14 NEWS
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
9 DECEMBER 2021
Police appeal for witnesses as BoD & CAA blast BBC over antisemitic incident BY DAVID SAFFER The Metropolitan Police Service has called for witnesses following an antisemitic attack on a bus carrying 40 Jewish teenagers on Oxford Street celebrating Chanukah (November 29th). The furore following the antisemitic incident has seen the Board of Deputies and Campaign Against Antisemitism blast the BBC over its coverage. CAA has announced a “BBC News: Stop Blaming Jews!” protest outside Broadcasting House on Monday. Video footage appears to show a group of men making Hitler salutes, spitting, striking windows and threatening a private bus-load of Jewish teens. Footage also shows teenage passengers dancing in the street before being forced back onto the private bus. The Met have released images of three men to whom the force would like to speak. “Our investigation into this appalling incident continues,” commented Detective Inspector Kevin Eade. “Despite extensive inquiries over the past week, we are yet to make any arrests, however, I am confident that somebody will recognise the people in these images, and I would urge anyone who does to contact us immediately.” CAA spokesperson urged members of the public to help the police identify suspects and persons of interest behind a “heinous” antisemitic attack. “If you recognise these individuals, please contact the police or us on a confidential basis,” a spokesman said. The Board slated the BBC over “deeply irresponsible journalism” and has called on the organistation to discipline those responsible, correct its report, apologise to victims and undergo training to improve the BBC’s ability to cover the Jewish community with “accuracy, understanding and respect”. CAA labelled the incident “outrageous”. Like the Board, they have called for action. CAA want the BBC to reveal evidence that
an anti-Muslim slur can be heard on the bus, explain why claims of the slur is “asserted as fact” while antisemitism is “caveated as mere allegation”, investigate why a journalist previously appearing to belittle antisemitism wrote an article on antisemitism appearing to do the same and reiterated a call for them to adopt the International Definition of Antisemitism. CAA have again offered to provide BBC with antisemitism training. Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned footage as “disturbing” at the time. BoD President Marie van der Zyl slammed “harmful framings and allegations” on the BBC News website and London television broadcast. “By reducing this obvious antisemitic incident to a mere “allegation”, your report has the effect of casting doubt on the attackers’ antisemitic motivations,” she wrote, adding that the BBC had obscured facts. Ms van de Zyl continued, “Jewish children and their minders were targeted because they were Jews.” Noting the video was a “clear and indisputable display” of antisemitic harassment, the Board’s chief added, “Your report does not inform, nor does it educate. In fact, it causes harm. It harms Jews directly, and it also harms societal understanding of antisemitism.” Ms van de Zyl said a news segment suggested Jewish victims “may have been responsible for instigating the attacks”. “This is a horrendous allegation, completely bereft of any evidence, and a deeply incendiary insinuation that is tantamount to victim blaming,” she fumed. “The allegations made against the Jewish victims are wholly without substance or merit.”
Both the Board and CAA referenced a BBC report referring to antisemitic acts as mere “allegations” while reporting an unsubstantiated allegation of ‘racial slurs’ about Muslims as fact. CAA wrote, “The public reacted to the article with fury, with nobody able to identify any “anti-Muslim slurs” in the audio accompanying the video. Despite justifiable calls for the BBC to release the evidence for its assertion, it has failed to do so, instead merely amending the article to refer to an “anti-Muslim slur” in the singular.” Ms van de Zyl continued, “The victims of antisemitic abuse are now being smeared as racists and therefore somehow less deserving of sympathy or, in the worst case, deserving of the abuse they received. This is deeply irresponsible journalism.” “The BBC’s refusal to retract and apologise
to the victims has caused further distress and compounded the harm,” she added. Ms van de Zyl added that antisemitic incidents were at a record high in the UK so it was “deeply disturbing” the BBC had been “careless” and “cavalier” in its response to the Jewish community and wider public outrage, and “obdurate” in a refusal to retract then apologise to victims. CAA’s Stephen Silverman noted there was a “swell of outrage” in the Jewish community over the antisemitic incident. CAA called on the latest case to be taken seriously after a poll last year revealed two thirds of British Jews were deeply concerned by BBC coverage of matters of Jewish concern and 55% by its handling of antisemitism complaints. Shneor Glitsenstein, Director of the Chabad Israeli Centre Golders Green was on the bus with the teens. In the aftermath of the incident, he commented, “We were attacked on the streets of London for being Jewish and celebrating Chanukah. While our bus contained no references to Israel, we were clearly a Jewish group. The young men who surrounded us were not engaged in political protest, this was a bigoted antisemitic attack in the heart of London, seen by dozens of others, who stood by silently.” Police reportedly stopped the bus in Grosvenor Place to check on the welfare of the passengers. Anyone with information should contact the police on 101 or the Charing Cross Hate Crime Unit on 07900 608 252 (Ref no: 6184/29Nov) or tweet @MetCC or e-mail Campaign Against Antisemitism at investigations@antisemitism.org
Shuls part of Omicron mask measures BY ADAM MOSES Synagogues in England are part of new regulations regarding wearing masks announced at a Downing Street briefing on Wednesday evening after the emergence of the Omicron variant. Shuls had a choice about wearing masks for services under relaxed measures but that changes tomorrow when face coverings are compulsory in most public indoor venues including places of worship. There are exemptions in venues where it is not practical to wear one. The United Synagogue has stated that face masks are now required for all attendees (apart from the service leader or speaker)
for all indoor services and activities. This is apart from when eating or drinking, or for those aged under 11, and will take effect as of tomorrow. On Shabbat or for any busy service or activity, all attendees are recommended to take a lateral flow test shortly before coming to shul (just before the start of Shabbat in that case), and only attend if their test is negative. Service leaders and speakers who do not wear a face mask must do a lateral flow test, and maintain additional distancing from congregants. All other guidance remains in place. From Monday, those who can will be advised to work from home. And from Wednesday, subject to parliamentary approval, the NHS Covid Pass on the NHS App will become
mandatory for entry into settings where large crowds gather including unseated indoor events with 500 or more attendees. This measure could impact larger synagogues. The rule also applies to unseated outdoor events with 4,000 or more attendees and any event with 10,000 or more attendees. People will be able to demonstrate proof of two vaccine doses via the app. To date the United Synagogue has released information on implications of new regulations for Jewish communities across the United Kingdom. An update is expected. Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed England will move to Plan B following the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the UK. Tougher measures were “proportionate
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
and responsible” as the new variant “could lead to a big rise in hospitalisations and therefore sadly in deaths,” he said, during the press conference. Regarding work, in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has told employers that staff who worked from home at the start of the pandemic can do so again, until at least mid-January. In Wales, employers are encouraged to let people work from home where possible. In Northern Ireland, ministers said more people working from home would help to reduce the risk of infection inside and outside the workplace. Guidance on changes will be available on www.gov.uk in the coming days.
