Sadiq Khan's diversity appointee resigns - The Jewish Chronicle

A recently appointed member of the Mayor of London’s statue diversity commission resigned on Wednesday after being accused of antisemitism.

Activist Toyin Agbetu was among the 15 people recently appointed by Sadiq Khan’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, which has been set up to review the capital’s landmarks.

But in social posts seen by the JC, Mr Agbetu had previously claimed there was an “immoral hierarchy of suffering” which Jews benefit from and black people do not.

Mr Agbetu had also praised the academic Tony Martin, the author of a book called ‘The Jewish Onslaught’ which claimed that Jews played “an integral role in the slave trade” and featured a description of “how Jews control the media.”

A spokesperson for London Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed on Wednesday that “Toyin Agbetu has today resigned from the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm and the Mayor believes this is the right course of action.”

In a blog, Mr Agbetu paid tribute to Professor Tony Martin as “a first class historian.”

But The Jewish Onslaught was condemned by Professor Martin’s own faculty members as antisemitic when it was released in 1994.

Mr Agbetu wrote in 2007: “His alleged ‘crime’ was being the author of a book that explored the role of Jews in the Maafa.”

He added Professor Martin was “a reputable academic.”

A letter signed by Mr Agbetu also stated that the Chakrabarti inquiry into Labour antisemitism and other forms of racism was “unwittingly discriminatory” as “racism against Jewish people is set apart from racism and prejudice against other people.”

The posts were first uncovered by Shaun Bailey, the Conservative challenger in May’s election, who called for Mr Agbetu to resign.

“Agbetu’s record of antisemitic comments and anti-vaccine lies put him beyond the pale,” Mr Bailey said.

He added:“One of the best ways for a Mayor to tackle discrimination is to show that City Hall won’t tolerate it.”

A spokesperson for the Mayor stressed his “zero tolerance” policy towards antisemitism.

Mr Agbetu was earlier this year appointed to the Mayor of London’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, set up to diversify London’s landmarks.

He still a member of Hackey Council's review of public spaces.

Critics said it lacked conservative opinion and expert historians on its panel.

It subsequently emerged that Mr Agbetu had once accused Labour’s Diane Abbott of being "disloyal to her own community" and the MP David Lammy of being a "poor example of Africans".

Mr Khan has previously faced criticism for the appointment of Mr Agbetu after it emerged he heckled the Queen during a 2007 service at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade. As the ceremony began, Mr Agbetu shouted: “All of you sitting here are disrespecting my ancestors. In the history of the Maafa [black genocide], the British are the Nazis.”

Last November in response to Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine he posted online saying “Apparently a magical vaccine is around the corner from the Viagra specialists. There’s a lot of nonsense out there and it’s coming from the clowns in No 10.”