Supporters of Israel were attacked by a pro-Palestinian gang as they peacefully protested yesterday, one man had to be treated at the scene and others complained of intimidation. The protest was organised to counter the enormous rally in London over the weekend by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).
Around 6,000 people joined the Zionist Federation outside the Israeli Embassy on Kensington High Street at 2pm yesterday. Whilst they had chosen to stay away from the PSC protest a day earlier, a gang of pro-Palestinians came to the rally with the intention of causing trouble.
One pro-Israeli protester Sandy Rashty said on twitter: “They were quite violent. As I walked past one woman pushed me, called me a bitch. Another grabbed phone out of hand. Police intrvnd.”
Another told Breitbart London: “I saw a man with a child being led away, I was told he had been assaulted by the pro-Palestinians.
“Then on my way home I popped into a shop and could hear people shouting in Arabic, no idea what they were saying, but they were carrying Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyehs. It all sounded pretty nasty.”
Jewish Board of Deputies president Vivian Wineman told the Jewish Chronicle: “It is important for us as Jews to demonstrate our support for Israel, for the sake of peace. It is vital that the leadership of the community says to the community, this is what we should be doing.
“Showing the wider community that the Jews are in solidarity with Israel and with peace. Above all showing people in Israel that we are with them. At the end of the day, we just want peace, we want a ceasefire.”
The pro-Israel protest coincided with a bizarre super-car rally in Knightsbridge in which a group of wealthy young men drive their Lamborghinis past Harrods with pro-Palestinian banners. The incident, reported by Breitbart London, backfired as many by-passers considered it crass given the circumstances.
Attacks on pro-Israeli groups are becoming more common in London leading to concerns that the far-left are using violence to stifle free speech. Examples of violence and intimidation against Zionists are rarely reported in the British media and prosecutions are virtually unheard of.
The man who was attacked is not thought to be serious hurt.