The murder of six million Jews by Nazi Germany, known as the Holocaust, is hard to contemplate. But it resonates – as it should – in our collective memory.
Started August 2016 | last updated May 2025 | 1,700 words | Contents
There’s been anti-Jewish racism since the Jews’ most recent exile from Israel by the Roman empire, and their consequent dispersion throughout Europe.
Exile and diaspora is the conventional narrative – but apparently it’s more complicated than that. Apparently, historically, there was no expulsion two thousand years ago.
But however it came about, Jewish diaspora communities lived in Europe. They lived mainly in productive harmony with host communities, but cynical anti-Jewish rabble-rousing led to outbreaks of racist violence, or ‘pogroms‘; and Christian and Muslim extremism led to persecution and expulsion.
The Granada massacre of 1066, a Muslim pogrom in which approximately 4,000 Jews were killed, marked the end of centuries of peaceful coexistence with a liberal Muslim regime in Spain.
The final Christian reconquest of Spain in the late 1400s led to approximately 2,000 Jews being murdered by the Spanish Inquisition and to the eventual expulsion from Spain of over 50,000 Jews.
Savage pogroms continued all over Europe until as recently as the 1940s.
16th-century Christianity reformer Martin Luther publicly recommended the burning of synagogues. Protestant Luther’s beef with Judaism was supposedly theological – but his bitter hatred betrays something less ethereal.
Reformer and anti-Jewish racist Martin Luther | Painting: Lucas Cranach the Elder
(Ironically, Luther’s modern namesake, Protestant minister and black civil rights leader Martin Luther King, publicly spoke out against black anti-Judaism. He acknowledged Jewish participation in the civil rights movement and he actively – controversially – supported the state of Israel.)
Encouraged by the original Luther’s widely disseminated anti-Jewish rhetoric, 19th-century German ‘race’ theorists and philosophers ramped up the anti-Judaism.
The 19th-century German ‘race’ theorists invented the pseudoscientific word ‘antisemitic’. (See my post about that ridiculous word for a tragic phenomenon, Antisemitism – anti-what??)
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is often accused of anti-Judaism. However, that reputation was created by his sister Elizabeth Förster-Nietzsche, who edited his works after his mental breakdown in 1889 and his death in 1900.
Nietzsche’s sister systematically falsified his writings to match her own virulent anti-Jewish racism. Nietzsche was arguably a protofascist, but he was deeply contemptuous of anti-Judaism and nationalism.
Förster-Nietzsche’s falsifications have since been corrected, but they were current in the 1920s and 30s. The main fakery was in Förster-Nietzsche’s collection of her late brother’s notes, published in 1906 as a book, The Will to Power.
Luther and Förster-Nietzsche were perpetuating derogatory stereotypes of Jews common in Europe for centuries, as exemplified in literature by Shakespeare’s Shylock and Dickens’s Fagin.
For instance, the ‘blood libel’ was a widespread anti-Jewish slur which – ridiculously – accused Jews of murdering Christian children to use their blood in the baking of Passover bread.
Such stereotypes found ultimate expression in the fake but influential 1903 document, The Protocols of The Elders of Zion, which purported to reveal – in great detail – a Jewish plot for world domination.
The Protocols of The Elders of Zion was exposed as totally fraudulent in the early 1920s, but it was taught as factual to schoolchildren in 1930s Nazi Germany. It’s still touted around amongst modern conspiracy theory enthusiasts. (David Icke thinks the ‘Elders of Zion’ are extradimensional beings.) Anti-Jewish prejudice, unlike most other forms of racism, isn’t colour prejudice. It’s not a reaction to people’s skin colour – it’s white-on-white prejudice.
As with Islam, Judaism is a religion, not a ‘race’. But, although Judaism contains different ethnic strands, the European Jewish diaspora can be said to be a ‘population’, like African or South Asian people. In the social construct sense, they’re a ‘race’. But they’re not a population easily identifiable by appearance. So how does the prejudice arise?
Anti-Jewish prejudice must be a form of culturist racism: specifically – historically – prejudice against the Jewish diaspora, where people of a different culture came to live in or near a settled neighbourhood, not as individuals but as a self-contained community.
Such Jewish diaspora groups arrived at established communities throughout Europe as fringe communities. Romani travellers, also known as Gypsies, who kept moving rather than settling, were similarly outsiders – and were similarly wiped out in the Holocaust.
Jews – like Gypsies – are voluntarily outsiders, not wanting to integrate but keeping to themselves and to their own culture. This marks them out for prejudice – in that being different means being seen as a threat.
The cultural differences are actually harmless – Jews aren’t actually plotting to rule the world – it’s the difference itself that causes fear, probably mainly unconsciously, which manifests as racism.
Culturism, of course, works one way. Racism is power plus prejudice, so the power is with the European majority and the prejudice is against the outsider minority.
(Culturism, as well as underlying white-on-white anti-Judaism, probably also boosts white-on-black colour prejudice, in that a different skin colour indicates a different culture.)
