Antisemitism Watch

UK Jewish Community Holds Memorial Amidst Rising Fear After Synagogue Attack
Met Museum Cancels John Galliano Exhibition Following Backlash Over Antisemitic Remarks
Far-Right Personality Unleashes Antisemitic Slurs After Kickboxing Match

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Antisemitism Watch

Antisemitism Watch is a daily monitoring and analysis program tracking antisemitism worldwide — incidents, rhetoric, policy, and institutional responses — r

📝 Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

Today, we begin with the ongoing trauma and fear within the Jewish community in the UK, marked by a memorial service for victims of the Heaton Park synagogue attack. Around 800 people, including Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Communities Secretary Angela Rayner, gathered to remember Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby, who were killed in the October 2025 attack. Rabbi Daniel Walker noted that the community feels less safe now than immediately after the incident, citing rising antisemitism and a lack of action to address core problems, leaving many members feeling increasingly vulnerable. King Charles sent a message expressing his thoughts and prayers, while Angela Rayner spoke of the "obsessive, intense hatred of Jews" and stated unequivocally that "any attack on Jews is an attack on all of us." Speakers emphasized resilience, with Raphi Bloom noting that their spirit remains, sending a message they will not be intimidated.

We turn now to a significant institutional response in the arts world. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has cancelled its planned exhibition and 2027 Met Gala honoring fashion designer John Galliano. Galliano himself withdrew from the exhibition following intense backlash over his past antisemitic and racist remarks from 2010 and 2011, which had previously led to his firing from Dior and a hate speech conviction in France. Critics, including New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and prominent donors, had urged the Met to reconsider. Menin called the initial decision to honor Galliano "deeply painful for Jewish New Yorkers" and praised the cancellation as the "correct decision." Anna Wintour, Condé Nast's chief content officer and a Met trustee, initially championed Galliano but later called his withdrawal "very courageous" and stated her "full support" for him and the museum. The Anti-Defamation League's CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, had previously called the planned honor "misguided," emphasizing that "Timing matters." The Met Museum stated its commitment against antisemitism, noting that they had consulted with Jewish organizations during the planning.

In politics, Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed faced scrutiny for comments made after an antisemitic attack on Temple Israel. He stated "hurt people hurt people," a remark criticized for implying Jewish people were attacked due to their own prior actions, or that the attacker had a point. His subsequent apology was characterized as insufficient by critics, using phrases like "misconstrued" and "if my statement caused pain." Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to speak at the Republican Jewish Coalition gathering, an appearance aimed at addressing concerns over his views on Israel and his association with figures like Tucker Carlson, who has been framed as "public enemy No. 1" regarding antisemitism. Vance has faced criticism for suggesting Israeli officials manipulate U.S. opinion and for his continued connection to Carlson, who hosted antisemite Nick Fuentes. Some Republican Jewish Coalition members expressed discomfort and confusion about Vance's true sentiments, and prominent figures like Bruce Pearl have stated Vance would need to reject Carlson for their support.

In a separate incident, far-right internet personality Paul Miller, known as Gypsy Crusader, unleashed antisemitic insults against his opponent, King Azoulay, after a kickboxing match at the Kia Center. The Anti-Defamation League describes Miller as a "volatile white supremacist-accelerationist." He was also seen on video appearing to give the Nazi salute, and a Nazi flag was unfurled in the crowd. Marni Mandell, CEO of Shalom Orlando, called the brazen conduct "terrifying." Florida Senator Rick Scott stated, "Antisemitism has NO PLACE in Florida." A spokesperson for the Kia Center confirmed the messaging was not condoned and the flag was removed.

Finally, a new statistical study by the AMCHA Initiative reveals a significant link between academic events featuring speakers who support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, or BDS, movement and the prevalence of genocide accusations against Israel. The report found that such events were approximately 40 times more likely to include accusations that Israel is seeking to eliminate the Palestinian people. AMCHA Initiative's executive director, Tammi Rossman-Benjamin, stated that these scholar-activists' ideas have contributed to turning American campuses into hotbeds of anti-Jewish bigotry.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for joining us on Antisemitism Watch.

This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

📚 Sources

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