On 2 October, Your Party’s Zarah Sultana expressed sympathy with the victims of the synagogue attack in Manchester. As an advocate for Palestinian liberation, Sultana has subsequently been attacked by elements of the British media and political classes, who are arguing that opposition to Israel’s genocide is an anti-Semitic position.

On this issue, several mainstream politicians and journalists are aligned with far-right figures such as Tommy Robinson, with Sultana responding to his criticism as follows:

You’re a racist, a criminal and a sexist thug.

You pretend to “protect women” while spewing misogyny.

We won’t let you or any fascist divide our communities. An attack on one is an attack on all.

We won’t allow your politics of hate to win. https://t.co/RTbuJkuFBl

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) October 3, 2025

Opposing violence in all forms

As Sultana and others have highlighted, opposing genocide and opposing terror attacks are compatible positions:

You can protest against Israel’s genocide in Gaza and unequivocally condemn the antisemitic terror attack in Manchester.

Don’t let politicians or the media tell you that you can’t do both.

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) October 3, 2025

Robinson, meanwhile, used the terror attack as a cudgel to attack his critics:

The attack on the peaceful Jewish community during Yom Kippur, was free to happen because of people like @lowles_nick @DPJHodges @MrBrendanCox @ShabanaMahmood @Keir_Starmer @HumzaYousaf and every last one of them shutting down debate on the ideology behind it as “racist”! pic.twitter.com/FA2K7W5ojZ

— Tommy Robinson (@TRobinsonNewEra) October 3, 2025

Robinson references Nick Lowles of HOPE not hate. The anti-extremist group reported the following on Robinson in their case file on him (using his real name ‘Stephen Yaxley-Lennon’):

Stephen Lennon is the best-known far-right extremist in Britain.

Having founded and run several well-known anti-Muslim street movements, he has rebranded himself a far-right “journalist” but is able to attract tens of thousands of people to his demonstrations.

The English Defence League

Lennon burst onto the far-right scene with the launch of the English Defence League (EDL) in the summer of 2009 following the amalgamation of a number of smaller anti-Muslim street groups, including United People of Luton (UPL) and the British Citizens Against Muslim Extremists (also founded in 2009). The UPL was set up by local football hooligans in response to an al-Muhajiroun demonstration against the homecoming parade of the Royal Anglian Regiment. The leaders of the UPL, including Lennon, were invited to London and, during a meeting with the funder Alan Ayling and his friends, the idea of a national organisation emerged.

In the following video, HOPE not hate highlight five examples of Robinson’s racism, including:

His use of racial slurs.Dabbling in antisemitic-coded conspiracies following the pandemic (including a self-penned article titled The Jewish Question).Targeting Olympian Mo Farah, labelling people of Somalin origin “backwards barbarians”.His belief that Muslims can’t be British citizens.His past membership of the racist and antisemitic British National Party.

Stephen Lennon is marching again in London this weekend. He insists he isn’t a racist, says it over and over, but the facts tell a different story. Here are five reasons why “Tommy Robinson” is a racist. pic.twitter.com/3wAWvzy8Xj

— HOPE not hate (@hopenothate) September 12, 2025

Robinson was one of the organisers of the recent ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally. Generation Remigration were one of the speakers at this event, as we reported:

Who are Generation Remigration, you might ask?

Well, they’re the leading proponents of ‘remigration’, which is the plan to mass deport migrants and their descendants from European countries. We’re not quite sure how that will work in Britain given the continuous influxes of populations we’ve experienced since the Roman Empire, except we are sure, obviously – they’re talking about deporting Black and brown people.

The British political class

In the wake of the terror attack on 2 October, several pundits and politicians issued statements which were broadly in line with Robinson’s. Criticism of pro-Palestine protests had previously reduced following the UN’s verdict that Israel is committing a genocide.