European anti-Judaism climaxed in the 1940s in Nazi Germany with the Holocaust, Adolf Hitler’s insane, genocidal ‘final solution to the Jewish question’.
Hitler’s anti-Jewish fascism was boosted by:
Widespread, centuries-old European anti-Jewish stereotypes and culturist racism
The anti-Jewish writings of German uber-Protestant Martin Luther
Racist 19th-century German pseudoscientific ‘race’ theory
The protofascist ‘übermensch‘ writings of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche
The anti-Jewish falsifications by Nietzsche’s fascist sister, Elizabeth Förster-Nietzsche in his posthumous book, The Will to Power.
Racist, pseudoscientific US eugenics programmes funded by the Carnegie Institution, the Rockefeller Foundation and John Kellogg.
Nazi Germany’s increasingly brutal 1930s anti-Jewish campaign ended in genocide when Jews were sent to extermination camps. In the death camps, the German state systematically murdered six million Jews.
Between 150,000 and 1.5 million Romani people were also murdered by the state.
For those of us who oppose racist anti-Judaism, the Holocaust’s meticulously organised murder of six million Jews haunts our imagination. It’s difficult to understand how people could have done that.
In 1961 the trial of high-ranking Nazi Adolph Eichmann took place in Israel. Eichmann, who’d been instrumental in organising the Holocaust, famously said he’d merely obeyed orders.
Yale professor Stanley Milgram, a US Jewish social psychologist, heard about Eichmann’s defence and posed this question:
What is there in human nature that allows an individual to act without any restraints whatsoever, so that he can act inhumanely, harshly, severely, and in no ways limited by feelings of compassion or conscience? My bolding
Milgram then conducted a famous and controversial series of ingenious experiments – with shocking results.
Milgram showed that ordinary people in thrall to white-coated authority figures were willing to inflict what they believed to be severe pain and even death on strangers. (The strangers were played by actors.)
Questions have understandably been raised about the ethics and methodology of Milgram’s experiments. Their relevance to the Holocaust has been questioned. But Milgram’s basic findings still hold true.
The Holocaust authority figures themselves must have had some form of empathy-deficient mental disorder such as psychopathy. But more disturbingly, ordinary people in that situation were able to set aside their empathy.
Perhaps, however, the Holocaust executioners were not only acting in innate obedience to authority figures, as suggested by Milgram’s experiments, but were also indulging an instinctive racist urge.
Ironically, extreme nationalism – a main factor in the Holocaust – is now a charge made against the powerful US-backed state of Israel in its ongoing conflict with Palestinian people, many of whom were expelled from their homes and homeland during the controversial establishment of Israel which began in 1948.
Equally ironically, the number of Palestinian people registered as refugees (in 2025) is six million. (There are about seven million Jewish people living in Israel.)
Following an attack on Israel in October 2023 by Hamas, the militant group running the Palestinian Gaza Strip, Israel launched the one-sided Gaza ‘war’ against Hamas during which many tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, including children, have been killed or seriously injured by the IDF – the Israeli ‘defence’ forces.
Mahmoud Ajjour, nine, lost both arms during an Israeli attack on Gaza City | Photo: Samar Abu Elouf / New York Times
The International Criminal Court (ICC) accused the Israeli premier of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and – in the final irony – Israel was accused of genocide.
Supporters of the Palestinian cause who criticise Israeli Zionism are accused (perhaps correctly in some cases) of anti-Jewish racism. And so it goes.
A Sephardi (Jews of North African origin) chief rabbi reportedly said there could be no explanation other than ‘pure racism’.
Outside Israel, despite the terrible lesson of the Holocaust, anti-Judaism continues to thrive.
A 2008report by the US department of state found there was an increase in anti-Judaism across the world, and both old and new expressions of anti-Judaism persisted.
A 2012report by the US bureau of democracy, human rights and labor noted a continued global increase in anti-Judaism, and found Holocaust denial and opposition to Israeli policy were used to promote or justify anti-Judaism.
The German government has paid over $90bn in compensation to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and their heirs.
In 2024 rightwing Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu was accused by the International Criminal Court of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and he’s been on trial in Israel since 2020 on multiple charges of corruption and bribery.
In the last (proportional representation) election in 2022, Netanyahu got 23% of the vote and was able to form a governing coalition with far-right groups.
To keep the support of his far-right coalition partners and so stay in power, Netanyahu waged all-out war on Hamas, killing and maiming tens of thousands of Gazan civilians, including children.
Mahmoud Ajjour, nine, lost both arms during an Israeli attack on Gaza City | Photo: Samar Abu Elouf / New York Times
Israel has been accused of genocide. Is Israel suffering from collective post-Holocaust PTSD psychosis?
(The next Israeli election is due in October 2026.)
Seeing defiant Hamas fighters on TV during the January 2025 hostage releases, I wondered if, given the havoc Hamas has provoked, Gazan people still supported them. Amazingly, some did.
