Horns blaring and triumphant flag-waving on the streets of Britain after Hamas’ attack: Rachel Riley leads backlash against celebratory scenes following bloody massacre in Israel
- Countdown’s Rachel Riley condemns celebrations following attacks on Israel
- READ MORE: Israeli student, 25, kidnapped from desert rave by Hamas militants
As the massacre in Israel unfolded yesterday and world figures including Muslim leaders condemned the Hamas attacks, there were cheers and triumphant flag-waving on the streets of Britain.
On London’s Edgware Road, nicknamed the capital’s ‘Arab Street’, cars were draped with the Palestinian flag and horns blaring as if there was a football match victory.
Posting a video, a social media user said: ‘Islamists in London celebrating the deaths and captures of innocent civilians. Monsters.’
Motorists were also seen in other parts of London waving the Palestinian flag in celebration.
Rachel Riley, the Countdown presenter who is Jewish, posted a video on her X account, which showed a number of people celebrating the Hamas atrocity outside a café in Acton, West London.
‘People have been brutally murdered and kidnapped and there are people in London dancing’, said Countdown’s Rachel Riley, who is Jewish, after the massacre in Israel unfolded yesterday
People celebrating the Hamas atrocity in Israel outside a café in Acton, West London yesterday
She tweeted: ‘People have been brutally murdered and kidnapped and there are people in London dancing.’
READ MORE: Met Police confirms increased patrols in London amid fears of antisemitic attacks on capital’s Jewish communities and huge protests following violence in Israel
A group calling itself ManPalestine Action has organised a rally in central Manchester at 1pm today.
There will also be pro-Palestine rallies in Central London being staged tomorrow.
At the Labour conference in Liverpool, a person was photographed waving the Palestinian flag, as the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign held a meeting inside.
British Islamist Majid Freeman, based in Leicester, criticised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s comments saying Israel has a right to defend itself.
He said on X: ‘Israel has every right to defend itself but Palestinians living under illegal occupation and Israeli apartheid don’t have a right to defend themselves?
‘Why is an Israeli life more valuable than a Palestinian life?
‘Palestinians have made it clear today that they would rather fight on their feet for justice and freedom than die on their knees.’
The Hamas attack also reopened old feuds in Labour last night as Jeremy Corbyn was accused of drawing an ‘equivalence’ between ‘terrorists’ and Israel.
The former leader was branded disgraceful for tweeting that ‘ending the occupation’ was the only means to peace.
Lord (Ian) Austin, who quit the party in 2019 over Mr Corbyn’s leadership, accused him of ‘drawing an equivalence between a bunch of genocidal terrorists… and a democratic government trying to defend its people’.
But as Labour’s conference began in Liverpool, Sir Keir Starmer condemned the attacks, saying there was ‘no justification’ adding: ‘Israel has a right to defend herself.’
Rocket barrages were launched from the Gaza Strip early on Saturday in a surprise attack on Israel claimed by the Islamist movement Hamas
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) was accused of drawing an ‘equivalence’ between ‘terrorists’ and Israel
The contrasting responses threatened to plunge Labour back into the bitter divisions of the Corbyn era. In 2018, during Mr Corbyn’s leadership, the conference hall featured hundreds of members unfurling Palestinian flags.
Events at this week’s conference include a panel hosted by Labour Friends of Palestine, which describes Israel as a ‘far-Right government’.
Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy is also due to attend the Annual Palestine Reception at the conference.
However, Mr Lammy said yesterday he was ‘utterly appalled by the news from Israel’.
He added: ‘There can be no justification for terrorism’.
Mr Corbyn was approached for comment.
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