London’s Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into antisemitic abuse at the capital’s Pride parade after videos and photographs circulated on social media showing Jewish participants being subjected to taunts during the event.
In a statement, the Met said officers were “aware of videos circulating online that show antisemitic verbal abuse directed towards attendees” at the parade in central London and that the footage was being reviewed to determine whether any criminal offences had been committed. The force added that it “continues to work hard to tackle hate crime of all types”.
Videos shared online show people carrying rainbow flags incorporating the Star of David being confronted by individuals shouting “Free Palestine”. The harassment escalated, with attendees shouting, “Go back to your Zionist homeland”, “You kill Arab children, you kill gay children”, “F*** you, Jew”, and “How many babies did you kill?”
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency contacted Pride in London for comment. It had not responded by the time of publication.
The incident comes amid heightened concern over antisemitism in Britain since Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel. The UK has recorded unprecedented levels of antisemitic incidents over the past two years.
Pride in London drew tens of thousands of participants and visitors to Soho. This year, around 150 people marched as part of a Jewish bloc. Some Jewish LGBTQ+ organisations have, in recent years, chosen not to participate in Pride events, citing hostility towards Zionist Jews.
Organisers said this year’s return followed discussions with Pride in London on Jewish inclusion and commitments that organisers would undertake antisemitism awareness training in partnership with the Community Security Trust, the principal security organisation for the UK’s Jewish community. Jewish LGBTQ+ group Keshet UK said earlier this year that the measures were intended to help ensure Jewish LGBTQ+ participants could march “safely and openly” following concerns raised after 7 October.
It remains unclear whether the Jewish marchers who experienced the abuse were part of the organised Jewish bloc, as accounts from participants who remained with the bloc were generally positive.
“A few people came and chanted ‘Free, free, Palestine’,” Israeli author and LGBTQ+ activist Hen Mazzig told JTA. “They were passing through. And there was another person who was at a café and then they came by and they were just staring at us.”
Mazzig also shared footage from the event on X, writing: “My pride is not affected by the opinions of others. I am gay, I am Jewish, and I’m here to stay. Am Yisrael chai.”
Mazzig divides his time between London and Tel Aviv because his husband is British. In a telephone interview with JTA, he said Saturday’s incidents “were scary, especially when a Pride parade is supposed to be inclusive”.
He added that since 7 October, circumstances have been exceptionally challenging for the British Jewish community, “but specifically for LGBTQ youth who are being forced to choose between their Jewish identity and their queer identity.”
