Met action against Lambeth Green candidates ‘disproportionate’, says Jewish Voice for Liberation
In a statement issued to Brixton Buzz today, Jewish Voice for Liberation has criticised the arrest of Lambeth Green candidates Saiqa Ali and Sabine Mairey, calling the Met’s action ‘disproportionate’ …
Black News 
In a statement issued to Brixton Buzz today, Jewish Voice for Liberation has criticised the arrest of Lambeth Green candidates Saiqa Ali and Sabine Mairey, calling the Met’s action ‘disproportionate’ and saying the posts did not amount to criminal hate speech.
Mike Cushman, a Lambeth resident and an officer of the group, said the Met appeared to be acting under pressure to be seen to respond to anti-Semitism, and offered the candidates education on the history of British antisemitism.
At the time of publication, both candidates Ali and Mairey no longer appear on the Green Party website.
The full statement is produced below.
Jewish Voice for Liberation Statement
”Like so many of us, Saiqa Ali and Sabine Mairey are clearly and understandably angry at Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the failure of our Government to move beyond reluctant words of disapproval towards, any action like issuing meaningful sanctions such as ending trade privileges which might impact on or affect Israel’s actions.
It is clear that it is this that drives these posts and not hatred of Jews. It is deeply regrettable that some of their posts have, perhaps by not being knowledgeable about the history of British antisemitism, used images that can be linked to harmful fallacies of pervasive Jewish influence.
While their posts are unacceptable it is difficult to see how they reach the level of criminal hate speech.
If they do then a sizable proportion of the population are equally at risk for posts about Muslims, migrants, trans people and others as well as about Jews.
It seems that the Met police want to be seen doing something, anything, in the wake of the vicious attacks in Golders Green. Their desire to be seen to be active against antisemitism and silence their critics has led to this disproportionate action.
JVL runs education programmes to help people understand the history of antisemitism and how to avoid falling into the trap of using words and/or images that might be considered to evoke antisemitism.
Even while they are trying to convey their anger and show their horror of genocide, apartheid and occupation.
We would welcome the chance of a conversation with Saiqa and with Sabine to help them develop their knowledge and so as to avoid falling into that trap and allowing those who are hostile to Palestinian liberation to attack them and use their laudable humanitarian instincts against them and the Palestinian solidarity movement.
Mike Cushman, a Lambeth resident and an officer of Jewish Voice for Liberation
