Your say / protest
‘We stand together with those under attack’
As Jewish residents of Bristol, we are disturbed and concerned to see the Star of David – a Jewish symbol – emblazoned on a poster for this Saturday’s ‘March for Unity,” claimed to stand against “the threat of Islamist Extremism.”
This is clearly a hate march against all and any Muslims.
Jews have been invited, along with Christians, Sikhs and Hindus, to “defend our heritage and religious freedom” by joining the march.
We reject the attempt to enlist our symbol and weaponise our safety in a march that targets our neighbours with unfounded and racist scaremongering.
We stand together with those under attack. That is why we are joining the counter-demonstration on Saturday.
Jews have long had to defend themselves from attacks. Our heritage includes blocking marches by the British Union of Fascists, the National Front, the British National Party and the English Defence League.
Now we have the “Patriots”. When minorities are singled out as threats, all minorities are at risk. Anti-semitism and Islamophobia rise together, and they won’t fall unless they fall together.
We do not recognise what the poster refers to as ‘the continued persecution of the Jewish Community from Islamists”.
We deplore the attacks on both synagogues and mosques.
We deplore all racism and any move to blame Jews for the actions of the state of Israel and to blame Muslims for any individual act of violence. We deplore pitching communities against each other.
The poster states ‘the anti-semitic left’ supports Islamic extremism.
There is anti-semitism in every section of society. The idea the left supports Islamic extremism is without grounds. The left is committed to protecting rights and dignity for all.
We whole-heartedly reject the conflation of anti-semitism and anti-Zionism which has a long political history within the Jewish community itself.
Jewish safety in Israel/Palestine and the diaspora does not requires Palestinian oppression.
The poster claims “women and children [are] at risk”.
The far right protestors have shown that protecting women and children is not their priority.
For example, their intimidation of communities such as refugee families at hotels where children are housed, and the fact that two thirds of far right protestors arrested at last summer’s demonstrations were known to police through domestic abuse reports, as reported by Avon and Somerset Police
Women and children are at risk from misogyny and paedophilia which prevails in every community.
While it is comforting to blame ‘others’, most victims know their perpetrators and are abused within their own communities and families.
The place for our Jewish community and other communities is countering the “patriot“ march, not joining it.
This is an opinion piece by Bristol Na’amod. Na’amod is a national movement of Jews dedicated to “seeking to end our community’s support for Israel’s occupation and apartheid, and to mobilise it in the struggle for freedom, equality and justice for all Palestinians and Israelis”
Main photo: Rob Browne
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