Group takes legal action against Al Quds speaker

A COMMUNAL group has said it is pursuing a private prosecution against a man who implied that “Zionists” caused the Grenfell Tower disaster.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said it would take legal action against Nazim Ali after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to pursue criminal charges against him.

Mr Ali, a pharmacist who is a partner in a health clinic, was a speaker at last June’s Al Quds Day march in London. Addressing the crowd he claimed Grenfell Tower residents were “murdered by Theresa May’s cronies, many of which are supporters of Zionist ideology”.

The Metropolitan Police mounted an investigation but last week the CPS decided not to prosecute. In a statement, it said: “We considered whether offences of inciting racial or religious hatred or a public order offence had been committed, in line with the tests set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

“We concluded that the evidential test in the Code was not met and therefore no charges have been authorised.”

Gideon Falter, the CAA chairman, said his group had taken the first step in a private prosecution. A magistrate will now decide whether the case can go ahead.

Mr Falter said: “It is time for our community to enforce its rights in court.”

Gideon Falter on the CPS at https://www. thejc.com/comment/