For context, most of the following comments were made before Manchester Police highlighted that one of the men who died was shot by one of their officers:

So hold on, Greater Manchester Police killed and injured two Jewish men yesterday. https://t.co/J2zJeFugAd

— Bushra Shaikh (@Bushra1Shaikh) October 3, 2025

The Liberal Democrats’ Tim Farron claimed that protests against Israel’s genocide are actually protests against Israel’s ties to Judaism:

Or, counterpoint, they are demanding an end to a genocide being perpetrated by that state – a fact that you are happy to glaze over, even though opposing genocide in Gaza is the official position of your party.

— Nick Shepley (@NickShepley) October 3, 2025

LBC’s Shelagh Fogarty said the following:

The usual suspects using the horrible murders in Manchester to peddle their own hateful agendas. https://t.co/nTH13pmbaE

— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) October 2, 2025

The Daily Mail’s Dan Hodges suggested anti-genocide protests are a call for ‘Jewish eradication’:

I am genuinely staggered. Yesterday we saw Jews murdered outside their place of worship. Following those murders mobs took to the streets calling for the death of Jews and eradication of the only Jewish state. They are coming again. And the Home Secretary says she is powerless.

— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) October 3, 2025

As people highlighted, Hodges has condoned “collective punishment” against Palestinians and their children, which is a war crime:

Currently finding myself in the strange position of being simultaneously attacked by Owen Jones and Tommy Robinson. And you know what, I’m here for it.

— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) October 3, 2025

The Tories’ Suella Braverman described the anti-genocide protests as “hate marches”:

The hate marches need to to stop.

The Prime Minister, Home Secretary and Police Chiefs need to take action.

Not spout meaningless platitudes. We’ve been reading the tweets and have listened to words of ‘solidarity’ for two years. Yet things are getting worse.

Since October…

— Suella Braverman MP (@SuellaBraverman) October 3, 2025

Reform’s Richard Tice sided with Israeli criticism of the UK despite the fact that it’s committing a genocide:

Israel rightly blames Starmer after synagogue terror attack

Hideous pro Hamas protests across UK cities tonight, clashing with police, terrifying Jews & others must now be banned

Enough is enough

Only ⁦@reformparty_uk⁩ can save Britain now https://t.co/gwaLSGuPdX

— Richard Tice MP (@TiceRichard) October 2, 2025

The home secretary drew criticism for describing protests against the genocide as “un-British”:

The protests should go ahead everywhere.

Israel’s genocide does not take a day off, so why should the protests against it?

Mahmood sold her soul for a salary and a gold-plated pension.

‘Un-British’ she says.

I’m proud to be un-British. https://t.co/pd7xp93LBI

— John Wight (@JohnWight1) October 3, 2025

Green Party leader Zack Polanski took offence to Mahmood’s insinuation:

Zack Polanski:

‘Shabana Mahmood is being deeply irresponsible’ ‘Conflating, ultimately weaponising an antisemitic attack against those protesting against genocide is wrong’

This man is a leader. Speaking to truth.pic.twitter.com/hnBKmGFZKU

— Howard Beckett (@BeckettUnite) October 3, 2025

Zack Polanski is a Jewish lad from Salford, Manchester.

Today, he taught our journalists & politicians a wee lesson in honesty. pic.twitter.com/utB8FEOJcJ

— Tory Fibs (@ToryFibs) October 3, 2025

Novara’s Rivkah Brown highlighted the following exchange:

Vile seeing parachuted-in Israel lobbyists like Rosenberg being allowed to use a tragedy to defend Israel, while an *actual member* of Manchester’s Jewish community, Zack Polanski, is subjected to hostile interviews and grilled on his support for Palestine protesters. https://t.co/XAZIc8YbhP

— Rivkah Brown (@rivkahbrown) October 3, 2025

In response to these interventions, Shaiel Ben-Ephraim said:

Disgraceful to see people use the terror attack in Manchester to try and silence criticism of the genocide in Gaza. The moral outrage of genocide supporters is performative and hypocritical.

— Shaiel Ben-Ephraim (@academic_la) October 3, 2025

Featured image via ReelNews / Channel Forty Eight

By Willem Moore

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