Hamas fighters pictured during a hostage release | Photo: Reuters
Amazingly, some Gazans still support Hamas Contents 🔼
Introduction
The horror
We western liberals looked on in horror as the news broke of the brutal October 2023 attack by Hamas. We continued looking on in horror and frustration as news of the even more brutal Israeli war on Gaza rolled on.
Our frustration was due to the powerlessness of the international community. The so-called United Nations (with its veto-hampered Security Council) was more toothless than usual as its US paymaster continued to give unconditional support to Israel and the lawless IDF – the Israel ‘Defense’ Forces.
Some western support for the Palestinian cause shaded into misplaced support for Hamas. (See below.) That didn’t help.
In November 2024 the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu. The court accused Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity:
ICC charges against Netanyahu
War crimes
Starvation as a method of warfare
Intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population
Crimes against humanity
Murder
Persecution
Other inhumane acts
The Israeli military used those criminal tactics to destroy Gaza whilst trying to destroy Hamas. But, as shown in the January 2025 hostage release videos, Hamas wasn’tdestroyed – they were still there.
Hamas was still there – and making a point of looking in charge. But given their deliberate provocation of Israel’s destructive response, I wondered: what did battered Gazan civilians really think of Hamas?
Amazingly, some Gazans still support Hamas Contents 🔼
What do Gazans think of Hamas?
Open criticism
Video of hostages being released by Hamas fighters
19 January 2025 | Forbes
In videos of hostages being released during the ceasefire that began in January 2025, the Hamas fighters in charge displayed a defiant and confident ebullience.
That display suggested buoyant support for Hamas in Gaza – or a cowed population. Gazan civilians werereportedly cowed – as might be expected under the rule of Hamas’s ultra-sharia political-Islamist government.
In the 2006election in Gaza, Hamas won against the more moderate Fatah by 37 to 32 percent. International observers said the election was ‘open and fairly contested’.
However, an electoral system described as ‘skewed’ meant Fatah got no seats. A unity government was formed but in 2007 it collapsed when Hamas ousted Fatah by force and imposed authoritarian rule.
(The US and the EU, considering Hamas to be a terrorist organisation, didn’t accept the 2006 election result. A 2021election due in Gaza and the West Bank was postponed indefinitely by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.)
Hamas rules Gaza through oppression, using arrests and torture to suppress dissent. Gazans widely loathe its internal General Security Service, which surveils and keeps files on people, stamps out protests, intimidates journalists, and tracks people accused of “immoral acts”.
As for popular support for Hamas in Gaza, it was sinking rather than buoyant. A September 2024 poll found that although 39 percent of Gazans still supported Hamas, that had fallen in three months from 64 percent.
Open criticism of Hamas has been growing in Gaza, both on the streets and online. Some have publicly criticised Hamas for hiding the hostages in apartments near a busy marketplace, or for firing rockets from civilian areas.
The BBC article quoted an educated Gazan man speaking angrily on video about the Hamas leadership:
I am an academic doctor. I had a good life, but we have a filthy leadership. They got used to our bloodshed, may God curse them. They are scum! We could have avoided this attack.
Quote from a video (apparently no longer available) of a man, his face and clothes covered with blood, speaking outside a hospital filled with hundreds of casualties after an Israeli operation to free hostages from central Gaza.
Distressed Gazan civilian criticising Hamas | Screenshot of viral video, June 2024 | Photo: UGC
A senior Hamas government employee, who asked to remain anonymous, told the BBC the Hamas attack was a ‘crazy, uncalculated leap’. He said:
The Hamas government prepared well for the attack militarily, but it neglected the home front. They did not build any safe shelters for people; they did not reserve enough food, fuel and medical supplies.
The BBC article concluded:
Criticism of Hamas is growing sharper, and long-buried divisions over Hamas rule in Gaza are becoming clear. Out of the destruction left by Israel’s battle with Hamas, a new war is emerging: a battle for control of public opinion within Gaza itself.
Amazingly, some Gazans still support Hamas Contents 🔼
Hamas hoped to spark regional war
Daft as a brush
What did Hamas think would happen when they launched their October 2023 attack?
The attack – a brutal assault on a lightly defended peacenik kibbutz – wasn’t, as might be thought, an unplanned outburst. Despite the assault’s shambolic execution, training and planning had been going on for weeks. So what was the purpose?
The attack by Hamas was apparently intended to spark regional war. A Hamas spokesman said the attack was intended to provoke a strong Israeli response and a consequent regional war against Israel.
The regional war didn’t happen – and had no chance of happening. Middle Eastern Muslim countries may support Palestinian resistance groups with money, weapons and training, but they have no interest in waging war against Israel, the US-backed regional superpower.
In fact some regional Muslim countries, including well-armed Saudi Arabia, had been busy establishing diplomatic links with Israel.
