A Black Friday protest march in London against Israel escalated into an unlicensed rally outside an Israeli-owned bakery, sparking warnings from Jewish leaders of Fascist-style street intimidation, JNS reported.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of demonstrators marched down a main shopping street to promote a boycott of Israel during the busy shopping day, then picketed the Donutelier shop. The bakery, owned by Israel\u2019s Roladin chain, opened last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese protests constitute yet another step in accentuating the comparison between the Jew-hating thugs in the so-called \u2018pro-Palestinian\u2019 marches and the actions of the Nazis in pre-war Germany and Austria,\u201d said Gary Mond, chairman of the National Jewish Assembly, in comments to JNS. \u201cNext they will return during working days and link hands to stop customers or suppliers from entering Jewish-owned stores.\u201d<\/p>\n
While anti-Israel protests are routine in London, few public actions have directly targeted Israeli-linked businesses. Mond called the rally \u201cyet another wake-up call to governments to act against hate before it is too late,\u201d adding, \u201cSadly, I fear that they won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
The march\u2019s licensed route ran from near Piccadilly Circus along Haymarket to Trafalgar Square. However, hundreds of protesters splintered off and moved north to Charing Cross Road to picket Donutelier.<\/p>\n
The Metropolitan Police did not respond in time for publication to JNS regarding their handling of the incident.<\/p>\n
Britain has seen a sharp rise in incidents of antisemitism since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza.<\/p>\n
Last week, police in London moved an anti-Israel protest<\/a> away from St. John\u2019s Wood Synagogue after dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the building.<\/p>\n