Zionists and EDL Unite for counter-demo at Ahava
ISM London | 14.08.2010 20:11 | Anti-militarism | Anti-racism | Palestine | World
In celebration of the recent court victory which saw four campaigners acquitted for blockading the Ahava shop in Covent Garden during 2009, approximately 60 protestors gathered outside its doors in Monmouth Street, central London, to celebrate and continue promoting boycott, divestment and sanctions against the Israeli occupation. While demonstrators were met by the usual Zionist counter-demonstrators, on this occasion they arrived flanked by the openly racist English Defence League.[video]
The cosmetics retailer and spa Ahava manufactures it’s products on the illegal Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Shalem. It has openly flouted tax requirements by exploiting the EU-Israel trade agreement and violates UK DEFRA guidelines in respect of proper labelling. The campaign against Ahava supports the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions as a global nonviolent means to challenge the Israeli Occupation of Palestine and the ongoing siege upon Gaza.
At the outset the small group of around ten EDL members remained close to the Zionist contingent of Ahava supporters, handing out leaflets. Over the course of the demonstration they began to take an increasingly prominent role, culminating with an unravelling of a flag of St. George and chanting “E-E-EDL.” This was accompanied by racist remarks towards a number of Ahava protestors who were of Asian/Middle Eastern descent. What was more surprising was the absolute lack of distancing from the EDL by the Zionist contingent.
Vice chair of the Zionist Federation of Britain Jonathan Hoffman was present and took no action to ensure the two groups were not affiliated. This comes only days after a recent report in the Israeli paper Haaretz claiming that the Board of Deputies of British Jews were not affiliated with the EDL and did not want anything to do with them. The stark contrast between the formal statement and the reality in front of the Ahava shop, in which senior members of the ZF stood along side EDL members undercuts any public statements and shows Zionists hold a racist agenda.
The EDL’s history of far right opinions and racist chanting and abuse — as well as their violence and hatred towards Muslim communities — have earned them the fascist label. Jewish groups have long since been targeted by rightwing fascist groups, so to see the two groups united against Palestinians illustrates that as far as the Zionist Federation is concerned, the enemy of one's enemy may become an ally no matter what they stand for. That they were welcomed by the Zionists may be shocking to some, but could also be reflective of their desperation for support in the UK.
This is not the first instance of the two groups coming together in support of each other; In the immediate aftermath of the brutal attack on the Mavi Marra flotilla by Israeli commandos in which nine human rights activists were murdered, the EDL joined up with Zionists outside the Israeli embassy in Knightsbridge to show support for the Israeli state’s violent actions.[Video] In addition, the EDL marched to Downing Street two weeks ago with Israeli flags being held alongside British and St. George flags.
Despite their presence and the racist slurs they shouted at members of the Ahava demonstration, the protest went without violence. The verbal abuse hurled by EDL members and their Zionist partners were met with a series of police cautions. Numerous members of the public stopped to chat with Palestinian solidarity activists and showed support. A small brass band played music to entertain the masses and build a celebratory spirit as many people chanted for justice and for an end to the sale of Israeli and Settlement produce.
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Comments
Hide 23 hidden comments or hide all comments
I hate to say I TOLD YOU SO
14.08.2010 21:39
anon
edl are jewish,
14.08.2010 21:49
daniel zuckerman (rightist2)
I'm a Zionist
14.08.2010 22:06
amex
Not true, Zionists don't want anything to do with fascists
15.08.2010 01:24
As a result of the EDL presence (which was not clear from the outset), a number of us decided not to continue for the day and left. The others who remained, told us that while they agreed with our feelings about the EDL, we were making the wrong decision. This, because we still needed to stand up for the truth, and could not prevent the EDL from standing there.
Alan
@Alan
15.08.2010 02:33
And the truth you stand up for is murderous occupation and racial oppression.
You may as well stand with the EDL
Free Palestine
EDL ARE NAZI THUGS
15.08.2010 07:12
weyman bennett
what about communist thugs ?