Was the Hamas leadership – perhaps made gullible by ideology – misled by callous regional partners into believing the attack would result in war? Did Hamas expect Palestinian victory, with Gazan deaths being glorious martyrdom?
Did Hamas think embeding themselves amonst Gazan civilians would deter Israeli aggression?
Whatever their thinking, Hamas’s childish strategy – poking the angry Zionist bear and then hiding amongst civilians – inevitably caused Gazans to suffer mass death, injury, destruction and displacement for – as Hamas should have realised – an unachievable end.
In spite of that, a December 2023 poll found only 19 percent of Gazans blamed Hamas for their post-attack suffering. That showed a stubborn loyalty – but Gazans deserved better.
Amazingly, some Gazans still support Hamas Contents 🔼
Donald Chump’s Nazi plan for Gaza
Insane in the brain
It could be said the Hamas attack succeeded in raising the profile of Gaza and the wider Palestinian cause – but raised it to what end? There was still no prospect of Israel being persuaded to accept a two-state solution or to end its aggressive settler expansion.
Also, unfortunately for Gaza, its raised profile caught the eye of rampaging newly re-elected US president Donald Chump.
Within weeks of his January 2025 inauguration, Chump announced an insane Nazi plan for Gaza. The US would take control and ownership of Gaza, deport the people and turn it into a Middle Eastern Mar-a-Lago.
Chump embroidered the plan, but his team got the original idea from a July 2024 paper given them by rightwing economist Joseph Pelzman. (Apparently Pelzman offered it to team Biden first, but – understandably – they didn’t want it.)
Prof Pelzman’s highly detailed but quite bonkers paper said – in summary – that reconstructing Gaza would be too costly and the only solution was to remove the people, level the ground and start from scratch. He specified a tourist seafront. Chump the real estate moron must have loved that.
Pelzman said the country carrying out his plan should be granted a 50-year lease. Typically, Chump took that to mean the US should assume ownership of Gaza.
Anyone hoping Chump has a tiny spark of sanity or conscience should watch his gobsmacking Nazi-propaganda-style AI-generated Chump Gaza video. He clearly hasn’t got a spark of anything worthwhile.
To be fair to Chump (even a narcissistic sociopath deserves that), his bullying style apparently brought about the Gazan ceasefire and hostage releases that began in January 2025.
But that ceasefire was an incidental silver lining to Chump’s deliberate cloud of confusion and crisis. Chump talks cheesily about wanting peace, but his real concern is to ensure he and his felllow-billionaires can continue profiteering from crisis.
(Candidate Chump promised to ‘drain the Washington swamp’, but he and his parasitical class – served, ironically, by ‘swamp’ lobbyists – are actually draining the economy, hollowing it out to enhance their obscene wealth.)
Ceasefire update | March 2025
To keep power, Benjamin Netenyahu, Israeli premier and wanted war criminal, reneged on the second part of the ceasefire agreement, in which all hostages were to be be freed and all Israeli forces were to leave. Instead, the mass death and destruction resumed. Idiot Chump colluded with Netenyahu’s return to war. Reuters reported that after a White House meeting with released Israeli hostages on 5 March Chump posted:
I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say. Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!
My bolding (Chump’s caps!)
Most of the ‘people of Gaza’ – distiguished by Chump’s ‘also’ from Hamas – had nothing to do with the holding of hostages. Threatening civilians with death is a war crime.
Amazingly, some Gazans still support Hamas Contents 🔼
The future for Gaza and Hamas
Better leadership
Best friends: the war criminal and the psychopath | Photo: Reuters
Donald Chump and his new pal, rightwing Israeli premier and wanted war criminalBenjamin Netanyahu, would presumably have to drop their fantasy Nazi ethnic-clearance ‘Riviera’plan for Gaza.
In which case, if and when the Israeli military left Gaza, a caretaker government could supervise reconstruction – and would need to implement elections.
Hamas’sstupid strategy inevitably brought nothing but death and destruction to the people of Gaza. Gazans deserve better leadership – one that pursues the Palestinian cause but also protects civilians.
Despite its show of defiance in the hostage videos, Hamas seemed a spent force. Whether at the hands of the avenging Israeli military or a dissatisfied Gazan electorate, Hamas’s days in power were surely numbered.
Seaside genocide | Photo: AP/Getty
Amazingly, some Gazans still support Hamas Contents 🔼
Addendum
Western support for Hamas
Terror error
As well as still having some support in Gaza,Hamas had some support in the liberal west, where righteous support for the Palestinian cause sometimes shaded into misplaced support for the Islamist group.
…an organisation that is dedicated towards the good of the Palestinian people and bringing about long-term peace and social justice and political justice in the whole region
Ismail Patel, zealous Muslim founder of UK political-Islamist campaign group Friends of Al-Aqsa (listed as an extremist group by the UK government in March 2024) has made speeches at UK Palestine demonstrations unconditionally praising Hamas for standing up to Israel.
