Anti-Semitism is ‘canary in the coal mine’ as UK risks ‘descending into darkness’, Gove to warn
21 May 2024, 00:54 | Updated: 21 May 2024, 06:34
Michael Gove will accuse protesters of not doing enough to stop the surge in anti-Semitism during a speech on Tuesday.
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The Communities Secretary will condemn the rise of anti-Semitism, as he’s set to say while many protesters are "thoughtful, gentle, compassionate people", they are "side by side with those who are promoting hate".
It comes as some critics have voiced concern about the police handling of the demonstrations and the effect they have on the UK's Jewish community.
Organising groups have previously said that the marches, which have drawn crowds of thousands in calling for an end to the war in Gaza, are overwhelmingly peaceful with a low arrest rate.
Mr Gove will say on Tuesday: "Many of those on these marches are thoughtful, gentle, compassionate people - driven by a desire for peace and an end to suffering. But they are side by side with those who are promoting hate.
"The organisers of these marches could do everything in their power to stop that. They don't."
He will highlight that the UK has seen a spike in anti-Semitism more widely, arguing that it is the "common currency of hate" and the "thread that connects extremist ideologies from Islamist to those on the far right and the hard left".
Reports of anti-Semitic incidents in UK reached a record high last year, according to figures from a Jewish security charity.
Two-thirds of the 4,103 anti-Jewish hate incidents occurred on or after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, the Community Security Trust (CST) has said.
Mr Gove will add: "It's an ironclad law of history that countries which are descending into darkness are those which are becoming progressively more unsafe for Jewish individuals and the Jewish community, the Spain of the Inquisition, the Vienna of the 1900s, Germany in the 30s, Russia in the last decade.
"It is a parallel law that those countries in which the Jewish community has felt most safe at any time are the countries where freedom is most secure at any time.
"The Netherlands of the 17th century, Britain in the first decades of the last century, America in the second half of that century.
"So when Jewish people are under threat, all our freedoms are threatened. The safety of the Jewish community is the canary in the mine. Growing anti-Semitism is a fever which weakens the whole body politic."
He will add: "There is one thing which, increasingly, unites the organisations and individuals which give cause for extremist concern. Anti-Semitism. It is the common currency of hate.
“It is at the dark heart of their world view. Whether Islamist, far right or hard left."
It comes amid fears that the growing number of pro-Palestine protests on university campuses could disrupt the life of Jewish students.
Previously, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "Universities should be places of rigorous debate but also bastions of tolerance and respect for every member of their community.
“A vocal minority on our campuses are disrupting the lives and studies of their fellow students and, in some cases, propagating outright harassment and anti-Semitic abuse. That has to stop."
Shadow communities secretary Angela Rayner reiterated Mr Gove’s sentiment, as she said we all “have a responsibility to condemn” antisemitism.
She said: "There is no place in Britain for anti-Semitic hate and those who push this poison should face the full force of the law. We all have a responsibility to condemn this vile hatred and show that it will never be tolerated.
"Michael Gove is right that most people on these marches have been protesting peacefully and lawfully, but we cannot tolerate the hateful minority and the appalling incidents of anti-Semitism.
"Labour will continue to urge Ministers to reverse the downgrading of recording requirements for non-crime hate incidents, bring forward a new Hate Crime Strategy, and crack down on online extremism.
"Our door will always be open to working together on finding ways of tackling this hate."
But the Liberal Democrats said the rise of extremism in all its forms could not be solved by a Tory Government that "seems intent" on sowing more division.
Lib Dem communities spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said: "We must combat the rise of extremism in all its forms, including the terrible spread of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia we have seen in recent months. Everyone should feel safe on our streets, no matter their race, religion or background.
"But this cannot be solved by a Conservative Government that has let people down so badly, sown so much division and seems intent on sowing more.
"As well as a zero-tolerance approach to racism in all its forms, the way to ultimately defeat extremists is by transforming our politics so that it addresses people's problems and speaks to their dreams. That is the real change our country needs."
