Britain drops charges against men who took part in antisemitic convoy

Last May, a convoy drove through London shouting out antisemitic phrases in protest against Operation Guardian of the Walls.

VANS WITH slogans aimed at the Labour Party are driven around Parliament Square in London ahead of a debate on antisemitism last year.  (photo credit: HANNAH MCKAY/ REUTERS)
VANS WITH slogans aimed at the Labour Party are driven around Parliament Square in London ahead of a debate on antisemitism last year.
(photo credit: HANNAH MCKAY/ REUTERS)

The Crown Prosecution Services dropped charges on Tuesday against two men who were charged with taking part in an antisemitic convoy through London last year.

Asif Ali and Adil Mota from Blackburn were charged along with Mohammed Iftikhar and Jawaad Hussain after they traveled to London and took part in an antisemitic convoy where the participants shouted slogans like "f*** the Jews", "kill the Jews" and "rape their daughters."

The convoy, which took part in the middle of May last year, was part of a rise in antisemitic protests in response to Operation Guardians of the Walls.

The four men had charges brought against them after a video was circulated showing them in one of the cars with Palestinian flags draped over it.

The CPS dropped the charges of Ali and Mota on Tuesday, but the charges against Iftikhar and Hussain remain for now.

Auction gavel, illustrative (credit: PIKIST)
Auction gavel, illustrative (credit: PIKIST)

"We had advanced the innocence of Mr. Mota from the outset, he has stressed he is not antisemitic and has nothing against Jewish people," his lawyer Ghafar Khan told The Jewish Chronicle.

"We had advanced the innocence of Mr. Mota from the outset, he has stressed he is not antisemitic and has nothing against Jewish people."

Lawyer Ghafar Khan

Stop Antisemitism condemns

Stop Antisemitism condemned the dropping of charges in a tweet on Tuesday. 

"We are horrified to hear that Britain's Crown Prosecution Service has dropped charges against 2/4 men involved in last May's car convoy driving through London screaming via bullhorns -"F*ck the Jews" "K*ll the Jews" "Rape their daughters"" the tweet read.