Sunday afternoon drive

Antisemitic and antifemale, too.

A police investigation has been launched after a video was circulated on social media showing antisemitic chants being shouted from a convoy of cars in north London.

Finchley Road, to be exact.

Politicians condemned the footage, which was posted on Twitter and showed the cars travelling through the St John’s Wood area of north London on Sunday afternoon. The cars were covered in Palestinian flags with a speaker blasting out antisemitic slurs and threats against Jews.

Threats against Jews and “their daughters” – which is a telltale way of putting it.

The Metropolitan police said of the incident in Finchley Road:. “We are aware of a video appearing to show antisemitic language being shouted from a convoy of cars in the St John’s Wood area this afternoon. “Officers are carrying out urgent enquiries to identify those responsible. This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.”

This isn’t cancel culture or no-platforming. Screaming “rape their daughters” is incitement.

The housing and communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, said the video was “deeply disturbing”. He added: “Vile, criminal hatred like this must not be tolerated.”

In a statement, Jenrick continued: “Whatever your view of the conflict in Israel and Gaza, there is no justification for inciting anti-Jewish or anti-Muslim hatred. The incidents of antisemitism we have seen in recent days have been shameful.

Yes but focus. It isn’t the hatred itself, which the law can’t really touch; it’s the driving through a heavily Jewish neighborhood screaming “Fuck the Jews, rape their daughters.” It would be equally shameful and unjustifiable to drive through Tower Hamlets screaming “Fuck the Muslims, rape their daughters.”

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