Julie Burchill - the Anti-Transgender Bigot - Participates in the Zionist Counter-Demonstration
In the past 7 weeks, for various reasons, as readers of this blog may have noticed, I haven’t been able to attend the picket of Sodastream on Saturday. This week was the first time I could get there. |
| The latest recruit to the Zionist counter-demonstration - Julie Burchill whose online version of her column attracted more than 2,000 comments. Photograph: Gary Calton for the Guardian |
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| Zionist and Christian Fundamentalist Demonstration Across the Road |
A couple of weeks ago a new group, Sussex Friends of Israel was formed. Ronnie Bloom, who chaired the group, was quoted as saying that “With the unparalleled level of antisemitism in the town, we feel our organisation will be able to make people understand the truth about Israel.” Strange that. Anyone at all familiar with the time when there was indeed a great deal of anti-Semitism, or who has read accounts of that time, will know that Jews were afraid to go out of their homes at night. There there were certain areas like Ridley Road in the East End of London where Jews would never venture and attacks were frequent.
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| Some of the people we have been abusing! |
Even stranger is the fact that none of the Zionists prominent in the campaign to support Sodastream has any record of having ever taken part in anti-fascist demonstrations or actions. When the National Front held a march against Shechita, (Jewish Ritual Slaughter) in Hove and Brighton nearly 20 years ago, there was no participation from the Jewish community or its leaders. Some young Jews participated but that was despite being told not to. When I went to Ralli House, at the height of the Anti-Nazi League, some 30+ years ago, I was told that if I wanted to combat anti-Semitism I should go to Israel!And no, we couldn’t put a poster up.
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| Empty apart from the odd Zionist demonstrator |
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| Sodastream have a new bouncer - rumoured to be from the Community Security Trust. It must be the only shop in Brighton with its own doorman! |
In an article Brighton MP Lucas challenges IDF at pro-Israel lobbyCobb bleated that “Her constituents, the people who get spat at and abused from members of the PSC for supporting EcoStream, should be her priority.” The suggestion that the Zionists have been spat at is absurd. Even the Police, who have been pro-Zionist in their sympathies, haven't made that allegation. Indeed most of the abuse has been from passers-by, incensed at their support for Israel. Yet 'After people told the Green Party MP of the antisemitic abuse they suffered from PSC protestors outside the environmentally-friendly shop, Dr Lucas said she would need “real hard evidence” of the abuse. “If I get evidence of it, then I am more than delighted to completely oppose it,” she said.
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| The desultory ranks of the Zionist counter-demonstrators. Most of those shown are Christian fundamentalists who believe that only a massacre of Jews at Armageddon will ensure the return of Jesus! |
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| The mad Christian in the blue jacket has found a new role in life |
Tony Greenstein