Another appalling attack

My thoughts have always been, since much of this kicked off, and before it reached the stage it has now with Jewish areas being specifically targeted by terrorists. Deliberate acts of hostility have been allowed to go on unchecked for quite a while. Anti semetism has been underplayed and conflated with racism per se, when in fact it's very specific. Which has added no doubt to the disquiet our Jewish communities feel and who can blame them. In particular, convoys of cars driving into Jewish areas shouting "rape Jewish women" Nothing! the silence was deafening in the aftermath. I'd put money on it the police would be on it if that had happened in say a Muslim area. Just to be clear, obviously that sort of hatred should be stamped whichever demographic it's perpetuated against.

Oreo

Remember that it isn’t just a few marches, it’s happened every week for years.This will and does seep into the way people think of Jews, any Jews anywhere in the world.

But there are many who are opposed to Israeli aggression towards Palestinians and who know Judaism to be a religion of peace.

Oreo

France never allowed the Palestine marches as they knew how divisive and antagonistic and antisemitic they would be and a danger to the country.They would give license to all who hate Jews to vent their hate.

Is there some better way to express disapproval of present Israeli foreign policy?

Yes Oreo openly Jewish wearing a kippah ,his chief supported him

Allira

Strange, though, that there is a proliferation of Palestinian flags which are tolerated and cheered on the streets of Britain yet we are frowned on if we display our national flag.

We should be proud to be British, a people who are generally tolerant, without being accused of being followers of Farage and the thug Tommy Robinson.

I agree.

Our flags are cherished symbols that have been appropriated by an ignorant political faction.

Anniebach

The police officer who said a Jew “was openly Jewish”

For wearing his kippah.🙈

Remember that it isn’t just a few marches, it’s happened every week for years.This will and does seep into the way people think of Jews, any Jews anywhere in the world.

France never allowed the Palestine marches as they knew how divisive and antagonistic and antisemitic they would be and a danger to the country.They would give license to all who hate Jews to vent their hate.

The police officer who said a Jew “was openly Jewish”

Further to my post above the women with the very blatant and highly provocative Hamas supporting "paraglider" images on their backs were prosecuted but got a conditional discharge, kind of pointless. Given how the attacks against our Jewish community are now playing out that sort of laissez faire, slap on the wrist and "don't do it again", towards those who crank up this type of provocation need to be dealt with in a way that sends out a far stronger message. At the very least they should be banned from any further marches.

twaddle

Who are "all" these people?

You know full well, the usual apologists.

If the marches are to continue, they need some responsible people among their numbers who monitor and oversee the throng to make sure they do not hold any anti Jewish placards that inflame hatred against our Jewish population. Prosecutions against those who do that should be mandatory instead of a slap on the wrist that has certainly happened previously. The two women who had something provocative pinned on their backs relating to the October 7th massacre for example.

Are only certain people allowed to be uneasy about certain flags.
I am uncomfortable about the Palestinian flag and the pride flags ( I know many many lesbians who are deeply uneasy about the pride flag). I live in county durham wyllow. When I see the flags because I know the area really well, i understand that the area is one of high deprivation.

It's quite clear. The trans flag and anti 'terf' placards are very upsetting.

What about women who are fearful of the trans flag (not the rainbow Pride flag) and the placard threats to women who are sex realists?

Who are these people? I don't understand a word of this.

I think the overriding feeling about the abundance of flags, banners or placards for many people, is fear. Fear of what could potentially happen if things were to get out of control.

Yet, Jewish people in our country live with fear every day of their lives. And it's a fear that couldn't be brought any closer to home.

I used to work alongside a Jewish lady, (London), and at "going home" time I could put my coat on and walk out with no anxieties. She, however, spent the last 40 minutes or so of the day on her phone, desperately ensuring that her teenage children would reach home safely from their Jewish school on their own. These children had to remain in contact every five minutes and avoid certain routes where they might encounter difficulties. They had to report that they were safely inside when they arrived home.

What life is that for those innocent souls in our safe country? And that was before 2023. Whole families living in terror every day, anticipating that something awful might happen to them.