In 2024, foolish Leicester Muslim campaigner Majid Freeman was charged with the terrorism offence of supporting Hamas online. (In 2021, the political and military wings of Hamas were proscribed as a single terrorist organisation by the UK.)
Hamas’s extremism and recklessness harmed the Palestinian cause. However, some international supporters of that cause continued to support Hamas as a legitimate response to Israeli oppression.
Such misguided support would no doubt encourage Hamas as it clung to power.
The End Top 🔼 Feel free to comment. (I answer all comments.)
In 2024 annoying Leicester activist Majid Freeman was charged with terror offences. It’s a tale of muddled ideology, self-promotion, possible abuse of power, and a new MP with links to extremism.
Majid Freeman goes to court in August 2024 | Aaron Chown/PA Media
Freemanfeatured in that post because during the 2022 riots he muddied the waters by posting inflammatory claims.
Two years later in July 2024, immediately after campaigning against prominent Labour MPJon Ashworth on the Gaza issue, Freeman was charged with terror offences, including supporting Hamas.
Although Freeman seems sincere in his beliefs, he’s an annoying stirrer and self-publiciser. He’s not a sympathetic character. But his prosecution seems unfair.
Separately, in September 2024 Freeman was jailed – also unfairly – for a public order offence dating back to the 2022 riots.
This tale, previously buried in a remote update to a post about events two years ago, deserves a post of its own
During the 2024 UK general election campaign Muslim campaigner Majid Freeman confronted Leicester South MP Jon Ashworth on video about Gaza. Two weeks later Ashworth lost his seat. Five days after that Freeman was charged with terror offences. Coincidence?
On 21 June, during the election campaign, Majid Freeman posted a video of his public confrontation with MP Jon Ashworth about the MP’s voting record on Gaza. The video went viral.
On 22 June independent candidate Shockat Adam, standing mainly on the issue of Gaza, reposted Freeman’s video with added anti-Ashworth comments.
Then…
On 4 July, Ashworth’s seat was unexpectedly lost to Adam.
On 9 July, Freeman was charged with terror offences including supporting proscribed Gaza group Hamas.
On 10 July, AshworthchallengedAdam about his apparent association with Freeman.
So… two weeks after Freeman’s video went viral Ashworth lost his supposedly safe seat to Adam. Five days after that Freeman was charged. The next dayAshworth angrily challenged Adam.
Q: Did an angry Ashworth abuse his power to get Freeman charged?
In July 2024 Majid Freeman was arrested and charged with terror offences. His trial was due to be held in Birmingham in September 2025.
(See Freeman’s September 2024 imprisonment for a separate public order offence below.)
On 9 July 2024Majid Freeman, aka Majid Novsarka, was arrested by Leicestershire Police and charged with two terrorism offences: encouragement of terrorism (re Hebdo) and supporting a proscribed organisation (Hamas).
At his first pre-trial hearing Freeman was given bail. His trial, due in 2025, was going to be in Leicester but has been moved to Birmingham.
ProsecutorLee Ingham said the move was needed because of ‘strong feelings’ in Leicester and because Freeman was ‘fairly well-known’ in the area as a ‘political activist’. However, the trial could safely be held in Leicester – Ingham’s concerns are largely misplaced.
There are certainly ‘strong feelings’ in Leicester – about Gaza. Hence Labour’s shock loss in Leicester South. Freeman clearly shares those feelings – and seeks to exploit them to enhance his public image. But his status as a ‘political activist’ with local support is exaggerated – by him.
Is Freeman, the self-styled political activist, ‘fairly well known’? As a self-appointed spokesperson for local Muslims, Freeman does get somelocal recognition. And Freeman’s posts and activities attract some media attention – which he apparently craves.
The mainstream media, too lazy for due diligence, sometimes gulliblyreport Freeman’s comments. The more partisan media feature Freeman occasionally and portray him according to their bias. Pro-Modi and Zionist media portrayFreeman as an Islamist devil; and Muslim mediaportray him as an altruistic angel. (Take your pick – or split the difference.)
So prosecutor Ingham’s assessment of Freeman as ‘fairly well known’ is accurate. But if his trial was in Leicester, there’d probably be no crowds of protesters with ‘strong feelings’.
However, Hindu-Muslim tension has simmered in Leicester since the 2022 unrest. During the unrest one of Freeman’s posts was notoriously inaccurate and inflammatory. So perhaps Ingham was right to err on the safe side.
As for the charges, Freeman’s alleged crimes are perhaps the product of muddled thinking rather than cohesive ideology. Freeman’s passion for Muslim causes, local or international, seems confused with his obsessive self-promotion.
Freeman’s alleged support for Hamas perhaps shows the problem with acting mainly alone. Unchecked, righteous support for the Palestinian cause can too easily shade into indefensible support for Hamas.
Supporters of Hamas say it’s a legitimate response to Israeli occupation. But such support became illegal in the UK when the political and military wings of Hamas were proscribed as a single terrorist organisation in 2021; and indefensible when Hamas’s military wing committed the October 2023atrocities.
