September. I know from speaking to friends and acquaintances that there are many more people who are appalled by what they have seen since October 7th in terms of anti-Semitism.

GonnaeNoDaeThatJustGonnaeNo · 24/07/2025 17:04

HermioneWeasley · 24/07/2025 14:12

I am so sorry this happened to you and your family. I like to think I’d be brave enough to intervene if I saw that.

Me too. And I’m sorry OP

Original poster
Longingdreamer · 24/07/2025 17:03

shortoedtreecreeper · 24/07/2025 17:02

Won't there be video evidence of the incident?Hope you get some help with that,
sounds horrendous.

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Yes, there is CCTV!

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Original poster
Longingdreamer · 24/07/2025 17:03

CopperWhite · 24/07/2025 16:59

I wasn’t saying it was acceptable. It is not acceptable for any threat to personal safety to be ignored, and if personal threats of death have been made against person, especially one with children, that is obviously disgusting.

My point was that you weren’t treated any differently than many others who are not Jewish would have been.

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That's not the case, because I have witnessed a case where a woman was in danger on the tube, and I helped her and brought her to tfl staff, who put her in a room which was safe away from the public. I have seen that assistance is offered in a different situation.

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