A Jewish journalist claims he was racially abused and assaulted outside a Respect party election rally in Bradford.

Ben Judah was in the city preparing a report for the Politico website when he says he was called a “****ing Jew” and ejected from the event.

The alleged incident, on Sunday, has been reported to police and the Community Security Trust.

Respect officials said they had not seen the incident and deplored antisemitism.

Mr Judah wrote that he had intended to attend the rally to write about George Galloway’s candidacy for the party in the Bradford West constituency.

After party officials declined his request to report from inside the church venue, “a burly Asian man in a black suit and sunglasses rushes up and grabs me round the neck, pinning me to low perimeter wall,” Mr Judah explained.

“‘Get out, you ****ing Jew’, he shouts. I am being throttled as around ten Asian men surround me. My teeth chatter as a man in a tracksuit punches me in the head.”

The journalist informed Respect officials of the incident. Ron McKay responded on behalf of Mr Galloway, who said he had not seen the incident.

Mr Galloway accused Mr Judah of organising the alleged attack as a “stunt”.

The politician said: “This is quite clearly a stunt by you and a deliberate provocation and the timing of it confirms that this is a calculated attempt to smear me and affect my electoral prospects.

“This was not a public event but a rally for Respect. You were allowed into the grounds of the church where it was held and would have been allowed to report on the rally but there were several objections to you photographing attendees, particularly from women.

“You refused to stop taking photographs of people and were asked to leave. You refused. You were then ushered off the premises. I was not aware until now, two days later, that you claimed to have been assaulted.

“I did not witness any incident.”

West Yorkshire Police said they were investigating.