Jewish Group Excluded from UK Anti-Fascist Event Over Political Stance

A pro-Israel group, Stop The Hate Leeds, has been barred from attending the 90th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Holbeck Moor, an event marking the expulsion of Oswald Mosley's Blackshirts from Leeds in 1936. Organizers cited the group's political views, specifically its alleged platforming of a Reform speaker and its stance on the Gaza conflict, as reasons for exclusion.

Philip Marks, an organizer for Stop The Hate Leeds, expressed his disappointment, noting that his father and grandfather were involved in the original 1936 confrontation. He stated that the event organizers informed his group that their members were considered far-right due to their support for Reform. Marks questioned the fairness of excluding Jewish individuals based on their political affiliations, emphasizing that the Battle of Holbeck Moor holds historical significance for many Jewish families in Leeds who he said "stood up for liberal democracy in this country."

The Battle of Holbeck Moor occurred on September 27, 1936, when the British Union of Fascists (BUF) held a rally. Approximately 1,000 BUF members marched to the moor, where they were met by an estimated 30,000 anti-fascist protesters organized by the Communist Party. Protesters attempted to drown out Mosley's speech by singing and shouting, and the confrontation escalated into violence, with stones being thrown at the Blackshirts. Ultimately, the BUF was forced to retreat.

The anniversary event, organized by the Leeds branch of Stand Up To Racism, includes a march through the city. Stop The Hate Leeds had informed the organizers of their intention to participate with their own flags and banners to express their identity and their community's historical connection to the event.

In a response email, Stand Up To Racism stated that Stop The Hate Leeds had "shown to not support SUTR and have welcomed Reform officials to your events." They also accused the group of supporting a "far right government in Israel conducting a genocide in Gaza." The email concluded that the presence of Stop The Hate Leeds would be "divisive" and requested that they not attend.

Marks denied that his group had ever hosted a Reform speaker and distanced it from a national pro-Israel organization with a similar name. Stand Up To Racism Leeds, in a statement, affirmed its welcoming stance towards individuals whose families were involved in the Battle of Holbeck Moor, but reiterated its opposition to Stop The Hate Leeds as an organization. The statement also reaffirmed the organization's commitment to opposing antisemitism throughout history.