I don't think any other people have to put up with anything as frightening as that.

Charming!

I'm too weak? Ha ha ha!

I am challenging it on here and just look what happens!

Presumably, in your world, I am entitled to have feelings and opinions. I'm expressing them here, although I haven't written what I really think of the people and values behind the tatty little flags.

Signed

A Proud Brit (whose values don't coincide with flag wavers)

PS. What's a sex realist? (I might be one, for all you or I know!)

twaddle

Rosie51

What's scary about the UK's national flag or England's national flag? They're bits of printed fabric just the same as any other flag, including the Palestinian one.

We should be proud to be British, a people who are generally tolerant well we must do something right since we attract a wide range of people that want to come to the UK to live. If we were so awful surely they'd not want to come here?

What is scary is what they mean to the people who went to so much trouble to fly them. And you would have to live in a cave if you haven't seen the placards, banners and social media posts of the people behind them. I just hope I never live in a country where people with those kind of views have any significant control.

So a minority hijack a flag and you endorse their right to do that instead of saying no that flag belongs to the English or in the case of the Union Flag the UK? The majority have to lose their flag because you're too weak to challenge the flag's use and reclaim it for proud Britons.

Wyllow and twaddle is it only the UK flags that you find intimidating? Do you have sympathy for those that find Palestinian flags and threatening placards intimidating? What about women who are fearful of the trans flag (not the rainbow Pride flag) and the placard threats to women who are sex realists?

I know they don't have a choice and I feel sorry for them.

I know somebody who lives somewhere like that who happens to have dark skin. She doesn't even like to leave her house because she's frightened it could be firebombed and that she might be attacked in the street. She's desperate to move, but can't afford it.

A lot of people didn't have the choice, twaddle. It's in chunks of Co Durham, currently under Reform. And yes, many now hang limply and weather damaged and just look disgusting, but if they are outside your front bedroom window and you don''t want then but some neighbours do, then you keep your mouth shut, because 2 men trying to take them down were attacked.

Flags are symbols, and symbols change their meaning depending on how they are used. It's disgraceful to me its allowed there like near my family:

because I feel its an insult to the real meaning, which is a shared identity, such as one might see for example at the Olympic Games, or national flags flying in rows outside the UN, or other respected traditions shared by all.

In my city if they appear like this they are removed:

What people fly on their own property it is their own business.

Rosie51

What's scary about the UK's national flag or England's national flag? They're bits of printed fabric just the same as any other flag, including the Palestinian one.

We should be proud to be British, a people who are generally tolerant well we must do something right since we attract a wide range of people that want to come to the UK to live. If we were so awful surely they'd not want to come here?

What is scary is what they mean to the people who went to so much trouble to fly them. And you would have to live in a cave if you haven't seen the placards, banners and social media posts of the people behind them. I just hope I never live in a country where people with those kind of views have any significant control.

I've never seen any other national flag flown in that number. I'm not going to hide how they made me feel. I'm so glad I don't live in that town and have neighbours who would allow the flags to be flown. Presumably the place was targeted for a reason.

As far as I know, the only time there are hundreds of them flown in public is during marches.

twaddle do you think if you were Jewish that the Palestinian flags and accompanying placards might be a source of fear to you, even if they're not a permanent fixture? Might they not represent a type of people?

Do you object to any other national flags being flown or is it just those of England and the UK?

What's scary about the UK's national flag or England's national flag? They're bits of printed fabric just the same as any other flag, including the Palestinian one.

We should be proud to be British, a people who are generally tolerant well we must do something right since we attract a wide range of people that want to come to the UK to live. If we were so awful surely they'd not want to come here?

I had never seen either Palestinian flags nor Union Jacks flying in public until a couple of months ago. I had the misfortune to have to visit a town with dirty, torn Union Jacks flying from nearly all the town centre lamp posts. They looked awful. Not only that, but I knew very well what they represented to the people who had hung them and I felt intimidated to be in such a place. I might very well feel the same if I saw Palestinian flags festooned like that, but I never have. As far as I know, the only time there are hundreds of them flown in public is during marches. They aren't a permanent fixture.