Opinion piece in newspaper -RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: The only purpose of these endless marches is to intimidate British Jews.

[floodlightonwhatisright]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-12878659/RICHARD-LITTLEJOHN-marches-intimidate-British-Jews-tolerate-hatred-streets.html

He raises some interesting ideas.

I agree with this. I know a lovely Jewish family who are too afraid to go out on Saturdays with these marches going on.

It's from the daily mail, says it all.
The marches are a legitimate expression of freedom of speech. I don't agree with some protests but should they be banned, no. Minority carrying offensive posters will be identified, not sure why there is yet another thread on this. Yawn.

Maybe not the only purpose, but certainly, I feel, a lot of intimidation may be rather a motivating factor.

Yawn? Blimey, thanks for the solidarity QueenRania

Richard LITTLEJOHN is known for his misogyny, Islamophobia and homophobia. He has zero moral authority to talk about anyone stirring up hatred and intimidation. He is himself looking to stir up hatred with this article. The ongoing protests are optically unhelpful to our government, who have supported Israel’s military actions, and the Daily Fail is conveniently trying to demonize the protesters on their behalf.

no one is dismissing that British Jews feel anxious and fearful at this time. Plenty of Muslims also feel the same. It’s not just antisemitism that’s shot up since this conflict started. There have been Muslims attacked here and in the US (a six year stabbed to death, 3 teenagers shot for wearing keffiyehs and plenty of other examples of harassment which I’ve seen online and in news reports). It’s not right that anyone Jewish, or Muslim should be experiencing this.

However, to say that the purpose of these marches is just to intimidate British Jews is highly offensive. It accuses those who march essentially of just being motivated by racism - or being gullible do gooders manipulated into racism. This simply isn’t true. People are protesting because they want a ceasefire and they want Palestinians to have basic rights and freedoms. We live in a democracy where people have the right to do that. Instead of trying to demonize people for expressing their political beliefs and exercising their legitimate right to protest, the focus should be on ensuring the tiny minority found holding offensive placards be caught and swiftly punished and for the government to actively support the swift resolution of this horrendous conflict for the benefit of everyone.

Wouldn't open the DM link, but I attend marches, a Jewish lady leads ours, I have zero interest in intimidating any Jews. The assertion that this is done purely to intimidate Jews is offensive to me. I am capable of having such deep concern about the ongoing Palestinian civilian deaths without it being an attack on Jews.
I know Christians who think Pride in our city is an attack on them, not everything is about you dear.

Having seen the marches a significant minority show hatred for all Jewish people including UK Jewish people.

The thing to bear in mind is that there are loads of marches, some very local and might only have a few hundred people. This is why I hate seeing "these marches are full of antisemitism" because it's not reflective at all of anything I've been to.

LRJ can be counted on to have disgusting and hypocritical opinions.

He's best know to date for trying to force people back in the office, while he himself has always worked from home.

He says

'In Islington, North London, a menorah — a traditional display of candles to mark the Jewish religious festival of Hanukkah — was vandalised by pro-Palestinian supporters.
What the hell has any of this got to do with the war between Israel and Hamas?'

Correct it doesn't it just pure hate.

Then this

'Even if we accept the sincerity of demonstrators who claim their only aim is to protest loss of life and bring about a ceasefire, they are misguided at best, sinister at worst.
......... By marching alongside others dressed as Hamas terrorists and chanting their brain-dead 'river to the sea' slogans, these gormless Guardianistas in their ultra-fashionable Yasser Arafat keffiyeh scarves are helping to legitimise the Islamist/Hard Left's hate campaign against all Jews. They have been characterised as 'useful idiots', Lenin's description of fellow travellers in the West who supported Communism's reign of terror in Russia.' THEY DO COME OVER LIKE THAT.

How about calling out BOTH sides. Never any mention of the terrorist group Hamas, some even parade in their flag and colours or dress in their headbands. It's very one sided so useful idiots is a relevant term. Call out both sides equally for all wrongs.

With or without marches, I don’t see how current events in the Middle East can do anything other than make everyone feel less safe. This is not a little local problem between Israel and Hamas, it’s a dangerous, destabilising issue that has ramifications for the entire world. If you can’t march to give your opinion on something of this magnitude, then what can you march about? Not marching doesn’t make Israel’s reaction more acceptable, nor does it make it all go away. Obviously this is particularly frightening for British Jews and the emboldening of antisemitic rhetoric is alarming, but it is both very wrong and, in any event, counterproductive, to shut down protests against Israel’s behaviour as a means of trying to suppress antisemitism.

Try reading my post again. I never said these marches are full of anti semitism. I said there is a significant minority show hatred. I've not seen all marches all over the country, just some and those I've seen have a significant minority showing hatred. Go watch the London ones!

Maybe march against terrorism eg Hamas and against the war and Israel government? Just a thought. Call out all wrongs rather than be selective?

Just a thought… marches never occur against something already recognised as illegitimate. The UK government already agrees what Hamas did was illegitimate.

So well expressed.

I agree the article could stir up hatred.

I also think marches that only call out one side as wrong and ignore terrorist attacks and not call out hamas also stirs up hatred. A couple of brave people who had anti hamas placards were shut down rapidly on 2 separate London marches. I saw it. That is available to see online.

I won't attend any of this type of march for that reason. I avoid them now as other people I know do. It's a no go area for some of us now. Numbers are reducing since people can see this.

Too afraid to go out where?

Jewish people: ‘We feel threatened. We feel as though the marches allow some attendees to openly express anti-Semitic behaviour without consequence. We see a rise in attacks and threats against us, even though we have nothing to do with the Israeli governments actions and may disagree with it’

Pro marcher on this thread: ‘stop being so narcissistic, christ, it’s not all about youuu’

😳

There are many Jewish groups who take part in the marches. Are you suggesting the marches shouldn't take place because some local Jews feel intimidated?

Unpleasant? Watching countless of maimed civilians (mostly children and women), body bags, destroyed lives and hearing about the appalling way the Israeli government and the IDF are behaving is unpleasant.

If British Jews feel intimidated then I am sorry. I do not hold British Jews responsible for the actions of the Israeli government and protesting the actions of the Israeli government is exactly that. It is not aimed at British Jews.

Criticism of these marches really brings out the embedded Islamophobia within some.

based on countless documented incidents a person wearing a kuffyia is more likely to be a target of a hate crime, like we’ve seen with the three Palestinian students in the US , yet is considered anti semitic by Richard LJ.

River to the sea is used by both Israelis and Palestinian as Tzipi Hotovely have stated few times , so why is it only offensive when Palestinians say it?
If anything needs to be addressed is the alarming rise of racisim and discrimination against Muslims.

And another thought - if the UK government were more willing to call out all the wrongs, there would probably be fewer marches.