Gove accuses protest organisers of not doing enough to stop ‘anti-Jewish hate’
Communities Secretary Michael Gove will accuse organisers of pro-Palestinian marches of not doing enough to stop some demonstrators promoting anti-Jewish messages in a speech condemning a rise in antisemitism in the UK.
The Cabinet minister will say that while many protesters are “thoughtful, gentle, compassionate people”, they are “side by side with those who are promoting hate”.
Some critics have voiced concern about the police handling of the demonstrations and the effect they have on the UK’s Jewish community.
‘Overwhelmingly peaceful’
Organising groups have previously said that the marches, which have drawn crowds of thousands in calling for an end to the war in Gaza, are “overwhelmingly peaceful” with a low arrest rate.
“Many of those on these marches are thoughtful, gentle, compassionate people – driven by a desire for peace and an end to suffering.
“But they are side by side with those who are promoting hate,” Mr Gove will say.
“The organisers of these marches could do everything in their power to stop that. They don’t.”
Mr Gove will highlight that the UK has seen a spike in antisemitism more widely, arguing that it is “thread that connects extremist ideologies from Islamist to those on the far right and the hard left”.
Reports of antisemitic incidents in UK reached a record high last year, according to figures from a Jewish security charity.
Two-thirds of the 4,103 anti-Jewish hate incidents occurred on or after Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza, the Community Security Trust (CST) said.
‘Unsafe’
The Communities Secretary will say: “It’s an ironclad law of history that countries which are descending into darkness are those which are becoming progressively more unsafe for Jewish individuals and the Jewish community, the Spain of the Inquisition, the Vienna of the 1900s, Germany in the 30s, Russia in the last decade.
“It is a parallel law that those countries in which the Jewish community has felt most safe at any time are the countries where freedom is most secure at any time.
“The Netherlands of the 17th century.
“Britain in the first decades of the last century.
“America in the second half of that century.
“So when Jewish people are under threat, all our freedoms are threatened.
“The safety of the Jewish community is the canary in the mine.
“Growing antisemitism is a fever which weakens the whole body politic.”
“And I see that directly in my work tackling extremism and promoting community cohesion.
“There is one thing which, increasingly, unites the organisations and individuals which give cause for extremist concern. Antisemitism. It is the common currency of hate.
“It is at the dark heart of their world view. Whether Islamist, far right or hard left.”
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If you oppose genocide and ethnic cleansing you’re a decent person, unless it’s being perpetrated by Israel, then you’re an antisemite…
That’s not true. There’s a war going on over there and war is terrible, but there’s no ‘genocide’ and no ‘ethnic cleansing’ on the part of Israel. If you support Hamas then you are in no way ‘a decent person’.
Are you claiming that Israel has not killed any Palestinian civilians? You haven’t convinced me that they haven’t killed any civilians.
Yeah, amazing in it, 1400 vs 40,000. Now we are entitled to defend ourselves as Israel are, but what you aren’t entitled to do is go above and beyond proportional response – for example – if I were to punch you, you are fully entitled to strike me back, however, what you aren’t allowed to do is go home to get a firearm then end my life, go to my house and burn it down while my family are inside. At that point, one is no longer defending themselves. If you are to do that you would rightly be seen… Read more »
Genocide isn’t only determined by numbers of casualties, it’s also coined from the words used in regards to those deaths before, during and after. And calling an entire population “Human Animals”, including Children falls into that category. As for a war, NO! Ukraine is what a War looks like. Two sides compatible in might, or atleast capable of defending themselves for a prolonged period. What you have in Gaza is the 5th biggest military in the world against Militia who are wearing sandals and tracksuit bottoms. Using homemade weapons. I wonder, what’s your view on the French Resistance during WW2?
There is Gareth. State sanctioned genocide . In fact calling it out does not mean you sanction Hamas.
Let’s keep antisemitism out of Wales!
And the desire to eradicate an entire people because a few of them commit violent actions. Even if it has historical merit! People of Wales should know how it feels to have their nation taken from them, only for it to be renamed.
Anti-Jewish hate, and prey tell… what does that look like Mr. Gove? cause the last time I checked protesting against a Geno doesn’t make you an anti-Semite. It makes you anti Isreal. This is why you shouldn’t have Ethno states and why religions should be and remain separate from the state. If it isn’t, you inevitably end up with people purposely conflating issues in order to detract for any merit behind a deserved criticism.
How exactly does Nation.Cymru know what Michael Gove is going to say, and why does it think anyone is interested?
Cos Gove’s press office has released it in advance. It matters in Wales because the laws he is putting forward will apply in Wales.
It doesn’t though because his ministerial brief is devolved in Wales I believe.
But why act as a repeater for his press office? Is nation.cymru just anxious to be seen as part of the media ‘club’ rather than what I thought its mission was to be truly independent media?
Mr Moral Maze carries on his nasty little campaign…the architect of the destruction of the very moral fabric of our society…a Thatcherite Janissary of the worst kind…to be rid of him and his gang…well done BBC, you will always be in the frame…
Ah, Gove, the trail of slime that Cummings used to get into power when they hit the Education department.
What is he trying to do now, out hate braverman?
Everything will be with an eye to the next Tory leadership contest whenever that might be.
A man of many words but not enough of the right ones. With the influential platform he has, he could contribute enormously to the promotion of unity and harmony between communities but in the absence of any condemnation of the actions of the Israeli government, he is missing an opportunity to improve the situation and therefore shuns his responsibility as a communities minister. The presence of many Jewish people on these peace marches is demonstrating what peace and harmony looks like yet he chooses not to promote that but instead, fuels further resentment. Those he accuses of anti Semitism would… Read more »