March Against Antisemitism

{{Short description|2023 demonstration in London}}

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}

{{Not to be confused with|March for the Republic and Against Antisemitism}}{{Infobox event

| title = March Against Antisemitism

| image = File:Photo of the March Against Antisemitism..jpg

| date = {{start date|2023|11|26|df=y}}

| venue = Royal Courts of Justice

| location = London, United Kingdom

| participants = 50,000-100,000

}}

The March Against Antisemitism was a demonstration held in London on 26 November 2023 organized by Campaign Against Antisemitism.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=100,000 attend UK's largest protest against antisemitism since Battle of Cable Street |url=https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/100000-attend-uks-largest-gathering-against-antisemitism-since-the-battle-of-cable-street/ |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=Jewish News |date= 26 November 2023|archive-date=26 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231126195655/https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/100000-attend-uks-largest-gathering-against-antisemitism-since-the-battle-of-cable-street/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last1=Kadri |first1=Anisa |last2=Williams |first2=Nathan |date=26 November 2023 |title=Thousands march against antisemitism in London |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-67537351 |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=BBC |via= |archive-date=27 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231127215906/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-67537351 |url-status=live }} The march was held in response to growing antisemitism in England resulting from the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; as police reports indicated that antisemitic offences have risen ten-fold compared to the previous year.{{Cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Natalie |last2=Schomberg |first2=William |date=2023-11-26 |title=March against antisemitism draws 50,000 in London |language=en |work=Reuters |editor-last=Heavens |editor-first=Louise |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/thousands-march-against-antisemitism-london-2023-11-26/ |access-date=2023-11-28 |archive-date=2023-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231127191323/https://www.reuters.com/world/thousands-march-against-antisemitism-london-2023-11-26/ |url-status=live }} Estimates from police indicate that between 50,000 and 100,000 people attended the march.{{Cite news |last1=Pinkstone |first1=Joe |last2=Lampert |first2=Nicole |date=2023-11-26 |title=Police estimate 100,000 people at March Against Antisemitism |language=en |work=The Telegraph |editor-last=Smallman |editor-first=Etan |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/26/boris-johnson-brings-his-children-to-march-against-anti-sem/ |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231126225508/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/26/boris-johnson-brings-his-children-to-march-against-anti-sem/ |archive-date=2023-11-26 |editor-last2=Nicholls |editor-first2=Dominic}} It was claimed by the organisation to be "the largest gathering of its kind since the Battle of Cable Street".{{Cite news |date=2023-11-26 |title=Thousands march against antisemitism in London |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-67537351 |access-date=2024-03-08 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Demonstrators held placards containing slogans such as "shoulder to shoulder with British Jews" and "never again."

The March Against Antisemitism followed a London-based pro-Palestine rally in Central London with approximately 45,000 attendees led by the Stop the War Coalition. The coalition "stressed that those taking part oppose racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia".{{Cite web |last1=Hui |first1=Sylvia |last2=Ha |first2=Kwiyeon |date=26 November 2023 |title=Tens of thousands march against antisemitism in London including UK ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson |url=https://apnews.com/article/london-israel-antisemitism-march-1c8d74ddfb99b7a7417e491b88482090 |access-date=26 November 2023 |website=AP |archive-date=26 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231126160722/https://apnews.com/article/london-israel-antisemitism-march-1c8d74ddfb99b7a7417e491b88482090 |url-status=live }} On the other hand, the chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, Gideon Falter, claimed that "week after week, central London has become a no-go zone for Jews," {{Cite web |last=Jordan |first=Eliana |title=Record numbers expected at march against antisemitism |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/community/record-numbers-expected-at-march-against-antisemitism-p176uukr |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=www.thejc.com |language=en}} and the campaign later produced polling findings suggesting that "90% of British Jews say that they would avoid travelling to a city centre if a major anti-Israel demonstration was taking place there" {{Cite news |date=2024-03-08 |title=Adviser warns London a 'no-go zone for Jews every weekend' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-68508351 |access-date=2024-03-15 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Jonathan |date=2023-11-27 |title=Almost 70% of British Jews are hiding their identity and almost half have considered leaving Britain since 7th October, new CAA polling shows |url=https://antisemitism.org/almost-70-of-british-jews-are-hiding-their-identity-and-almost-half-have-considered-leaving-britain-since-7th-october-new-caa-polling-shows/ |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=Campaign Against Antisemitism |language=en-GB}} Antisemitic hate crimes had increased dramatically during the period, with 554 reports of antisemitic offences in London between 1 October and 1 November in London, compared with 44 in the same period last year.{{Cite news |date=2023-11-26 |title=Thousands march against antisemitism in London |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-67537351 |access-date=2024-06-25 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

Having been shunned by the organisers and refusing to leave the event per police request, English far-right activist Tommy Robinson was detained. Sources indicate that one other individual was arrested for racist rhetoric. The chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, Gideon Falter, remarked: "You don’t fight prejudice with prejudice, you can’t fight racism with racism… They don’t realise how naked their attempt is to try to fool us."{{Cite web |last=Bray |first=Elisa |title=Our demo shows Britain still has its soul says March Against Antisemitism organiser |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/our-demo-shows-britain-still-has-its-soul-says-march-against-antisemitism-organiser-xg2h2i51 |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=www.thejc.com |language=en}}