The Hamas atrocities inevitably sparked a savage Israeli response, resulting, by August 2024, in an estimated 40-50,000 deaths and over 20,000 life-changing injuries. Many casualties were women and children.
That ‘collateral damage’ is the result of Israel’s de facto genocidal strategy (and the international community’s craven complicity). But it’s also the direct consequence of the brutal October 2023 attack by Hamas – the organisation Freeman allegedly supported.
The court was told Freeman‘s allegedly offending posts were mainly on Instagram and X. Freeman was given conditional bail: he was ordered not to use or access social media to post or transmit anything (with the exception of WhatsApp).
That must be frustrating for the dedicated self-publicist,
During the 2024 UK general election, Majid Freeman posted a video of his Gaza-related confrontation with MP Jon Ashworth. Five days after Ashworth lost his seat, Freeman was charged with two terror offences, one Gaza-related. Was Ashworth responsible?
In June 2024 during the general election, Majid Freeman campaigned against Leicester South sitting MP Jon Ashworth because of his voting record on Gaza.
On 21 JuneFreeman posted a video (his favourite means of self-promotion) of him haranguing Ashworth in the street about his Gaza voting record. The video went viral with over 1m views.
Freeman’s 100-second video shows Ashworth videoing Freeman videoing him whilst aggressively questioning him. Ashworth, clearly upset, doesn’t repond to Freeman’s questions but complains about Freeman’s ‘bullying’ and ‘intimidation’.
Screenshot of Freeman’s video
The next day, 22 June, independent Leicester South candidate Shockat Adam, who was standing mainly on the Gaza issue, reposted Freeman’s video with added anti-Ashworth comments.
Two weeks later on 4 July Ashworth unexpectedly lost his seat to Adam. Five days after that on 9 July Freeman was charged with terror offences. Was Ashworth responsible for that?
Ashworth had faced other street confrontations about his Gaza voting record. Was Freeman’s viral video and its reposting by Adam the last straw?
As a Leicester South constituent, Imet and briefly spoke with Ashworth towards the end of his campaign. He seemed badly rattled.
Did the pugnacious and well-connected Labour insider – upset, angry and massively piqued after losing his seat and his expected cabinet post – pull strings to get Freeman charged?
What strings might an angry Ashworth have pulled? He was a close ally of Kier Starmer, newly prime minister and former head of the UK prosecution service. That would have been a useful string.
Anger is said to be the second stage of grief, after denial. Perhaps Ashworth skipped denial and went straight to anger. The Wikipedia entry on the five stages of grief says of the anger stage:
The responses of a person undergoing this phase would be: ‘Why me? It’s not fair! How can this happen to me? Who is to blame?‘
[My bolding]
(The ‘five stages’ model was developed by psychiatrist Elizabeth Kübler-Ross to help understand and improve the mental health of patients with terminal illness. It was later extended to grieving friends and family; and then to anyone suffering serious loss. Like Ashworth.)
Freeman has history. He’s got form for foolish flirtation with extremism. But if he deserved prosecuting for it, it should have happened ten years ago.
In 2014 the Torygraph published a thorough and detailed exposé of Freeman as an online supporter of proscribed Islamist terror groups including Isis and al-Qaeda.
The article, by award-winning investigative journalist and – at that time – obsessive Islamist hunter Andrew Gilligan (of dodgy dossier fame), uncovered damning evidence and made serious accusations. Freeman was questioned by the police but not charged.
If Freeman wasn’t worth charging then, why make these flimsier charges now? Is it because angry Ashworth pulled strings? The timing makes that look likely:
21 June – Freeman posted his video of his aggressive confrontation with Ashworth about Gaza.
22 June – Freeman’s viral video was reposted by Gaza-focussed candidate Shockat Adam.
4 July – Adam unexpectedly won Leicester South, narrowly overturning Ashworth’s large majority.
9 July – Freeman was charged with terror offences, one Gaza-related.
10 July – Ashworth challenged Adam about his association with Freeman.
A week after losing his seat, Jon Ashworth publicly challenged new MP Shockat Adam to explain his apparent association with terror suspect Majid Freeman. Adam’s team dismissed the challenge as sour grapes.
On 10 July, the day after Majid Freeman was charged, Jon Ashworth (newly head of powerful centre-right Labour thinktank Labour Together) publicly challenged new Leicester South MP Shockat Adam to explain his apparent association with Freeman.
An angry Ashworth was implying Adam shared Freeman’s alleged support for Hamas. Ashworth’s challenge failed to get a direct answer from Adam – but it posed a fair question: was Adam associated with Freeman? Freemancampaigned against Ashworth on the Gaza issue central to Adam’s campaign – but that didn’t necessarily show a connection between Adam and Freeman.
Adam has denied any association. Asked about Freeman in an interview in September. Adam said:
He wasn’t even a supporter. He did not canvas for me. He did not campaign for me.
