A Jewish lawyer, who was ordered to undergo diversity training for calling an anti-Israel campaign group “scummy racists”, has won his fight to have the decision overturned on appeal.
Matthew Berlow was sanctioned by the Scottish Law Society last October for calling the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) “scummy racists, bullies and cowards” and saying that, with its protests against an Israeli shop owner, it had “simply found a soft Jewish target to aim your bile at”.
He was ordered to pay a fine of £1,750 and undergo diversity training after a pro-Palestinian campaigner complained to the lawyer's professional body.
Mr Berlow later tried to raise funds through JustGiving for the costs of the appeal he was lodging but people connected to the SPSC managed to it closed down after complaining that raising funds for a legal case violated the website's terms of service.
But he was then contacted by Adam Solomon, a Jewish London-based QC who read about the case in the JC.
Mr Solomon said he was prepared to fly to Edinburgh to represent him for free at the appeal, which took place on Yom Ha’atzmaut.
“Adam was simply amazing”, Mr Berlow said, describing his representation as “a great mitzvah.
“His advocacy skills and legal knowledge, combined with his polite and matter-of-fact demeanour meant that the case against me soon crumbled.
“I cannot thank him enough for coming to my rescue.”
Mr Berlow said the training he had been due to face “would have been odd as I am a Jew married to a Muslim and have never discriminated against anyone or any group in my life.”
The SPSC had organised events protesting against the Jericho Skin Care stall, owned by Nissan Ayalon, in Glasgow, later doing the same in Aberdeen when he moved his business there.
Two members of the SPSC were convicted as part of the protests they held against the stall, one for aggravated trespass and failing to follow police orders and a second for ignoring police orders.
In November 2017, Mr Ayalon, who has since left the UK, told the BBC his treatment was like "a game of chase the Jew".
He added: “We were accused of murdering, mass murdering, slaughter, criminals, we were called criminal enterprise. We were called baby killers.”
Mr Berlow was still required to pay the fine for “intemperate language”, which he called “the price you pay for defending Israel online”.
But he was found not to be liable for the considerable costs of his appeal, which he described as “a great relief”.
“It was a reminder that despite differences in the Jewish community, we come to the aid of each other,” he said.
