The Black Lives Matter movement in the UK (BLMUK) has come under criticism after it claimed politics is “gagged of the right to critique Zionism”.
BLMUK told its nearly 60,000 followers on Twitter: “As Israel moves forward with the annexation of the West Bank, and mainstream British politics is gagged of the right to critique Zionism, and Israel’s settler colonial pursuits, we loudly and clearly stand beside our Palestinian comrades. FREE PALESTINE.”
Jewish News reports that the Board of Deputies of British Jews president Marie van der Zyl criticised the movement over a tweet on Sunday, saying it was “beyond disappointing” that a “supposedly anti-racist organisation has leaned into the antisemitic trope that British politics is “gagged” in terms of debating Israel, a claim particularly preposterous because Israel is one of the most-discussed foreign policy issues in this country. However, the failings of this particular group will not stop us standing alongside black people in their quest for justice, whether inside or outside our community.”
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said BLM “should embrace solidarity from Jews” and “should aspire to be a movement against racism that unifies people and achieves lasting change, not a movement that spreads hatred and achieves lasting division. You cannot fight prejudice with prejudice.”
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