In reply to my request for comments, an assistant to Adam said:
From what we can tell from [Freeman’s] social media feeds he did not advocate for any one candidate (rather anyone but Mr Ashworth) and stated he was unsure who he would vote for and even stated Shockat should stand down in favour of The Green Party candidate.
But a reposted tweet suggests an association. On 22 June Adam reposted Freeman’s 21 Juneviral video of his Gaza-based confrontation with Ashworth.
According to a (paywalled) Financial Timesreport the reposted video – since removed from Adam’s X account – had anti-Ashworth comments added by Adam which supported Freeman’s line of questioning:
Adam wrote above the video, in a reference to the ceasefire vote, that Ashworth was “ashamed” of Labour’s “pro-genocide position”. “If you don’t want to be asked questions by the public when you are canvassing on our streets,” he wrote, “then maybe you should just stay at home.”
That immediate reposting of Freeman’s video complete with Adam’s approving message suggests a possible connection between Adam and Freeman.
Adam’s team dismissed Ashworth’s challenge about Freeman as mere ‘sour grapes’, but Ashworth’s implied criticism of Adam had some substance.
Adam – like Freeman – has history. He has personal, fraternal and campaign links to extremism.
In challengingShockat Adam about his apparent association with Majid Freeman immmediately after Freeman was charged with terror offences, Jon Ashworth implied Adam had links to extremism.
Adam may not be associated with Freeman but he does have links to extremism. He was Leicester chair of Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) and his brother founded and runs Friends of Al-Aqsa (FOA). Both groups have been listed by the government as ‘extremist’.
Also, his campaign was backed by The Muslim Vote, a group with extremist links.
Until March 2024, Adam, then known as Shockat Adam Patel – regarding his change of name, see below – was the Leicester chair of Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND), an organisation labelled by the previous UK government as extremist.
MEND’s stated aim is:
To empower and encourage British Muslims within local communities to be more actively involved in British media and politics.
However, MEND has been accused of promoting Islamist, anti-Jewish and anti-gay views.
Adam’s brother Ismail Patel – regarding their different surnames, see below – founded and runs Friends of Al-Aqsa (FOA), established in 1979 in Leicester. Like MEND, FOA was labelledextremist by the previous government.
FOA, prominent at Palestine demonstrations, says it demands political change for Palestine. But it’s connected (as is Hamas) to the political-Islamist Muslim Brotherhood.
Patel’s speeches at demonstrations show his support for political Islamism – that is, sharia government and law based on an extreme interpretation of Islam, as seen in Iran, Afghanistan and, under Hamas, Gaza. Patel has praised Hamas for standing up to Israel.
May 2024: Ismail Patel speaks at a Whitehall rally to mark the 1948 appropriation of Palestine | Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images
Mend and FOA both contribute to separatism by misrepresenting all UK Muslims as victims of Islamophobia. (This oddly matches the Modi/RSS strategy of promoting Hindu nationalism by misrepresenting Hindus as victims of Hinduphobia.)
During Adam’s campaign, leaflets from The Muslim Vote were circulated in Leicester South.
The Muslim Vote has the declared aim of supporting candidates opposed to Conservative and Labour stances on the Israel–Hamas war. But the group is linked to extremists.
The Muslim Vote is linked to Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, a proscribed terrorist organisation; and to the Cordoba Foundation, which has links to the political Islamist Muslim Brotherhood. and whose leader has publicly supported Hamas.
Leicestershire Police were investigating a possible breach of electoral law: the leaflets from The Muslim Vote didn’t say who funded them or which candidate was supported.
But that was a technicality – the main issue was that Adam’s campaign was boosted by leaflets from a group with extremist links.
Mend and FOA were listed as extremist organisations by the previous Tory government. I asked the new Labour government about the current status of such listings. In reply, they said:
This government takes the threat of extremism very seriously and will continue to work with partners to tackle extremism in all its forms. The rapid review ordered by the Home Secretary earlier this year is considering the current understanding of extremism, including Islamist and far-right extremism. Following its conclusion, the government will be setting out its strategic approach.
Shortly before the 2024 general election, Adam, then known as Shockat Adam Patel dropped the Patel surname he shares with his brother, Ismail, the founder of FOA. Adam’s full name is Shockat Hussain Adam Patel.
Patel’s usually a Hindu name, but it’s also the name of some Gujarati Memon Muslims whose ancestors converted from Hinduism. Adam’s a Memon Muslim.
Adam, campaigning mainly against the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Gaza, may have dropped his Patel surname to prevent Muslim voters thinking he was Hindu.
But he may also have dropped it to mask his association with his brother’s extreme views – and with MEND.
Adam’s Palestinian cause is just, but his links to extremism might damage that cause. If, as it seems, he himself is not extremist, he should renounce these links.
He might lose some support, but with his history he can’t make the omelette of democratic integrity without breaking those eggs.
