Councillor in dark over probe into ‘antisemitic’ post
A NORTH TYNESIDE councillor being investigated by the borough’s Labour party for “liking” an article in which an actor made “unfounded” claims about Israeli secret services says she was not aware of the probe.
An investigation was launched after Preston ward councillor Cath Davis liked an article in which an actor falsely claimed that American Police had learned tactics that led to the death of George Floyd – which saw Black Lives Matter protests across the US and other countries – from “Israeli secret services”.
Speaking in an article with The Independent, former Shameless actor Maxine Peake discussed the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. She claimed that police in America who kneeled on George Floyd’s neck had learned the tactic from “seminars with Israeli secret services”.
“The tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyd’s neck – that was learned from seminars with Israeli secret services,” she said.
The article also quoted the Israeli police denying Ms Peake’s accusation: “There is no tactic or protocol that calls to put pressure on the neck or airway.”
It also added the following clarification: “This article has been amended to further clarify that the allegation that US police were taught tactics of ‘neck kneeling’ by Israeli secret services is unfounded. The original version did carry a denial from Israeli police, however, we are happy to further clarify the matter.”
Ms Peake later took to Twitter admitting she had got it wrong, writing: “I was inaccurate in my assumption of American Police training & its sources. I find racism & antisemitism abhorrent & I in no way wished, nor intended, to add any fodder to any views of the contrary.”
North Tyneside Labour Party launched an investigation after Tynemouth councillor Lewis Bartoli wrote to mayor Norma Redfearn outlining his concerns.
Frank Lott, chairman of North Tyneside Labour Party, confirmed the matter is under investigation.
But Coun Davis says she was not aware that an investigation is taking place and that she was one of a number of party members asked to unlike that article, something which she did “some time ago”.
She said: “No I wasn’t aware of any investigation. I do think I should have been informed before the press. However, I understand quite a large number of Party members have been requested to delete liking a particular posting on social media. I happily did this some time ago.
“I assume that more formal confirmation of this is being sought through the normal channels of the party.”
Coun Lott said Coun Davis should have been aware of the investigation.
Former Shadow Cabinet member Rebecca Long-bailey was removed from her post by Sir Keir startmer for sharing the same post on Twitter.