15.08.2010 07:50
anon
i don`t debate with fascists
15.08.2010 07:53
weyman bennett
Do Sieg Heiling Nazis really "support" Israel?
15.08.2010 08:03
Oh yeah, and I'm also happy to question whether Sieg Heiling Nazi skinheads really "support" Israeli for any reasons other than short-term political expediency.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz5fyoMVtIY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlTJOefkzdQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1d0X7oqLoU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awRKR-RP1DA
The Clangers
neil lees is a sad tosser
15.08.2010 08:45
not neil lees
neil lees is a idiot
15.08.2010 08:47
poirot
Lefties are idiots
15.08.2010 08:59
your comments are class :P
SpireiteEDL
true facts about th EDL
15.08.2010 09:06
weyman bennett
Im from Israel
15.08.2010 09:15
The sooner palestine is sorted out the better but at the moment you don't even know what it is like to be from Israel. We are constantly targeted by weapons whilst you sit drinking your lattes and dressing like palestinians.
woof
@woof
15.08.2010 10:06
"I was born and bred as a nazi. Got a problem with that? Then you got a problem with me because of my background. Thats akin to racism and is certainly discriminatory."
The fact that you were raised as a follower of a racist ideology does not make it alright and mean you should be left to oppress forever. There were a number of people of Jewish descent in the non-EDL pen, so its clear that it isn't anything to do with being Jewish - its a choice you make - if you use sites like this, then you have access to all the arguments against the racist ideology.
Now try this one:
"The sooner the bantustans are sorted out the better, but at the moment you don't even know what it is like to be from South Africa"
That was a common cry of racist white South Africans during the apartheid era. It turned out that everyone except them understood what was going on.
"We are constantly targeted by weapons whilst you sit drinking your lattes and dressing like palestinians."
The average Israeli lives their lives with a neglible level of risk compared to the Palestinians who are subjected to regular incursions in the West Bank, and air and weapons attacks in Gaza.
A comparison of the death rates will bear this out.
eg: Deaths of children since 2000 as a result of the conflict:
Israelis: 124
Palestinians: 1446
http://www.rememberthesechildren.org/remember2010.html
Free Palestine
what planet are you from?
15.08.2010 13:08
eg: Deaths of children since 2000 as a result of the conflict:
Israelis: 124
Palestinians: 1446
We are not racist. We had a ceasefire in place and Hamas continued to try to kill us. Something had to give at some point. We can't just sit there and let them bomb us.
Our forces could kill a lot more people if they wanted to - but we choose not too. Palestine kills as many of us as they are able to. THe lack in numbers is only due to lack of ability not of willpower.
All these figures show is that when it comes to a fight - we are more likely to be the ones walking away from it. I dont see why this should be frowned on. Believe me, if many Palestines had the capability and weaponary at their disposal, then our deathrate would be much, much higher.
woof
gas fascists
15.08.2010 13:10
uaf supporter
woof fuck off
15.08.2010 13:44
And no, nobody has a problem with you being Jewish, its the ideaology you chose to follow (zionism) that is shit. I know dozens and dozens of great Jews that are against fucking Israeli occupation and I have utmost respect for groups like Anarchists Against the Wall and B'tselem- oh yeah, but you think that they are traitors.. Now fuck off and go somewhere else, reading your brainwashed bla blah balh is really boring.
anarchist
anarchist pain
15.08.2010 14:22
woof
The Seih Heilers will turn on the Zionist EDL who used them against Muslims
15.08.2010 16:38
anon
right on
15.08.2010 17:46
michelle
Not exactly
15.08.2010 18:00
Apparently your argument being that the "Zionists" not choosing to FIGHT with the EDL means that they are racist.
Confusing the situation. The "Zionists" have THEIR reasons for counterdemonstrating at Ahava. Who knows why the EDL folks have chosen to be there. Is there perhaps a great deal of overlap between those of you protesting at Ahava and those of you attacking the EDL "because they are fascists"?
