Galloway’s Finchley and Golders Green candidate accused over antisemitic Passover post

The candidate for George Galloway’s Workers Party standing in Finchley and Golders Green has been accused of posting an openly antisemitic depiction of the Jewish festival of Passover on social media.

Mez Derak shared The Story of Passover image and article which claimed the meaning of the festival was one in which “God Kills A Bunch Of Babies, Except The Jewish Ones” and “the celebration of the mass murder of children.”

The candidate shared the image, which featured the image of a Jewish man painting blood onto the front of his home, in March 2019.

Jewish News contacted the Workers Party of Britain for comment on Wednesday but has yet to receive a reply.

Sarah Sackman, the barrister standing as the Labour candidate in Finchley and Golders Green ,where around 20 percent of the electorate are Jewish, said: “It is both disgraceful and revealing that the Workers’ Party have put a candidate with these views up for election in the constituency with Britain’s largest Jewish community

“Over the coming weeks, we will work hard to counter this hateful extremism at every opportunity.”

Mike Katz, national chair of the Jewish Labour Movement added: “Absolutely disgusting the person chosen by the Workers Party to stand in the seat with the most Jews has vile antisemitic views. But not surprising. Galloway wants to spread hate and pit communities against each other. We can’t let this hate win.”

The Passover deputation was for an article that appeared on the evangelical Christian website Patheos,in the section reserved for those holding non-religious views.

Meanwhile in the Chingford and Woodford Green seat, Galloway has moved to endorse the candidate Faiza Shaheen after she announced she was standing as an independent.

Shaheen, who was barred from standing for Labour after complaints over a divisive campaign around Gaza, has been replaced by Shama Taltler.

But in a social media post Galloway praised the decision of the Workers Party candidate who had stepped down in Chingford to “support” Shaheen.

The Workers Party have received other complaints about candidates who have claimed British politicians are “bought by Israel”  and compare the Jewish state to the Nazis, and were forced to withdraw Hassan Chahine, the Putney contender, who claimed a  “coven of Jews” had “seized” America.

Galloway has also faced criticism for “blatant homophobia” after saying he doesn’t think that gay relationships are equal to heterosexual relationships.