AIBU to believe antisemitism is being ignored by the left wing in politics.

154 replies

OpheliaWasntMad · 30/04/2026 22:57

The anti Israeli/ pro Palestine marches have created an environment that encourages antisemitism. The Green Party is colluding with extremists. British Jews are right to feel angry and afraid .

OP posts:

Lemonthyme · 04/05/2026 07:54

ErroltheSwampDragon · 04/05/2026 07:43

Its true that we should look for the good:

the police caught him immediately
Shomrim helped stop and disarm him
Hatzola were able to treat the victims in Golders Green and, thankfully, neither died
the Iranian diaspora has stood by the Jewish community as antisemitism rises and helped to defend us

But by only focusing on the items you mentioned, you risk hiding serious issues:

the attacker has a history of mental illness but the details have not been disclosed so its not clear yet what relevance this has. He had also stabbed a police officer previously, and his dog, and been reported to prevent, so it was clear that he was a danger to society.
the first man stabbed was not stabbed because he was muslim but because of a personal dispute with the attacker who he knew. Comparatively, the two Jewish men were not known to the attacker and it wasn't that he just happened to attack two people that turned out to be Jewish, his two victims were visibly Jewish because of their clothing.

By not facing up to these facts, the issues will be allowed to fester and grow.

True. But just because the first victim was known and the two further victims were visibly Jewish does not make the attack motivated by that.

I'm just suggesting rather than a knee jerk reaction, we wait. Till we know facts. And in the meantime, we celebrate the good things which are factual. Isn't that a reasonable suggestion?

Original poster

OpheliaWasntMad · 04/05/2026 07:59

Lemonthyme · 04/05/2026 06:47

I am also horrified but I also think change doesn't happen overnight. And thank you for thanking my courtesy.

But what I see in the Golders Green attacks are three things that were quite low on the reporting priorities.

The man who committed these crimes had a history of being disturbed.
The first person who he attacked is a Muslim.
The person who detained him long enough for the police to catch him (and he attempted to attack too) was born in Iran. (Google Ashkan Asadian. He probably saved a life.)

I think there is some signs that this attack might not have been due to race or religion and, even if it was, that there are decent people out there, prepared to fight.

You can always look for the bad and despair. And it will always be there to find. Sometimes those concerned about protected characteristics being the cause will find it where they may not be.

There's always more to do. And the more you look for the bad, the more everything there is to do will feel insurmountable. But there is good.

But this attack is not isolated - it’s just one of a series of escalating attacks.

The Jewish community receives 8 times the number of hate attacks than the Muslim community.
This attack comes after
“petrol bottles and a brick were thrown at Finchley Reform Synagogue two weeks ago. After an attempted firebombing at Kenton United Synagogue the week before last. After counter-terror police arrested eight people over suspected arson plots against Jewish-linked sites last week. After a suspected security incident near the Israeli embassy in Kensington Gardens two weeks ago.
It comes after an arson attack on a memorial wall in Golders Green yesterday. After Jewish schoolboys were assaulted at Belsize Park station two years ago. After a Jewish man was attacked by teenagers in Hendon. After a Jewish father was abused on the Northern line. After Israelis were attacked in Leicester Square for speaking Hebrew, also two years ago. After a man in Wembley was asked whether he was Jewish and then punched in the face three years ago. After Jews leaving a West London synagogue were abused and assaulted; and after Gail’s in Archway was daubed with red paint and anti-Israel slogans in February because a bakery had somehow become another acceptable proxy for Jewishness.
The list is ugly because the facts are ugly. Synagogues. Ambulances. Schoolboys. Restaurants. Shops. Tube stations. Memorial walls. Men in their seventies. Men wearing kippot. People speaking Hebrew in public.”

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ErroltheSwampDragon · 04/05/2026 08:11

@Lemonthyme I can't imagine what other motivation there would be for seeking out two visibly Jewish men in an area far from where the attacker lived? It wasn't like he attacked two people that happened to look Jewish, he travelled to an area with a significant Jewish population and walked past others to target these two men.

Like @OpheliaWasntMad said, there has been a massive rise in violent antisemitic attacks. Sticking our heads in the sand about it is only going to lead to a further fracturing of our society.

HRTQueen · 04/05/2026 10:49

Lemonthyme · 04/05/2026 07:54

True. But just because the first victim was known and the two further victims were visibly Jewish does not make the attack motivated by that.

I'm just suggesting rather than a knee jerk reaction, we wait. Till we know facts. And in the meantime, we celebrate the good things which are factual. Isn't that a reasonable suggestion?

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What is factual to you?

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