You need to consider very carefully WHY you would expect the "Zionists" to do other than mildly object to the EDLers. In other words, why you expect them to be so foolish as to pick fights unrelated to their primary interest in the matter (Israel). Just because you choose to get into fights unrelated to your primary anti-right, anti-capitalist interest doesn't mean everybody else has to.
Understand what I am saying? If you weren't attacking the "Zionists" they would possibly (likely?) be your allies against fascists. I agree with those of you that likely a rising fascist movement COULD turn on the "Zionists". In which event they will have to fight both of you. But AT THE MOMENT you're against them and the EDL aren't so sensible for them to ignore the EDL and concetrate on countrposing against you.
MDN
Fuck Off neo-Nazi Trolls!
16.08.2010 02:10
15.08.2010 17:46
The less muslims, the less trouble all round
michelle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks neo-Nazi scumbag "Michelle" who is probably a bloke. Will fascist scum wankers stop posting racist crap on Indymedia about wiping out Muslims. There's Stormfront for your genocial fantasies, so leave this forum alone and join your mates, the Holocaust deniers of Stormfront.
Now Nick Griffin has bancrupted the BNP, the EDL are now attracting a large number of former BNP members, who are looking forward to the world's most deadly race riot in Bradford.
Compass
The Zionist Federation Shows Its True Colours
16.08.2010 02:59
Have a look at my post on the demonstration. It is clear that Hoffman is not unhappy, to say the least, with his association with Roberta Moore of the EDL's Jewish Division. And I'm happy too that the political logic that is common to the bigots, racists and Islamaphobes of the EDL/ZF has finally come out in a joint demonstration together.
No doubt we will hear some torturous explanation of why the EDL isn't anti-Semitic because it's pro-Israeli. Just as John Hagee President of the Souther Baptist Convention has been exonerated of anti-Semitism for saying that Hitler was god's divine messenger, sent to return Jews to Israel (in coffins if necessary) so it should be of little surprise that Zionists and anti-Semites have, once again, joined hands.
It also explains why I and the late Steven Cohen waged a war to ensure that Indymedia didn't post the anti-semitic crap of Gilad Atzmon. Our side should always be clean.
Enjoy.
http://azvsas.blogspot.com/2010/08/jonathan-hoffman-of-zionist-federation.html
Tony Greenstein
e-mail: tonygreenstein@yahoo.com
Homepage: http://www.azvsas.blogspot.com
I am a white supremicist skinhead fascist...and jewish too!
16.08.2010 17:32
End the occupation of Afghanistan. Bring the troops home now.
Charles
@Michelle
16.08.2010 18:18
It's fewer, not less. Fewer muslims.
Honestly, racists these days...
Anti-facist pedant
Thanks. I forgot the capital letter aswell.
16.08.2010 21:01
Its not having a go at Muslims. Its just a fact. If there were fewer of them in the UK, then there would be less trouble.
michelle
Confused!
16.08.2010 21:12
Do you mean muslims or drunk meat-headed football hooligans?
If we packed the meat heads off to somewhere else life would be a lot more pleasant in this country that's for sure.
Elizabeth
EDL - Zionist axis no surprise at all!
16.08.2010 22:07
anti-imperialist
better explanation
16.08.2010 22:33
Hey, I'm all for that aswell!
Sorry for confusion:
a. Fewer Muslims would mean less protests and resultant policing.
b. Less incentives for organisations like the EDL, MDL etc to exist
c. Less friction between racists both sides on the fence
d. Less support for the BNP
I know its not the PC thing to say, but unless you can argue than fewer Muslims would mean more trouble, I can't see where I'm wrong. Sorry if it is not PC, I'm just observing it from an analytical viewpoint. Probably not much use, but still interesting.
michelle
not surprising
17.08.2010 18:19
Hasta la victoria siempre! No pasaran!
annie
fascists support fascist supporters
18.08.2010 10:08
dt
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