Is the penny finally starting to drop about anti semitism and hate marches?

[mids2019]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/04/starmer-c al l-society-response-rising-antisemitism

I think we are now seeing the cumulative impact of the anti senitism that has built up over the last 3 years where there has been a permissive environment with politicians hesitant to intervene in events in the streets that have incubated anti Jew sentiment.

All political parties apart from the hate apologist Greens are now waking up to the fact we need better policing and perhaps legislation. I for one will acting a vote for a party that recognises hate marches for what they are and also willing to tackle the vile posts appearing on social media (and Labour have reacted too late too little). Enough is enough for a Jewish community that lives in perpetual fear.

Yes but it won’t be acknowledged on this board. On any other board, this uncomfortable truth would be widely acknowledged.

I just came across this article too, but I’m not so sure people are “waking up.” I think it comes in cycles: there is another attack, people are shocked for a few days, and then everything goes back to ‘normal’ and people outside the Jewish community move on.
Part of the problem is that Jews aren’t seen as vulnerable in the same way, even though we're constantly targeted. People view us as more privileged, or more powerful. So other minorities get solidarity, while Jews get caveats about geopolitics.
And while the government talks about extra security funding and new legislation, it doesn’t get to the root of the problem. We need education starting from very young in schools about what antisemitism actually looks like today. Children learn about the Holocaust as history, but not about the modern forms of antisemitism on social media.
So while I appreciate the government's language about “standing with Jewish communities”, it just feels like a small number of people speak up, and most other people still don’t see antisemitism as something they need to think about in the same way other forms of racism. Unfortunately, I don’t think the penny will drop until the education catches up.

Agree with all of this.

It's pure ignorance that people view Jews as not being vulnerable and are more privileged. No matter that schools teach WW2 to children (e.g.my 10 year old grandson is in his school play about the war covering the Home Guard and evacuation of children from London to the countryside) but I agree that most British people do not view antisemitism as racism even though it is the oldest form of it.And yes, how and when will the education catch up?

I’m sorry that is how you view things @SunnyAfternoonToday that most British people do not view antisemitism as racism.

Personally I do think decent people in Britain know that, though maybe I’m being naive. There’s certainly a strong case for better education on the subject, as too many people seem to be getting their knowledge from sites like TikTok rather than formal education.

@mids2019 how many threads do you have to start on the same subject. ? Could you not just add to the many many threads you have about useful idiots/virtue signalers/pro pallys/hate marches etc....

I agree.

I don't think some people on the conflict in the middle east threads would realise they are antisemitic even though they clearly are. Its very ingrained in their thinking. They don't even appear to understand what antisemitism is.

The hatred on many threads here is palpable, probably why so few people post on these threads. They don't appear to be able to separate UK Jews and Gaza and their entire raison d'être is Palestine, it's obsessional.

The raw hatred has unfortunately spread to action in the UK against Jewish people, who are nothing to do with Palestinine. I don't believe they care though 🤷 Marches are pointless apart from spreading fear and I think more and more people realise that now. It's up to the government to take more action and educate people on antisemitism.

Agree they don’t identify as antisemitic.

Just never have anything sympathetic to say about those experiencing antisemitism in their lives or children’s lives.

I know how much you value proof so what is your evidence for this statement?

Have you asked everyone on the marches?

I do hope so, OP.

10 years ago I would have said that the majority of the UK public would have recognised antisemitism when they saw it, and would have been horrified by it.

The change in that time, and particularly since the October 7th atrocity, has been extremely worrying. The marches have definitely contributed to normalising antisemitism as somehow acceptable, including to the bien pensant types who would otherwise think of themselves as woke or progressive, and wouldn't dream of harbouring racist views and feelings towards any other ethnicity or religion.

That said, it feels like very recently the tide might have started to turn back a little bit again. I don't know if it's been the surge in popularity of the Greens, and how that has shone a spotlight on the antisemitism within their ranks, but it seems like more ordinary people are noticing the antisemitism and distancing themselves from it. If that leads more people to realise how much the hate marches are contributing to the rise of antisemitism, then hopefully the government will also conclude they need to stop pussyfooting around and act to curb the entrenchment of acceptance of antisemitism on our streets.

I’m talking about those on MN who never have anything sympathetic to say about those experiencing antisemitism in their lives or children’s lives.

I was replying to @ShockingBritain point, as you can see.

I agree with all of this, and the comment upthread from somebody complaining about this thread not being the only one on the board was pretty rich, given the heavy bias and strong streak of antisemitism that usually dominates the board.

However, while I know there are also cesspits of antisemitism 'in the wild' in the UK and elsewhere, whether within certain groups or individually, I don't see that generally within my own acquaintance. While I don't know how representative of the population as a whole my circle of acquaintance is, people who've mentioned the marches and the rise of antisemitism in the UK have been universally horrified. So I feel there's hope, but I recognise this is easy for me to say as somebody who isn't Jewish.

Goodness what a blanket statement.

Not everyone comments on every thread you know.

I agree with this post and think ironically the Green Party may be doing Jewish people a favour in Britain.

They have so many antisemitic candidates who have made such outrageously racist comments that it has become a talking point in mainstream media and thus is making more people aware that antisemitism has grown in society to a worrying degree.

A few months ago I was in a popular costal destination and a woman was standing there preaching vile things about Jewish people. Lots just looked and walked past. I called her out (massively regret not calling the police, it didn’t occur to me until after). It was the first time in 40 years I’ve ever heard that sort of vile things being said in Britain. I’ve seen graffiti on shops, I’ve heard of people being shouted at, but I’d never seen or heard it despite living in a very Jewish area growing up.
it seems to have become ok to say. In the same way Brexit allowed a rise of “acceptable” racism.

the reality is a British Jew has as much power and control over what’s happening in Israel as a British Muslim has over what’s happening in gaza. And I do not understand why the hate is darkening our streets.

