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David Baddiel: ‘London march is against antisemitism not pro-Israel’
‘I hope to see many non-Jewish allies there,’ the comedian and author said.
November 26, 2023 13:51
By, Daniel Ben-David
1 min read
‘I hope to see many non-Jewish allies there,’ the comedian and author said.
November 26, 2023 13:51ByDaniel Ben-David, Daniel Ben-David
Comedian and author David Baddiel said he hopes to see “many non-Jewish allies” at Sunday’s historic march against antisemitism.
A record 40,000 people are poised to walk shoulder-to-shoulder in solidarity at the National March Against Antisemitism organised by the CAA.
Ahead of the march, predicted to be the largest in British history, Baddiel told the JC that such an effort is necessary as antisemitism becomes “more and more normalised in the UK”.
Baddiel said antisemitism is becoming normalised through the “now recurrent association” between rising levels of it and the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
He added: “This is a dysfunctional association which I have always rejected, but at the moment, it seems to Jews as if there is a tacit acceptance by some that swastikas spray-painted on British synagogues are, at the present moment, “understandable”.
“This is why the march is titled as being against antisemitism, not, despite the many attempts that will no doubt be made to paint it as such on social media, pro-Israel.
“As such – as a march in support of a British minority under threat – what it should attract is allies.”
He went on to say that the concept of “allyship” was “key to modern progressives, and we have seen them march many times for many minorities, which is commendable.”
Baddiel concluded: “The notion of Jewish allyship remains though, to use a word from the progressive vocabulary, problematic. Nonetheless, I hope to see many non-Jewish allies there.”
“Week after week, central London has become a no-go zone for Jews,” said Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, which is organising the march.
He added: “We have witnessed mass criminality, including glorification of terrorism, support for banned terrorist organisations such as Hamas, and incitement to racial or religious hatred against Jews.
“The sad truth is that Jews do not feel safe in our capital city.”
According to the CAA, 105,000 people are attending the National March Against Antisemitism in central London. It began at the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand at 1:30pm before passing along Whitehall and ending at Parliament Square.