An Unpleasant Event at Council

At the February council meeting, Cllr Josh Garfield stood up to speak on the budget debate. It is difficult to hear on the video, but it is very apparent that members of the audience saw fit to hiss and jeer at him.

It can’t be for what he said, because it began before he spoke. It can’t be because he is Labour, most of the speakers were. What is it that distinguishes Cllr Garfield from the other speakers?

Perhaps it is because he is Jewish. Certainly, the Chair thought this and the meeting was twice suspended while the offenders were escorted from the hall.

We’d be delighted to hear other suggestions, but this appears to be an unwelcome appearance of antisemitic abuse. Garfield had to weather antisemitism from inside the Labour Party and now he has got it coming from those in the gallery.

This bodes ill for Newham, when people don’t even have to hide their racism. On the council video it is not possible to see who the people were, but those in the room will be very aware. Our suspicion is that identitarian politics has unleashed previously suppressed antisemitic prejudice.

Is this the new norm?