Antisemitism campaigners were egged and assaulted outside a Green Party-led council as they protested against a vote to end a twinning agreement with an Israeli city.
Speaking to the Daily Express, campaigners said they had been subjected to intimidation by supporters of the separation. The incident occurred as councillors in the eco-socialist-run authority voted to begin the process of ending the borough's historic relationship with Haifa, Israel.
Council vote sparks protest
Labour and Conservative councillors objected to the move, with campaigners against the vote accusing Hackney Council's Green Party leadership of trying to demonise Israel. The Green Party took control of the local authority in the May elections this year, running on a pledge to end the twinning.
The party holds 42 out of the 57 seats, having gained an additional 40 seats as they ended Labour's control of the borough. Campaigners from the protest movement Our Fight condemned the behaviour of rival protesters who were backing the motion.
Campaigners speak out
Mark Birberk, the founder and director of Our Fight, told the Daily Express that Haifa was "widely regarded as a beacon of coexistence" in the region. He added: "Yet the Greens – and the radical Left that has thrown its weight behind them – are so desperate to break any connection with Israel that they are happy to destroy a relationship that has lasted nearly 60 years.
"Their act of destruction demonstrates that those who call themselves 'progressive' are not interested in peace or building connections; they are interested only in isolating Israel and whitewashing Hamas." Birberk claimed that his activists had been "egged" by pro-Palestine protesters, and told the Daily Express: "This is just the latest in a list that includes being spat on, kicked and punched."
Council defends move
Backers of the campaign say that ending the link between the two cities is a form of protest against the actions of the Israeli military. Hackney mayor Zoë Garbett, for the Greens, defended the move, saying: "This council stands up for human rights and wants to ensure our global connections reflect our shared core values. We want active, ethical partnerships that champion peace.
"Given the ongoing humanitarian crisis, and the gravity of the UN Commission of Inquiry Reports concluding Israel has committed genocide, maintaining a civic connection with what is widely recognised as a military port city is fundamentally at odds with our anti-racist values."