Jon Ashworth was wrong if he pulled strings to get Majid Freeman charged. Freeman might be guilty as charged, but he’s no terrorist.
No doubt the charges against Majid Freeman are tick-box accurate. But the prosecution – however brought about – is excessive.
Even if Freemandid provocatively urge terrorism and support a proscribed group, he’s clearly not a terrorist.
Nor is Freeman likely to influence anyone. He has some followers, but basically he’s a delusional loner. However, he’s not a dangerous lone wolf, more a sick puppy.
If Freeman’s convicted, a custodial sentence would be inappropriate. He should be (metaphorically) de-wormed, and sent home with a tag and a banning order. Deprived of social media, he might get a life.
To paraphrase Pope: Who breaks this butterfly upon a wheel? If it was angry Jon Ashworth, he should come clean to the court.
The authorities are right to pursue Islamism but Freeman’s alleged offence is small potatoes compared with the bigger and much more dangerous threat of imported Hindutva extremism.
Despite my criticism of Majid Freeman, we share concern about a major issue: the anti-Muslim Hindutva extremism being spread amongst UK Hindus by the Indian fascist RSS organisation.
It’s a shame the UK security services which have crushed annoying butterfly Freeman aren’t equally diligent in response to that much bigger threat.
Hindutva extremism is being actively propagated to the UK Hindu diaspora by these well-organised RSS agencies:
No charges have been brought against those responsible – perhaps because successive UK governments have cravenly sought a trade deal with the Indian government of RSS Hindutva fascist Narendra Modi.
Just to complicate things, on 9 September 2024 the bothersome Majid Freeman was jailed – harshly – for a separate minor offence dating from the 2022 riots.
On 17 September 2022 – on the day of the Leicester anti-Muslim Hindutva march – Muslim activist Freeman was arrested under the Public Order Act 1986 and charged with:
Using abusive words with the intention that violence would be provoked
Almost two years later at Northampton magistrates court on 19 June 2024 (two days before his video confrontation with Jon Ashworth) Freeman was convicted of the offence under section 4 of the act.
On 9 September, Freeman was sentenced in Northampton to 22 weeks in prison – close to the maximum of six months for a section 4 offence.
None of the mainstream media reported Freeman being jailed – not even local rag the Leicester Mercury or the borderline-racist Daily Mail.
It was only reported in partisan media: anti-Freeman Hindu and Jewish media, and pro-Freeman Muslim media. (The pro-Freeman 5pillars at least had some useful factual content.)
How Freeman’s prison sentence will affect the progress of his separate prosecution for terror offences remains to be seen.
There’s also, apparently, the question of whether reporting this case breaches the Contempt of Court Act 1981 by prejudicing Freeman’s terror trial. Having checked out the act, I don’t think it does – but watch this space.
(Is that Plod I hear approaching? Shall I be joining Freeman in deluded messianic martyrdom? As almost no one is reading this, probably not.)
Regardless of that, Freeman’s near-maximum prison sentence is ridiculous. Anyprison sentence for ‘abusive words’ would be harshly excessive. Free Freeman!
UK thinktank Labour Together, newly headed in July 2024 by defeated former Leicester South MP Jon Ashworth, began as a ‘unity’ project but has morphed into a powerful centre-right lobby group.
Originally named Common Good Labour, the group was set up in 2015 as a ‘unity’ project after the resignation of Labour Leader Ed Miliband following the party’s general election defeat.
After leftist Jeremy Corbyn won the Labour leadership election, the renamed centrist Labour Togetherplotted against him (as did Ashworth).
2019 general election run-up | Photo: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images
Labour Together’s fundamentally pompous deceitfulness was perfectly illustrated by its self-important but deeply flawed June 2020review of Labour’s 2019 general election disaster.
The Labour Together review ignored the elephant in the room:free movement from Eastern Europe.
Many Labour voters voted to leave the EU in the 2016 Brexit referendum. According to polls, the main reason was the high level of unrestricted immigration from poor east European countries under the EU’s free movement of people rule.
Having been loftily dismissed by metrocentric Labour as ignorant provincial racists, many of those ‘red wall’ Labour voters voted Tory in 2019. But the 153-page Labour Together review made no mention whatsoever of ‘free movement’ or ‘Eastern Europe’.
The Labour Together review discussed lost voters and immigration as an issue, but the free movement issue was ignored. EU free movement of people was still supported by Labour metrocentrics, including, as recently as January 2020, by then leadership front-runner Kier Starmer.
The Labour Together review nerdily resorted to statistics, claiming voters associated with the leave side had deserted in 2015 and again in 2017, so the 2019 result only needed a small shift. But the reason for them voting to leave was duplicitously ignored.
Since then, Labour Together has gone on to bigger and worse things.
Now funded by super-rich donors, parasitically implanted in the Labour government, and promoting neoliberal private-funding policies, Labour Together makes the Tories’ hated Tufton Street ‘shady’ lobbyists look like amateurs.
soothfairy 