Pro-Israeli demonstrators attack and chase press photographers at Embassy today.

J. | 02.06.2010 23:07 | Anti-racism | Other Press | Palestine

Myself and three colleagues were threatened by the mixed EDL+Zionist crowd over the course of today's protest, with a lot of them grabbing at our cameras. This came to a head when they left police containment and marched down the road, where more threats and assaults took place. We then followed the crowd into the entrance to an underground station where they were being corralled. We were surrounded against a wall by several threatening Zionist protesters threatening us, and were then chased by 50-100 of them out of the station before police intervened.

In a way, such aggression would have been more understandable coming from the pro-Palestine demonstrators, who have had their side unfairly represented by many in the mainstream media, but instead it came from several pumped up, aggressive and provoking young Zionists, while the pro-Palestine demonstrators were very peaceful and calm.

This, along with the chanting of 'dead Palestinian scum' and the various graphic placards, including many saying 'We are Squadron 18'.

Another concern is that a young Jewish boy; Joel Weiner, who the BBC like to push into audience shows like QT and the leaders debates was part of the Zionist demo, shouting similar disgusting slogans and seemed to be part of the violent mob that chased us. It disgusts but does not surprise me that the BBC are pushing him into publicity.

Comments

Hide the following 17 comments

I only ask because...

02.06.2010 23:38

And not one camera between you?

Pinto Perfumo

Well, there were a few...

02.06.2010 23:48

Of course, I think about 6 between us :p I've got some very shaky and badly framed shots from the chase and some clear shots of Joel and the placards. However, I need sleep to i'll add them tomorrow. As for video, my colleague may take some time to get it on-line, it will be viewable via reel news, and probably youtube.

J.

Warning pro Israel demonstration planned this Saturday outside Israeli embassy

03.06.2010 09:00

A massive pro Israel demonstration by zionists is due to take place this Saturday outside the Israeli embassy from 2pm to 5pm. The organisers of this demos aim is to defend the Israeli embassy from anti-Israeli demonstrators who are due to march on the embassy on Saturday afternoon.

Protester

any pics made?

03.06.2010 10:47

link to pics?

Photos

03.06.2010 11:09

Joel

Surrounded

Running

Police arrest innocent bystander behind wall on private property earlier in day.

The ones of the incident in the station are not very good, only have us surrounded and one cop trying to intervene and after the cops kettled them back in, actual chase bit is very blurry and unclear. Have Joel Weiner clear as crystal.

Disgraceful sexist behaviour and Islamophobic remarks from the police.

03.06.2010 13:43

A white male police officer asked a veiled woman who was protesting in the pro Palestine pen, "Why have you covered your face like that? You can still get done you know whether you cover your face or not". Another cop sneered, mocked and jeered protesters and asked women not to "handle" the railings when they gently held onto them. While Zionists and EDL bullies swore at us, stuck their fingers up, a Zionist woman lifted her skirt and showed us her knickers [not a pretty sight as she was around 70] and threatened us, the police told off relatively peaceful Muslim women for swearing back at the EDL hooligans and sticking up their own fingers at the gesturing Zionists and EDL thugs.
Women who left the pen were grabbed, questioned and reprimanded while the male EDL football hooligans including Joel Titus were given free reign to come right up to the pen where mostly Muslim women were standing and were allowed to intimidate the women.

anon

@pics - where are the EDLers?

03.06.2010 13:58

Where?

EDL

03.06.2010 14:12

They're within the crowd of the 'surrounded' shot. There were several recognised EDL spotters in attendance as well as demonstrators.

ageism is offensive

03.06.2010 14:37

not a pretty sight because she is 70?

older (than you) women can be and are pretty, sexy, and beautiful, perhaps this woman was not in your eyes but that is not because of her age. it may be because of your ignorant prejudice or it may be she is simply not pretty, but her age is irrelevant.

sexy old woman

@ sexy older woman

03.06.2010 18:30

While I agree with you that the remark about the elderly zionists woman's age was inappropriate, her action at the same time was undignified and, if a similar action (i.e. dropping my voluminous trousers) carried out by myself, an unprepossessing man of middle years an arrest would have quickly followed.

Stevie Wonder

codswallop

03.06.2010 18:39

Unfortunately you and your terrorist mates tell so many lies that without decent photographic and video evidence I'm going to have to assume that this is a load of old codswallop as well.

anon

running pic

04.06.2010 16:44

I will also mention that the picture you call "running" is actually not the one you lead people to believe of you running from the few people chasing you, as you ran out the station in the opposite direction and therefore could not have taken a picture from that angle at that time.

anon

What?

04.06.2010 17:49

Sorry, what? Running out of the station area, quite a few chasing us, and turn partially around while running and grab a burst sequence. What are you saying about angles?

running pic

06.06.2010 01:32

I notice my first post pointing out many inconsistencies in your account did not make it up so i wont be surprised if this one doesnt make it either. So i will only keep it to one point in regard to the photo, when you and your colleague ran out of the station you ran in the direction that you can see the police officer standing in. Also at that time the exit point was crowded with people from the demonstration which you cant see in your picture so your picture cant be from that point in time.

anon

You're clearly full of bollocks

06.06.2010 20:17

Sorry, what? I can safely say that you clearly don't know what you're talking about as a.) there was more than one cop and b.) It's a 12mm lens, so people a meter or so behind us look further, especially with the motion blur. Anyway, you know what, semantics aside it simply was taken at that time and in that order. That's just fact, I was there, and once my colleague finally sorts out his video that can be evidenced even clearer for idiots such as yourself. Oh, and as a final point, you only have to look at the image metadata to see both were, in fact, taken within under a minute of eachother. Fact. You're just full of shit i'm afraid, sorry :)

learn to read

07.06.2010 00:16

your reply is pretty much as i expected getting a bit personal because I threatened you. However blurred people get you would still see them in the pic they dont just disappear unless you photoshoped it for some reason and there is only one police man in the pic that is the one I am talking about as you can clearly read from my previous post. the fact that there taken within one minute means nothing. Especially as everyone went into the station after the incident you caused

anon

Look

07.06.2010 18:25

Look, it's because of the angle that you can't see the people behind. Anyway, i reply in a frustrated way because this is simply what happened and you seem unable to accept this, coming out with nonsensical reaosons. Oh, we didn't cause an incident, we were just doing our jobs, it's your aggressive mates that decided to make that difficult and cause an 'incident', threatening, grabbing, surrounding, chasing, so they clearly were the aggressors here. Besides, you profess to have been there? How can you deny the obvious. Anyway, i'm no longer going to engage in this argument, as this is simply what happened. I'm glad, in fact, that you think things through and don't just accept images, however there is no point in arguing, as you seem to have made your mind up, regardless of the evidence. Okay? :)