A string of high-profile figures from the leisure world attended a march towards antisemitism on the streets of London yesterday, in what’s regarded as the most important rally of its type for practically 90 years.
The likes of Maureen Lipman, Eddie Marsan and It’s a Sin star Tracy Ann-Oberman had been on the march, which is reported to have attracted greater than 100,000 folks. Others who attended included former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his spouse Carrie Johnson, Countdown host Rachel Riley and comic David Baddiel. Marsan, Baddiel and Riley had been amongst those that addressed the crowds.
Organized by the Marketing campaign Towards Antisemitism (CAA), the rally passed off to counter heightened issues over antisemitism amongst Jewish communities in a number of European international locations because the assault on October 7 by Hamas on Israel – which noticed the kidnap of 200 civilians and killing of round 1,400 – and the warfare that has adopted.
There was a 1,300% improve in antisemitic offences in London within the month following October 7 in comparison with the identical month in 2022, in accordance with the Metropolitan Police, whereas islamophobic offences had been up 140%. The Met Police mentioned two folks had been arrested yesterday together with Tommy Robinson, the founding father of the UK’s English Defence League, who was requested to not attend by organizers.
For the reason that Israeli retaliation towards Hamas began, there have been weekly pro-Palestine rallies in London however this was the primary of its type particularly towards antisemitism. It’s regarded as the biggest gathering of its type because the Battle of Cable Road in 1936. Occasions surrounding that momentous battle had been re-told within the BBC’s 2021 drama Ridley Street, which starred Marsan and Oberman.
Attendees had been marching on a momentous weekend as the primary group of hostages had been launched from Gaza six weeks after they had been taken, in return for a pause within the combating and the return of Palestinian detainees within the different route. The ultimate group of hostages to be freed underneath the preliminary deal between Israel and Hamas is predicted to emerge from Gaza later at this time, with Hamas saying it’s looking for to increase the present four-day pause in combating and improve the variety of hostages launched.
