A Jewish student was told that “we should have gassed the lot of you” by a fellow drinker in a Wetherspoons pub in Leeds on Thursday.
The incident, which took place at The Hedley Verity pub on Woodhouse Lane in Leeds, was videoed by Leeds University student Danielle Greyman, 21.
In the video, a middle-aged man can be seen telling Ms Greyman that she ‘looks like a Jew’ and claiming that he was German, adding: “we should have f ******g gassed the lot of you”.
Ms Greyman, a third-year sociology student, told MailOnline that she had been meeting friends for a drink but that “there were two strangers at our table not socially distancing and refusing to move”.
She said that the man and the woman tried to make the group move on, but that she decided to begin “talking about periods because I know it’s the easiest way to make a man uncomfortable”.
The discussion between the two groups turned in an argument after Ms Greyman gave £5 to a homeless man.
During the conversation with the homeless man, Ms Greyman said that she told him “mazeltov” – which caused the man drinking nearby to ask whether she was Jewish.
“At this point I started filming because I know what comes after that question,” she said.
In the film, Ms Greyman can be heard asking whether she looks Jewish, after which the man made the antisemitic remarks.
Ms Greyman and her friends challenged the couple, stating: “What you’ve actually just done is commit a hate crime” and adding that he had “said something antisemitic”.
Ms Greyman also added: “If you want to gas my people, I will take you to court. I'm not joking – I will ruin your whole f******g life.”
Another table nearby became involved in the dispute in support of the couple, with Ms Greyman stating that “one of the men said he was going to punch me in the mouth – he was quite a big guy.”
The exchange, Ms Greyman said left her “shaking” but that “if someone says something antisemitic to me, I’m never going to back down”.
“There are people out there who would have been terrified to call them out and challenge it,” she added.
Despite the police being called, Ms Greyman said that they never arrived, and the incident was dealt with by Wetherspoons staff.
Wetherspoons said that a man and a women were asked to leave after the incident and banned from returning.
West Yorkshire Police said in a statement that “enquiries remain ongoing and officers are making attempts to speak to the victim”. It appealed for witnesses and information.
The statement continued that: “Any incidents motivated by hostility and hate are unacceptable and are taken very seriously by West Yorkshire Police.”
