Opinion Piece
Over the past decade, we’ve seen a growing trend of public figures and political elites rushing to condemn far-right extremism, with good reason. The violence and hate spewed by white nationalist groups, neo-Nazis, and others on the far-right fringe are indeed abhorrent and have no place in a civilised society. However, this same sense of moral urgency seems conspicuously absent when it comes to addressing the virulent antisemitism that has been brewing within pro-Palestine movements. The silence is deafening, and the consequences of this selective outrage are now manifesting in ways that are impossible to ignore.
The recent riots across the UK, sparked by the Southport murders and intermixed with anti-immigrant sentiments and Islamist extremism, are not just random acts of violence; they are the logical outcome of a society that has allowed certain forms of hatred to fester unchecked. For months, we’ve witnessed pro-Palestine hate marches fill the streets, often under the guise of human rights advocacy. These marches all too often feature antisemitic imagery and rhetoric, punctuated by endorsements of Islamist terrorist organisations, along with chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a slogan that calls for the elimination of the State of Israel.
This failure to address antisemitism, wherever it rears its ugly head including within the pro-Palestine movement, has eroded the social fabric that once held our society together. The rule of law, which should be applied evenly across all forms of hate, has been selectively enforced. The entirely predictable result? A breakdown in civil order that has now led to widespread riots targeting various groups.
It’s important to note that this is not a new phenomenon. The roots of this selective enforcement can be traced back to the aftermath of the October 7 attacks on Israel, when pro-Palestine demonstrations erupted across the UK. Instead of cracking down on the blatant antisemitism on display and open intimidation these protests directed towards Jews, law enforcement and political leaders largely stood by, either out of fear of being labeled Islamophobic or out of a misguided belief that these protests were legitimate expressions of political dissent. This failure of political will has now come back to haunt us.
When you allow one form of hate to flourish, it’s only a matter of time before others follow. The recent riots, which have seen hundreds arrested and scores more injured, are a direct result of the environment that has been allowed to develop. Islamist extremists, emboldened by the lack of response to their antisemitic rhetoric, have now taken to the streets, clashing with far-right groups who see the state’s inaction as a green light for their own brand of vigilantism.
The political elites who failed to address this issue when it first manifested are now scrambling to contain the fallout. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood recently warned that these riots will set back efforts to rebuild Britain’s broken justice system by years. But this is not just about the justice system; it’s about the very fabric of our society. When you allow hate to go unchecked, when you fail to apply the rule of law evenly, you erode the trust that holds a society together. And once that trust is gone, it’s incredibly difficult to rebuild.
The damage done by this failure cannot be easily repaired. Trust in our institutions has been eroded, and the rule of law has been undermined. The riots we are witnessing today are not just about the issues that sparked them: they are a manifestation of a much deeper rot that has taken hold of our society. And while the political class may now be scrambling to contain the fallout, it’s too little, too late.
Only by confronting this issue head-on can we hope to prevent further erosion of our social fabric. The time for selective outrage is over; what’s needed now is moral clarity and a commitment to the rule of law that transcends political expediency. Anything less is an abdication of responsibility that will only lead to further chaos and division.
Steve Winston is the Managing Director of the National Jewish Assembly
