Fly-posters use bus stops to deliver anti-Israel slur

BUS STOPS across London have been defaced with anti-Israel posters mocking the IHRA definition of antisemitism, after Labour’s decision to adopt it.

At least four shelters — Elephant and Castle, Waterloo Bridge, Bloomsbury and Westminster, across the road from Parliament itself — have seen posters placed on advertising hoardings saying: “Israel is a racist endeavour”

The IHRA gives one example of contemporary antisemitism as calling “the state of Israel... a racist endeavour”.

JC Decaux, the advertising firm which owns a number of the hoardings, attacked the messages as “vandalism” and said the hoardings would be “reposted soon.”

Saul Schneider spotted one of them in Southampton Row, Bloomsbury.

“I see it as clear evidence that Labour’s inability/unwillingness to deal with antisemitism gives credibility to these views,” he said. “It’s so worrying that people just walk by and take it in. “

He reported it to the company that owns the site but said he had heard nothing back, and is hoping the police will take action.

Another onlooker, James Robertson, said he had seen one in Elephant and Castle while on his lunch break.

“It must surely be a response from somebody who is dissatisfied with the Labour Party adopting the full definition of antisemitism,” he said. “I’m sure it’s gone up overnight. I think it’s very sad that the next day you get people putting up posters that are clearly inflammatory.”

Social media suggested that a group called London Palestine Action was behind the stunt, with the group tweeting photos of the defaced busstops along with messages such as “70 years of UK govt-approved dispossession, destruction and displacement. Israel is a #racistendeavour.”

A Transport for London spokesperson said: “These adverts are absolutely not authorised by TfL or our advertising partner JCDecaux. It is fly posting and therefore an act of vandalism which we take extremely seriously. We have instructed our contractors to remove any of these posters found on our network immediately.” Defaced: the shelter outside Elephant and Castle tube station

It’s an act of vandalism that we take very seriously’