WATCH: Anti-Israel Essex march on Passover sparks fury

Yesterday (Saturday), a pro-Palestinian march in Westcliff, near Southend in Essex, drew sharp condemnation from British Jewish organizations for its timing and proximity to a local Jewish community during Passover.

The "Essex March for Palestine," organized primarily by the group Chelmsford for Palestine, passed through residential streets chanting “stop killing children” as Jewish families walked home from synagogue after Shabbat prayers, according to reports from The Telegraph.

The march, which took place close to the Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation, was described as “deliberately antagonistic” by the Community Security Trust (CST), a British charity focused on Jewish community safety.

A CST spokesperson stated, “Organizing a pro-Palestinian march near synagogues on Shabbat causes fear and alarm in the local Jewish community and damages wider relations.” The group called for swift implementation of new police powers announced by the Home Secretary to curb such protests.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) also denounced the event, labeling it “despicable.” The CAA reported that some marchers displayed support for terrorist organizations banned in the UK and that one of its volunteers was attacked while monitoring the event.

The group criticized Essex Police for allowing the march to proceed despite it reportedly being organized without the required legal notice. “The chant ‘stop killing children’ echoes medieval blood-libels,” the CAA said, referencing historical antisemitic tropes.

Essex Police told The Telegraph they had adjusted the march’s start time from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. to ensure safety and had officers escort a group of Orthodox Jews to the opposite side of the road during the event. However, witnesses reported the march began at its original time, raising concerns about coordination.

Michael Nelkin, former chair of the Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation, expressed dismay over the march’s route, which deviated from the usual path along Southend’s high street to a quiet residential area near the synagogue. “This is the first time they’ve come to Westcliff,” Nelkin told the Jewish Chronicle. “It’s right in the heart of the Jewish community.”

One protester, Amy Abdelnoor, a 46-year-old author and speaker at the march, defended the chants, citing UNICEF’s description of the Gaza conflict as a “war on children.” Abdelnoor told The Telegraph, “We were calling on the Israeli government to stop bombing Gaza and to stop killing children.” She rejected claims that the march intimidated the Jewish community, asserting it was a political, not religious, demonstration. Abdelnoor noted that two Jewish speakers, including one who felt safe at the rally, addressed the crowd.

However, controversy surrounded the organizers and speakers. The Jerusalem Post reported that Tony Greenstein, a Jewish anti-Zionist and co-organizer, faces a terrorism charge under the UK’s Terrorism Act for alleged support of Hamas, following an investigation by Counter Terrorism South East. Greenstein, a founder of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, received a suspended sentence in 2023 for attacking an Elbit Systems factory.

Another speaker, Anna Letts, a primary school teacher, was recently charged with criminal damage for defacing Allianz’s London headquarters, according to British media. Guest speaker Daniel Day is awaiting trial for climbing Westminster Palace’s Elizabeth Tower while waving a Palestinian flag.

The CST emphasized that protesters have a choice in when and where to demonstrate, and selecting this location on Shabbat was a calculated act.

JPost contributed to this article.