Fury over Brick Lane’s ‘anti-Semitic’ mural

The mural in Hanbury Street

Mike Brooke Wednesday, October 3, 2012
6:07 PM

Religious and political leaders in London’s East End have today condemned the appearance of a street mural off Brick Lane that has been slammed as anti-Semitic.

A Tower Hamlets councillor complained to the Met Police Borough Commander about the mural in Hanbury Street—in what was once the heart of the East End’s thriving Jewish community.

Tory Group leader Peter Golds is due to meet senior police tomorrow (Thurs).

He has also asked Mayor Lutfur Rahman to use planning law to get the giant 20ft by 30ft work removed.

“I am horrified at this mural,” Cllr Golds told the Advertiser.

“It bears a similarity to anti-Semitic propaganda in pre-war Germany.

“As well as the anti Jewish overtones, there is even the quasi Masonic and dollar bill aspect to encourage conspiracy theory.

“The fact it has appeared over Yom Kippur and the Jewish New Year gives added menace. This is absolutely appalling.”

He is calling for prosecution under ‘race hate’ legislation after receiving a flood of complaints from the public.

The mural by an American artist calling himself Mear One has been condemned by Tower Hamlets Inter-Faith Forum.

Its chairman, The Rev Alan Green, Church of England Area Dean and Rector of St John on Bethnal Green, said: “This mural uses images that have for centuries been used to incite hatred and persecution against Jewish communities. There is no place for such incitement against any community in this borough.”

Mayor Rahman has asked council officers to “do everything possible” to remove the mural, which is on private property owned by a curry restaurant businessman.

The Mayor said: “The images of the bankers perpetuate anti-Semitic propaganda about conspiratorial Jewish domination of financial and political institutions.”

Comments have appeared on blogsites such as Rebel News for ‘dissident analysis for the global resistance’.

These include: “The characters on the two ends of the table are clearly caricatures of Jews—this mural is racist.”

Another says: “The mural is Nazi propaganda.”

A Third reads: “Ignorant racist conspiracy-mongering rubbish.”