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.

So that’s a no then.

It’s the same with the shit on the marches “yes antisemites use that exact same language in that same way to mean antisemitic things but I am not going to discontinue saying it because I’m not fussed about using the exact same language as antisemites.”

I’m not surprised, it’s a running theme.

So you have ignored my points, including the one about context. Have a look at Pro Measheimer's work.

You are very quick to label others 'anti semites' but yet you haven't commented on @KatiePricesKnickers's racist post at all. The double standards wrt racism against different groups is another running theme. I have no idea whether this applies to you or not but it's telling that my post is deleted immediately but that this other, clearly racist one has not been reported and deleted or even commented on by those who are quick to accuse others of anti semitism.

On the contrary, racist posts and antisemitic posts do get reported on here. It has to be in the opinion of the person doing the reporting and also agreed by MN mods.

Agree in leaving offensive posts up
Important to see how some people think

If others state they are offended and I agree that they could be, I’ll report in support.

Thanks raining. re pps comments

I am not faux
I am not outraged
and
I am not surprised

As a pp commented. It’s the way these threads go sometimes.

It’s sad

Amidst all the misinformation, exaggeration and reactive posts on here @stirabout , you manage to be measured, authentic and cool in your responses. As unfaux as they come in my view.

I'm not ignoring them, I just don't think it's a good argument to say 'when I say it, it's ok, when they say it, it's racist'.

Which post? The deleted one? I didn't see it, I saw your post to me, clicked quote and it took me to the bottom of the page to reply to it.

Don't be silly.

Still, attack is the best form of defence, eh?

Failure to see each other’s point is a reflection of what’s happening in real life.

Is that not what you are doing here attacking or at least trying to be belittling? I was just repeating the views that you were happy to share earlier on in the thread. It's hardly attacking you to do that is it?

Nope, and you aren't. To clarify, you're making stuff up and it's not landing.

What I'm doing is disagreeing with someone's point. I see it, and I think it's crap.

Yes, very sad.

I agree with @Islandsofsand's comment above to a large extent.

That's not the point I was making at all! It was you that jumped in with the 'that's anti semitic' comments, rather than clarifying or trying to understand the point.

Yes, @KatiePricesKnickers's post has now been deleted.

And you don't seem to understand that there isn't any 'context' whereby it would be acceptable for you to say the "Jewish Lobby" are wielding undue influence over various countries's governments.

You can keep arguing that it's not antisemitism when you say it and I will continue to wonder why you are so keen to use the language of antisemites,

If it’s still about the ‘Jewish lobby’ - you didn’t want to look at the concerns I raised about AIPAC’s impact on U.S. politics but you were understandably concerned about it ruling the world as being antisemitic.

You noted:

It’s the same with the shit on the marches “yes antisemites use that exact same language in that same way to mean antisemitic things but I am not going to discontinue saying it because I’m not fussed about using the exact same language as antisemites.”

Imagine if Starmer had said, the river and sea is antisemitic and shouldn’t be used even when people are concerned about what is happening in the Middle East.

Antisemitism in Pro-Palestinian/Anti-Israel Demonstrations in the UK

This right to demonstrate and to voice political criticism of Israeli policies or actions is fundamental and protected free speech. However, some of the chants, the writing on placards, and the speeches made during past demonstrations have crossed the line from expressing legitimate political views into antisemitism.

Antisemitism during these demonstrations includes expression of hatred towards Jews, blaming Jews for the actions of the Israeli government, spreading conspiracy theories about Jews, and calling for violence against Jews. Although sometimes antisemitism is disguised by the use of language that, on the face of it, seems to be anti-Israel or ‘anti-Zionist’ and not anti-Jewish, when explored and unpacked, these declarations can be antisemitic, and in some instances, criminal.

The report identified four antisemitic themes that were repeatedly present in demonstrations: blood libels, Jewish collective responsibility, Holocaust comparison and conspiracy theories relating to a powerful ‘Jewish Lobby’.

https://antisemitism.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/6648-Anitsemitism-Trust-Chants-Report-v4.pdf

Common Antisemitic Chants

“From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free” is one of the most common chants heard in anti-Israel demonstrations in the UK. There will be many people using this chant as a general expression of support, or perhaps seeking to express their desire that the Palestinian people will be ‘free’ from oppression.

