4 UK pro-Palestinian convoy suspects in court over call to rape Jewish women
Lawyers indicate activists will deny charges; the men allegedly shouted ‘F*** their mothers, rape their daughters’ with loudspeakers while driving through Jewish area in May
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Four men in Britain who were indicted for allegedly shouting antisemitic abuse and threats during a pro-Palestinian protest in north London earlier this year, appeared in court on Wednesday where their lawyers indicated they would deny the charges.
Mohammed Iftikhar Hanif, 27, Jawaad Hussain, 24, Asif Ali, 25 and Adil Mota, 26, all from the northwestern town of Blackburn, were charged by police last month with “using threatening, abusive or insulting words, or behavior, with intent, likely to stir up racial hatred.”
The men were arrested after a video circulated on social media in May which appeared to show antisemitic abuse being shouted from a car traveling in a convoy decorated with Palestinian flags.
In the video, cars with Palestinian flags are seen driving through areas of the British capital with many Jewish residents, while protesters honk their horns and scream “F*** their mothers, rape their daughters.”
The four appeared before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday only to confirm their identities. Their lawyers indicated they would all be denying the charges police made last month. according to reports.
Prosecutor Kathryn Selby said the four defendants traveled to London to attend a protest under the name of “Convoy for Palestine,” and on their way back, went out of their way to travel through a known Jewish area where the men allegedly yelled the abusive slogans
The convoy has also been spotted near Brent Cross and Golders Green.https://t.co/9BaOqxuL8a
Video: pic.twitter.com/lO0uKMjsax
— Jewish News (@JewishNewsUK) May 16, 2021
The suspects’ plea hearing and trial will take place on November 3, according to the Jewish News website.
The Community Security Trust, a Jewish watchdog and security group, linked the incident to anti-Israel protests held in London by pro-Palestinian protesters amid the 11-day conflict in May between Israel and Hamas terror group in Gaza.
The protest was one of several held across Britain in response to the worst violence in years between Israel and Palestinian terrorists, and prompted an increased police presence in Jewish areas of the British capital.
⚖️ // Four men from Blackburn – Mohammed Iftikhar Hanif, 27, Jawaad Hussain, 24, Asif Ali, 25 and Adil Mota, 26, have appeared in court, accused of shouting antisemitic abuse from a convoy of cars with Palestinian flags on in May.https://t.co/zUDE6eGJ27 pic.twitter.com/zRcAfN7cG9
— Jewish News (@JewishNewsUK) October 7, 2021
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson denounced the incident at the time.
“There is no place for antisemitism in our society,” he tweeted. “I stand with Britain’s Jews who should not have to endure the type of shameful racism we have seen today.”
The Times of Israel Community.