The UK’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall, has called for a “moratorium” on pro-Palestine marches because of recent antisemitic attacks in London.
A 45-year-old Somali-born British national was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after two Jewish men in Golders Green, aged 34 and 76, were stabbed in a London neighbourhood with a large Jewish population. Both are expected to make a full recovery.
The Metropolitan Police have said they believe the incident was connected to a separate “altercation” in south-east London a few hours beforehand.
Police said the suspect has a “history of serious violence and mental health issues” and had been referred to the Prevent counter-extremism programme in 2020.
Speaking on Times Radio after the incident, Hall said: “We are now at a point at which the government starts to need to start to take more risks as to what it’s prepared to do.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on
Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
“It’s not simply enough to offer thoughts and prayers and to support the police investigation.”
Hall added: “It pains me to say this, but I think we may have reached a point where we need to have a moratorium on the sorts of marches that have been happening.
UK: Starmer condemns antisemitic attack after two Jewish men stabbed in London
Read More »
“It’s clearly impossible at the moment for any of these pro-Palestine marches not to incubate within them some sort of antisemitic or demonising language.”
In response, the Stop the War coalition criticised Hall’s remarks as “unacceptable”.
The coalition said: “We condemn unequivocally these attacks, as we do all forms of anti-semitism and racism. No one should be attacked for their race or religion.
“However, the attempts by Hall, sections of the media and some politicians to connect such attacks with the Palestine marches are wrong.”
Stop the War added: “These marches are supported by many Jewish people who attend. They are not the ‘hate marches’ described by right-wing politicians but expressions of solidarity and support for those under attack.
“The aims to criminalise the protests, whichs reflect majority public opinion in this country,” the organisation said, “or worse, to connect them with racist or terrorist attacks being carried out against Jewish people, are scurrilous and should be rejected.”
Accused of restricing protest
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday: “The antisemitic attack in Golders Green is utterly appalling.”
On Thursday the government announced that a further £25m will be spent on increasing security for Jewish communities.
Palestine Action ban disproportionately impacts Palestinians in UK, court hears
Read More »
There has been a large surge in antisemitic attacks in recent months, including numerous arson attacks and incidents investigated by the Metropolitan Police as antisemitic hate crimes in the past month.
Hall’s comments come as the government has been accused of clamping down on pro-Palestine protests. In January three pro-Palestine protesters were charged for allegedly chanting “intifada” at a demonstration.
This came after the Metropolitan and Greater Manchester police forces announced in December they would arrest people for chanting “globalise the intifada” or holding placards displaying the phrase.
Pro-Palestine activists have strongly denied that “globalise the intifada” is antisemitic or a call for violence, and British Jews have been prominent in pro-Palestine marches in the UK.
Intifada comes from the Arabic root word nafada, which means “to shake off” or “to rise up”, and translates to “uprising”.
Meanwhile the government is appealing a High Court judgement that its ban on direct-action group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation was unlawful.