In the name of decency, please think twice before marching, writes Lord Walney

These are the charming words of a protestor on the streets of London mere hours after an Islamist terrorist went on a murderous rampage at a synagogue in Manchester. They felt so confident expressing their detestable opinion that they shared it with a journalist from a major national newspaper.

They even provided their full name and age.

The warning signs have been blinking red for years as the Jewish community has been subjected to a relentless barrage of Jew hate. Of course, this predates Hamas' October 7 rampage, but expressions of hatred for Jews, violent rhetoric and physical violence have now erupted from the shadowy fringes and entered into the mainstream.

In an almost fanatic fashion, hundreds of thousands of people have attended weekly protests against Israel over the last two years. It is particularly troubling that so many well-intentioned ordinary folk have been prepared to repeatedly march alongside hard-left rabble rousers and Islamist extremists.

Protestors have collectively called for violent attacks on Jews (“globalise the intifada”) and the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state (“from the river to the sea”). Flags of terror groups and celebration of Jihad have been repeatedly witnessed. Homemade placards have shown the Star of David being thrown into the bin or distorted into swastikas. People have dressed in Nazi style concentration camp uniforms.

It stretches credulity that well-educated people have failed to notice the blindly obvious hatred being expressed around them. Hamas certainly have noticed and are watching with glee. After all, it is their genocidal philosophy and messaging that has become part of popular culture.

The right to protest in our great democracy is a sacrosanct, and yet it is clear that this has been abused to the point where it is harming the very fabric of our democracy and community relations.

Members of the public are being intimidated. Synagogues and Jewish communal buildings deliberately targeted. Shops shuttered. This isn’t acceptable behaviour, and the authorities appear to have either lost control or are unwilling to stop this weekly cavalcade of intolerance.

Thousands have been arrested over the last two years for acts of criminality at pro-Palestinian protests, including many for expressing support for proscribed terror organisations. 1,600 people have been arrested for supporting the banned Palestine Action organisation since July alone, and it is expected that a new record could be set for arrests at a single event today, as its supporters insensitively descend on London in the immediate aftermath of the cold blooded terror attack against fellow British citizens. Fellow citizens who were targeted simply because they happened to be born Jewish.

This is all costing stretched police forces - as well as taxpayers - a staggering sum of money.

The Met Police revealed that policing protests in the capital city would cost at least £10 million in September alone. Needless to say, this has created a climate of fear for Britain’s proud and tiny (circa 300,000) Jewish community. Cities have become no-go zones for Jews at weekends, and many have long-since removed any symbols identifying their faith. Viral footage of Jews being harassed, as well as non-Jews who fail to pass the purity test dictated by goading protestors, has significantly damaged the UK’s international reputation.

It all stands in stark contrast to the - relatively few - protests which have been held in support of Israel and against anti-Jewish racism. On these occasions, the UK’s frightened Jewish community and their brave allies have turned out for moments of somber and respectful reflection.

Most attendees quietly march or carry candles of remembrance. These events have to be heavily policed for their own protection, and attendees certainly don’t surge beyond police perimeters in the fits of uncontrolled rage which have so often been seen at the weekly hate marches.

The mild heckling directed at Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy by a visibly wounded Jewish community in Manchester yesterday speaks to the desperation of a long-suffering people. And still it was conducted in a decent and non-criminal fashion.

The response which would await a Government minister taking the stage at a pro-Palestinian march? It doesn’t bear thinking about.

Brits have grown weary of the endless succession of menacing pro-Palestinian marches. Tragically, however, we have now borne witness to the real-life dangers facing our Jewish neighbours. In the name of decency, please think twice before marching this weekend, of all weekends.

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Lord Walney is a former Labour MP and British Government Independent Advisor on Political Violence and Disruption

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