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.

@noblegiraffe

They're a hospital.
Childrens hospital that has done this before with other art work from other schools across the world.

@inamarina
Maybe there were more than just these two plates that were a bit problematic?
Maybe they were the only two why get into maybes let's stick with what was said

Have there been similar exhibitions in the UK displaying drawings by Israeli children who lost friends or relatives on October 7th?
No idea but the article stated:
The school had links with schools “all over the world – bringing children together to share their experience of life”. So not just a one off project with Palestinian school children in Gaza

Anyway this was all debated on these threads 3 years ago I've no desire to go there again and revisit some of the views expressed at the time

Is it reasonable for a Jew to feel threatened and intimidated by regular displays of antisemitism, in an atmosphere of extreme risk to the Jewish community who have already seen stabbings and at least one murder in recent years, along with regular vandalism of Jewish properties and extreme levels of antisemitism on social media?

That's one that people really shouldn't need to agonise over. But people will still claim that they are being unreasonable and 'Jews on the marches' don't have a problem so neither should they.

Perhaps if the marchers stopped the antisemitism and made them peace marches instead of calling for death and destruction, people wouldn't be intimidated by them and wouldn't be calling for them to be banned?

I noted the differences upthread
The pro pal marches are to raise awareness
not just of whats going on
but also to show solidarity
Marching spreads that word and gets more coverage

Static demos are against one particular entity

Things don't get banned just because of feelings. People complain and the authorities take a closer look at the thing being complained about. Upon closer consideration, the hospital realised they were not just displaying community artwork but artwork that could be interpreted as propaganda.

NHS hospitals are for the whole community and have to be seen to be neutral.

How would static demonstrations not show solidarity to people in Gaza just as well as moving ones?

Because they aren’t moving.

I doubt anyone would want static demonstrations. By their very definition where do they stand. Outside an Israeli embassy ? Even if they did, it’s not the point of the demo

You may feel they already have enough news coverage but imo they can never have enough.

I'm not here to tell Jewish people what they can feel. They feel how they feel. I just don't think that restricting some people's rights is the correct way to deal with some other people's feelings especially when this doesn't apply across the board.

Well, the two plates were problematic enough apparently.
I assume they wouldn’t be displaying artwork by Russian children depicting Donbas as part of Russia either, even if it was part of some cute, wholesome project.

I don't think "because they aren't moving" helps explain how static demonstrations wouldn't show solidarity to people in Gaza just as well as moving ones.

To say "I doubt anyone would want static demonstrations" suggests the marches are more about benefitting the people attending them.

Agreed - one of the NHS values is "everyone counts" - they wouldn't want to get drawn into appearing to take sides in wars.

First para
I’m afraid if you can’t see that physically moving through areas rather than standing still has more impact. I can’t help you there

Second para
Suggests people are seeking personal benefit. I’ve never attended a march for personal benefit. Always to raise awareness and show support. That’s why people do it. Rather disingenuous to suggest otherwise but
if that’s your experience or thoughts on the subject I find it rather sad

I genuinely sometimes think people can't live in the real world if they don't understand why a hospital would remove that display.

Sorry but you have not been able to explain how a static demonstration is a problem for raising awareness seeing as you acknowledge that you "agree ... there is already a lot of attention".

And if people only attend marches to "raise awareness and show support" then I'm still confused why it matters that " I doubt anyone would want static demonstrations" since what they want should be secondary to how it is making the whole community feel, including but not exclusively Jewish people in the community.

Maybe we need to agree to disagree.

I agree. They must not understand the values of the NHS if they think a hospital would be able to continue displaying artwork that isn't neutral once it has been pointed out. Not to mention the hospital workers themselves shouldn't want any patient or visitor to feel uncomfortable with their choice of artwork.

I’ve already commented re your first query
There can never be enough news coverage etc

Moving through different areas obviously raises more awareness. Because you are moving through different areas for starters. Again. As I said. That’s obvious and if you are interested in the subject of the different impact and purposes of demonstrations then
on this one,
as it seems its not clearly obvious to you,
google is your friend

What people want is important. It’s why people march. To garner support and raise awareness. Not everyone will agree with the message of a demonstration but people have the right to a voice.

Fundamentally Twigs I’m wondering if you think no one has a right to demonstrate. A healthy democracy embraces the right to free speech and peaceful assembly, static or otherwise. That’s the people’s choice

Do you think that people in different areas to previous marches need to be marched through in order for those people to become aware of the situation in Gaza?

Just seen a video from the 'peace march' of a woman leading a chant of 'Smash the Zionist Settler State'.

Much Peace and Love in that message.

Google won't help me on this. You say that what people want is important but you don't seem to care what Jewish people in the UK want because they have clearly said that they find the constant marches intimidating and like they aren't welcome in the UK anymore.

I think people have the right to protest but it would be better if they could be static and contained. The same is true of TR protests.

I respect everyones right to be against a demonstration
I am aware some people feel intimidated

whether it’s the Jewish community or the Muslim community

Ultimately people’s right to free speech, the right to march and demonstrate and the method people chose to do that still stands.

Clearly the Government agree and it would be a very sad and scary day in the U.K. if that right is taken away from us

Well I've looked into it more and the display had actually been there since 2012 it wasn't a recent exhibition and in all that time the hospital had received zero complaints about it. They got one letter on it from UK lawyers for Israel.

In fact they got hundreds of complaints about the removal of the artwork, but it has not been restored.

Looks like there's lots and lots of people that don't live in the real world if the display was left up for 11 years and received zero complaints about it.

What, you're suggesting that the propaganda should have been allowed to stay up because no one had spotted it before?

I'm not sure how people being cross about its removal means that the propaganda should have been reinstated either.

Literally everything you have just said is totally irrelevant as to whether the hospital was correct to remove propaganda from its walls.

Does anyone else find it ironic that there are lots of star of david flags on the rally which appears to hark back to the 1930’s fascist rallies. Looks like no lessons have been learnt.

because no one had spotted it before?
How do you know that?

Literally everything you have just said is totally irrelevant as to whether the hospital was correct to remove propaganda from its walls.
Remove the two plates not the whole exhibition that had been there for 11 years with zero issues

The fact that they didn't just remove the two plates mentioned suggests that other plates may also have been sensitive politically.