Police Scotland is assessing an image deemed anti-Semitic that was used in a campaign calling for Dame Maureen Lipman to be removed from a play. Pro-Palestine activists shared a photograph on Facebook depicting the 79-year-old actress with red devil's horns and a trident.
Petition Against Performance
The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) is urging people to support a petition demanding that Dame Maureen, often described as a national treasure, be prevented from performing. She is scheduled to appear at His Majesty's Theatre (HMT) in Aberdeen from May 26 to 30 in a play titled Allegra, a heart-warming comedy with music by Peter Quilter.
This revelation comes amid reports that police chiefs are reviewing their approach to handling chants at pro-Palestine protests, which Jewish campaigners claim are anti-Semitic.
Police Response
A Police Scotland spokesperson stated: 'We have received a report [regarding the Dame Maureen post] which is being assessed. Officers are also liaising with partners and continue to proactively engage with the Jewish community.'
The SPSC launched an online petition titled 'Stop Maureen Lipman Performing at HMT Aberdeen,' while the Aberdeen branch of the SPSC posted the altered image of Dame Maureen. In medieval Christian folklore and artwork, Jews were often depicted with devil's horns and other Satanic features.
The post was reported to the police by Timothy Lovat, chairman of the Jewish Council of Scotland, who described it as 'absolutely anti-Semitic and disgusting' and warned that such imagery contributes to anti-Semitic attacks on the streets.
SPSC Statement
The SPSC claimed that over the past decade, Dame Maureen has openly expressed extremist, Islamophobic, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Arab views. The group urged people to write to Aberdeen Performing Arts, the taxpayer-funded charity that runs HMT, stating that 'racists are not welcome here.'
Those signing the petition can send a pro forma letter to the charity, which alleges that Lipman is an open supporter of the settler-colonial, apartheid state of Israel, which it claims continues to commit genocide in Gaza and is ethnically cleansing the West Bank.
Dame Maureen's Comments
Dame Maureen told LBC last week that anti-Semitism in the UK has reached levels akin to the pogroms in Nazi Germany in 1933, following the stabbings of two Jewish men in Golders Green, North London. The former Coronation Street star also called for a ban on pro-Palestine marches in central London.
Police Scotland Reviewing Chant Policy
Meanwhile, Police Scotland is reviewing its stance on refusing to arrest pro-Palestine protesters for shouting 'globalise the intifada' amid growing concerns over anti-Semitism. In contrast, forces like the Metropolitan Police in London have stated they will act decisively and make arrests if someone is found chanting the phrase.
Police Scotland has faced pressure to adopt a similar approach after a 50% increase in protests over the past year, with two out of five staged by pro-Palestine activists. It has emerged that senior officers have sought legal advice as Jewish campaigners demand a tougher stance following the Golders Green incident.
The intifada refers to Palestinian uprisings in the late 1980s and early 1990s and again in 2000, aimed at ending Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Those uprisings resulted in the deaths of over 5,000 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.
Timothy Lovat stated that in Britain, the phrase is often directed at Jewish communities under the guise of being aimed at Zionists. He noted that the most prominent expressions of intifada have involved violence, and the phrase is often understood as encouraging violence against Israelis, Jews, and institutions supporting Israel.
Police Scotland is understood to have sought legal guidance on the issue. Former Police Scotland superintendent Martin Gallagher commented that it is difficult for police to investigate chants and individual images, and that since October 7, 2023, a plethora of demonstrations have essentially demonised the Jewish community.
Chief Superintendent Stevie Dolan of Police Scotland's operational support division stated that campaigning and demonstration are legitimate and vital, but violence, disorder, hate crime, and threatening behaviour are not. He emphasised that every situation is dealt with on a case-by-case basis, including chants, and that any criminal offence is determined based on individual circumstances and direction from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