However, the chant can have a more sinister interpretation. It is also popular among arch-terrorists and leaders of terrorist organisations, such as Osama Bin Laden, who was leader of Al Qaeda, Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanon-based terrorist organisation Hezbollah, and former Iraqi President Saddam Hussain. The chant taken in this frame, calls for war to ‘liberate’ the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and annihilate the state of Israel – either forcing all Israeli Jews out of the country, or killing them, paving the way to establishing an Arab, Muslim state that is free of Jews.

People using this chant or engaging with it should be fully aware of these dual meanings (irrespective of their original intent) and might consider chants which are less ambiguous in relation to genocidal intent.

Equating Zionism or Israel with Nazi Germany

A number of the messages on placards held during demonstrations about the Israeli-Palestinian have been antisemitic. The most common ones include comparing Judaism or Zionism to Nazism, and claims that Israel is committing genocide by treating Palestinians in a similar way in which Jews were treated during the Holocaust. Comparing Israel or Zionism to Nazi-Germany has no factual basis. Equating the Holocaust with the actions of Israel against Palestinians diminishes the acts of the Nazis who were engaged in the systematic killing of six million Jews and others. It minimises the scope of the Holocaust and uses it as a propaganda tool against Israel.

Drawing parallels between Zionism or Israel and Nazism can be antisemitic (depending upon context) according to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which is the most widely accepted definition of antisemitism and has been adopted by the UK government.

Antisemitic Blood Libels

Another allegation that is often expressed in demonstrations, is that that Jewish/Israeli soldiers target Palestinian children. Although Palestinian children have tragically been killed during the conflict, it is a false accusation that they are being systematically targeted. Israelis are presented as blood-thirsty (and there have even been disgraceful allegations of organ harvesting).

This relates to a blood libel conspiracy theory about Jews that has existed for hundreds of years. Jews have traditionally been accused of the ritual killing of non-Jewish children in order to drink or otherwise use their blood. This blood libel demonises Jews and has been used to incite hatred of Jews and justify violence against them since the Middle Ages.

Jewish Control of the Media and Banking

Other conspiracies that occasionally surface in demonstrations focus on alleged Jewish control of the media and politics.

When an antisemitic trope is mentioned, whether it uses the terms Jews, Zionists or Israelis does not make a difference, it remains antisemitic.

These are only some of the tropes that frequently occur during demonstrations of this type. Other conspiracy theories can be present too, including that Jews are filthy or impure,19 and that Jews, or ‘the Zionist Lobby’ control the actions of the UK and other Western governments.

https://antisemitism.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/6648-Anitsemitism-Trust-Chants-Report-v4.pdf

I have no idea what you are trying to say here?

The dissonance of going on an 'anti genocide' march and chanting slogans used by some as a call for genocide. Painful.

It’s things like this which will have contributed to the term “useful idiots” being used frequently.

Thanks @Twiglets1 but I think the wagons have circled and they don't want to know.

We are having a discussion about respecting and not dismissing other people’s views?

The first paragraph - do you not understand this:

If it’s still about the ‘Jewish lobby’ - you didn’t want to look at the concerns I raised about AIPAC’s impact on U.S. politics but you were understandably concerned about it ruling the world as being antisemitic.

The last paragraph:

Imagine if Starmer had said, the river and sea is antisemitic and shouldn’t be used even when people are concerned about what is happening in the Middle East.

If it could be acknowledged why some people used the phrase river to sea (there can be other reasons as well as antisemitism) - people may be more likely to respect or at least listen to concerns about why it should not be used.

This requires the CPS to prosecute. If they set a precedence for banning use of river to sea- then I think it would significantly reduce its use. Are they attempting to do this is Australia?

Otherwise - we are going to have to ask people not to use out of respect and that’s going to be more successful if it’s possible to also say: yes - we understand that there’s concerns about what’s happening in the Middle East, but it’s causing distress here in the UK.

I know that some on this thread don’t want to know.

What I always think about threads though - especially on the CITME board - is that more people read them than the smaller number who comment on them.

I know I used to follow debates on this board for quite a while after 7/10/23 before I started posting comments. I was making up my mind on where I stood on some of the issues being discussed. So it’s likely there are people reading this thread who are still weighing up how to feel about the demonstrations & maybe the report I posted will be of some use to them in recognising antisemitic themes that they were not aware of.