You were brave to call it out.

I think most people when they see things like that just walk on by and don't want to get involved in arguing with a stranger.

Agree though that these things should be called out because of course British Jews or Muslims shouldn't be blamed for actions that people disagree with during conflicts in the ME.

It really was very brave. Given the aggression and sense of self-righteousness that often comes with the antisemitism, it was really brave to call it out on the street like that.

These people are bold. They're not afraid to display their racism.

Just today, Kemi Badenoch was heckled when speaking out again antisemitism, by some self-righteousness idiot, who apparently can't stand to hear that Jews might get some protection from the threats they're facing, without diving in to 'what about Muslims'. She handled it with aplomb, it must be said, but she's there backed up by a security team. Very different if you are a lone voice on the street facing these bigots.

Brava!

Brave or stupid. We can definitely err on the side of stupid.
ive never heard it on the street like that, it really shocked me. I’m also not Jewish so it is much easier for me to call out, it’s not personal.

this isn’t Britain, it’s never been ok or acceptable to be like that.

10 years ago I would have said that the majority of the UK public would have recognised antisemitism when they saw it

10 years ago was Jeremy fucking Corbyn and people swearing blind that the Labour Party didn’t have a problem with antisemitism. Mumsnet was riddled with it too, particularly leading up to the 2019 General Election.

Labour didn’t ’deal with the problem of antisemitism’ in that it made its members stop being antisemitic, the antisemites all just decamped to the Green Party where post October-7th it became even more popular.

Heard on the radio this morning that 1 in 5 university students wouldn’t want to share a house with a Jewish student. Like wtf. Do people really have a problem understanding that as antisemitism?

Double post

So depressing.

Regarding the penny starting to drop though, it does seem to have become a political priority for Labour to distance themselves from antisemitism in the run up to the local elections. As this article in The Independent today makes clear:

Sir Keir Starmer has said attempts by Iran to destabilise British society “will not be tolerated” amid suspicion Tehran could be stirring up antisemitism.

The prime minister said the government was investigating whether foreign states could be behind recent attacks on the Jewish community in the UK.

Meanwhile, prosecutors have been told to fast-track hate crime prosecutions under new guidance issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Stephen Parkinson in the wake of “a deeply troubling rise in antisemitic incidents across the country”.

Speaking to leaders of community groups, senior government ministers and police chiefs following a knife attack in Golders Green last week, Sir Keir warned there would be “consequences” if Iran was found to be responsible.

“One of the lines of inquiry is whether a foreign state has been behind some of these incidents,” he said.

“We are investigating, of course, all the possibilities. And we are clear that these actions will have consequences if that proves to be the case.

“Our message to Iran, or to any other country that might seek to foment violence, hatred or division in society, is that it will not be tolerated.”

Describing the situation as a “crisis” in the wake of the attack in northwest London last week, Sir Keir said new legislation would be rushed through to tackle “malign threats”.

The government has promised a new law to allow it to take action against state-backed groups amid calls for the proscription of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Sir Keir told the meeting that although essential, security is “not enough”, as he vowed to “deal with the forces that drive this hatred in the first place”.

“We’re clear-eyed about the fact that antisemitism does not have one source alone: Islamists, far left, far right extremism, all target Jewish communities,” he said.

“That is why this government has put in place the first coordinated national plan to strengthen cohesion and confront extremism in all of its forms.”

Jewish communities across England are set to receive an extra £1m in government funding to pay for community safety work and projects aimed at countering antisemitism.

The funding follows the £25m announced last week to provide more security for the community following the attack in Golders Green.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the chief prosecutor for England and Wales confirmed that hate crime prosecutions will be fast-tracked.

The DPP issued new guidance to prosecutors, which says “any supporting evidence can be obtained subsequently” once the evidential threshold for a charge is met.

Mr Parkinson said “only a fraction” of antisemitic crimes are referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), saying the Jewish community faces “extreme acts of violence and criminal damage”.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/keir-starmer-iran-britain-antisemitism-b2970520.html

I think right wing antisemitism is easier to tackle because it's more straight forward.

The left-wing antisemitism is sort of like a self feeding virus. The people doing it have theory identity / persona wrapped up in being 'anti racist' or particularly good people immune to racism so they can't see that their behavior is perpetuating hate.

To justify it in their minds, they obsessively demonise Jews as evil - white colonisers, baby killers - whatever, and then they use that to create a sense that Jews deserve it and have it coming.

That creates more hate, and more hate and as it escalates and you see arson, beatings, stabbings, they just carry on justifying by demonising Jews more and more and more.

They're not skinheads or thugs- they're often regular people. NHS workers, teachers, university professors, journalists, politicians, human rights activists and they fit everything around protecting their psyche from admitting they're racists.

Of course there's been thousands of years of the same excuses: they killed Jesus, poisoned the Wells, drink kids blood, are capitalists, communists... the deal is always the same, and it's just excuses. And yet they think they're right this time.

What I find most grim is how if Jewish people try and speak they scream at them that they're genocide lovers or baby killers. I mean, what are Jewish people meant to do with this behaviour?

It's a really horrible environment right now in the UK. Ugly.

Any hate crimes/ racism are wrong. But I think Islamaphobia is far more of a problem to be honest. But nobody seems to give a fuck about Muslims.