By, Josh Jackman
2 min read
ByJosh Jackman, Josh Jackman
London Mayor candidate Tessa Jowell has expressed solidarity with the Jewish community as a month-long campaign against a planned neo-Nazi rally concluded with a show of cross-communal unity on Friday morning.
Ms Jowell was present as around 40 volunteers from grassroots group Golders Green Together turned out to decorate the area with green and gold ribbons.
She said: “It was important to come down today in solidarity with the Jewish community here in Golders Green, which is such an important part of London, to stand side by side.
“Any time the Nazi threat surfaces in Golders Green or indeed any of the Jewish communities in London, I will be there to support them and to stand up for the decency of every single member of the Jewish community.”
Ms Jowell, a former cabinet minister who is running to be the Labour Party candidate in the mayoral election next year, added: “This is a time when so many in the Jewish community feel under threat from antisemitic attack, and that's why displays of solidarity, friendship and support are so important. I will not ever tolerate antisemitism or anything other than the greatest respect to one of our greatest communities in London.”
WATCH: Golders Green Together decorate Golders Green - we talk to Tessa Jowell
The Golders Green Together initiative was set up by the London Jewish Forum and Hope Not Hate last month after neo-Nazis announced their intention to hold a rally in the north-west London suburb to protest against its “jewification”.
The campaign’s members celebrated this week after the Metropolitan Police moved the demonstration from Golders Green to central London over public order fears.
On Friday, the volunteers, including representatives from the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council, decked the area around the Golders Green clock tower, a local landmark, with brightly coloured ribbons.
Board of Deputies president Jonathan Arkush said the response to the planned demonstration was “a triumph and a rejection of bigotry.
“I love the proud atmosphere of appreciation and support that our community has received from so many faiths and groups in society who have demonstrated their abhorrence of racism,” he continued.
“To make Golders Green gold and green is a great moment not just for our community but anyone who cares about basic human decency to one another, and kicking out prejudice.
“London has rejected antisemitism.”
Local MP Mike Freer was among those to express their disappointment that activists from the Campaign 4 Truth group had hung Israeli flags alongside the ribbons.
He said: "This is a bit of a distraction from the correct message, which is about standing up for the Jewish community and other communities who all want to live side by side."
Sharon Klaff, who runs the C4T group, argued that she and her co-organiser were putting up Israel flags because "anti-Zionism is antisemitism. You can't separate them."
