Tower Hamlets council in London last month prevented a bike ride raising awareness of the plight of the Palestinian people from using space in one of its parks. We now know that the council feared that this advocacy for Palestine would violate the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism (UK council refused to host Palestinian event over antisemitism fears, 3 August). This use of the IHRA definition demonstrates the real threat to freedom of expression that it represents, ignoring its protection in our national rights legislation.
Palestinian groups, eminent lawyers, academic experts on antisemitism, prominent British Jews and bodies such as the Institute for Race Relations previously raised these concerns publicly. The rights of all British citizens to accurately describe, inform and convey the reality of ongoing Palestinian dispossession, and to call for action to resist these illegalities, belongs in the public space. All public bodies have an obligation to protect and defend these rights, to maintain democracy.
Tower Hamlets council’s decision dramatically demonstrates that freedom of expression on Palestine in this country is now being suppressed. This is exactly what we and many others have repeatedly warned of. This dangerous silencing now under way must stop.
Prof Kamel Hawwash Chair, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Ben Jamal Director, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Salma Karmi Ayyoub Barrister and member of British Palestinian Policy Council, Geoffrey Bindman QC, solicitor and visiting professor of law at University College London, Zaher Birawi Chairman, Europal Forum, Prof Izzat Darwazeh University College London, Lindsey German Convener, Stop the War Coalition, Nadia Hijab Author and human rights advocate, Kate Hudson General secretary, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Dr Ghada Karmi Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter, Mike Leigh Film writer and director, Leah Levane Co-chair, Jewish Voice for Labour, Jenny Manson Co-chair, Jewish Voice for Labour, Kika Markham Actor, Dr Dina Matar Soas University of London, Prof Karma Nabulsi University of Oxford, Prof Jonathan Rosenhead London School of Economics, Adnan Sabah Lawyer, Clare Short Former Labour MP, Dr Nimer Sultany Senior lecturer in public law, Soas University of London, Norman Warner Crossbencher, House of Lords, Mark Serwotka General secretary, Public and Commercial Services Union
