British MP released from hospital after Israel-related assault

Police arrest man for beating up George Galloway, who caused controversy by declaring Israel-free zone in UK city

Yifa Yaakov is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel.

George Galloway speaks after winning his former Bradford West seat in March 2012 (photo credit: AP/PA, Anna Gowthorpe)
George Galloway speaks after winning his former Bradford West seat in March 2012 (photo credit: AP/PA, Anna Gowthorpe)

British MP George Galloway (Respect Party), who recently stirred up controversy by declaring a city in the UK an “Israel-free zone,” was released from the hospital Saturday, a day after he was reportedly physically attacked over his anti-Israel stance on a London street.

The parliamentarian suffered facial bruising, and a broken jaw and rib, according to reports.

British police said they arrested a 39-year-old man in connection with the attack.

“The victim of the assault was taken to a central London hospital for treatment to his injuries. He was discharged from hospital this morning, Saturday 30 August. Detectives from Kensington & Chelsea are investigating,” a police spokesman said, according to the Guardian.

The UK Respect Party tweeted a picture of Galloway while en route to the hospital.

Galloway’s spokesman, Ron McKay, said Friday that the lawmaker was beaten up on Golborne Road in Notting Hill, London, while posing for photos with locals.

Suddenly, a man attacked him and began to beat him up while “shouting something about the Holocaust.”

The spokesman, who said Galloway had bruising and was in “pretty bad shape,” said the man “leapt” on Galloway and “started punching him” in the street.

“It appears to be connected with his comments about Israel because the guy was shouting about the Holocaust,” the spokesman said.

Earlier this month, the controversial MP was questioned by British police in the wake of complaints regarding his call for Bradford, the city he represents, to be an “Israel-free zone.”

Commander of the Leeds police Paul Money said that Galloway had been voluntarily “interviewed under caution…following complaints made about the content of a speech given in Leeds earlier this month,” the Daily Express reported. Money added that “the matter will be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for their consideration.”

Galloway announced at a party meeting on August 2 that “we have declared Bradford an Israel-free zone,” and added that the “we don’t want any Israeli goods, we don’t want any Israeli services, we don’t want any Israeli academics coming to the university or the college, we don’t even want any Israeli tourists to come to Bradford, even if any of them had thought of doing so.”

A Galloway spokesman told the British media that his remarks were in reaction to Israel’s operation in Gaza. “George stands by the comments – he thinks they are quite reasonable,” McKay told the BBC.

“The reason he made them is because there’s mass carnage and mass slaughter going on against the people of Gaza,” he said, and added that “direct action helped in the struggle against apartheid.”

In response to the controversy, Israel’s ambassador to the UK, Daniel Taub, visited Bradford at the invitation of community members, the local Telegraph and Argus newspaper reported. Taub met with local lawmakers, faith leaders and representatives of other community organizations.

Ambassador Daniel Taub holds up his Israeli passport in Bradford, UK, which was declared an 'Israel-free zone' by Respect MP George Galloway, on August 18, 2014. (Photo credit: Evelyn Coster)
Ambassador Daniel Taub holds up his Israeli passport in Bradford, UK, which was declared an ‘Israel-free zone’ by Respect MP George Galloway, on August 18, 2014. (Photo credit: Evelyn Coster)

“I am here because I was invited to come by the people of Bradford, who sent a clear message that George Galloway does not represent them,” Taub said during his visit, according to the newspaper. “I don’t believe George Galloway is the real voice of Bradford. There is a long history of cooperation between Bradford and Israel.”

Two complaints were reportedly lodged against Galloway after his speech. His calls were being investigated by in order to determine whether they qualified as hate speech.

Speaking during a meeting with activists, the Respect MP urged the public to boycott Israel in response to its ongoing military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

“We reject this illegal, barbarous, savage state that calls itself Israel – and you have to do the same,” he told the audience.

Galloway’s comments were condemned by members of the Jewish community in Britain as well as British politicians.

Galloway, 59, has long been known for his overtly anti-Israel stances. In 2004, after being booted by the Labour party for comments on the state of the Iraq War, he co-founded the anti-war Respect Party. He became an MP in 2012 after taking the Bradford West seat from Labour in a by-election.

JTA and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

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