A London fundraiser for IDF-drafted students from the Technion in Haifa was moved yesterday following employees of the Apollo Theater, where the fundraiser was set to take place, refusal to work. The employees willing to work the event were doxxed, with their private email addresses forwarded to an anti-Israel individual from outside the company who sent threatening messages, according to involved parties and Jewish News.
The fundraiser, hosted by British author and prominent commentator on the Gaza war, Douglas Murray, was moved to St. John's Wood Synagogue at 2 pm on the day of the event. Despite the last minute, Murray said that the event amassed an audience of almost 1,000 people.
Following the event, Murray posted on X: Wonderful event to a capacity audience in London. Shame on the Apollo Theatre for bowing to the mob. But London’s Jews will not be intimidated and neither will I.”
Well done for wasting your evening screaming outside the wrong theatre you cowards. I’m sure the people of my country loved you screaming at them. @metpoliceuk https://t.co/uQvtMQLcER
— Douglas Murray (@DouglasKMurray) February 5, 2024
Alan Aziz, chief executive of Technion UK, told Jewish News that “The Apollo told us that they had struggled to put together enough staff to work in the evening, but that eventually, they did have a working crew.”
The employees willing to work "received threatening emails and told the management that they no longer wanted to work,” Aziz told the source.
Despite the event's last-minute move, Aziz said that “The Apollo were very understanding and apologised. They did everything possible to try to make it work.”
Protests over the fundraiser
It was later revealed by Murray over X, while quoting a post by Britain's Islamic media 5Pillars, that the event had been protested by a number of pro-Palestinian individuals. The protesters had apparently demonstrated outside the wrong theater, Murray claimed.
Well done for wasting your evening screaming outside the wrong theatre you cowards. I’m sure the people of my country loved you screaming at them. @metpoliceuk https://t.co/uQvtMQLcER
— Douglas Murray (@DouglasKMurray) February 5, 2024
Despite attempts to damage the impact of the fundraiser, Murray shared an X post claiming that the event had been more successful thanks to the "free advertising space" provided by 5Pillars journalist Dilly Hussain. Hussain made headlines last year after claiming that all Israelis should be pogromed in reaction to the scenes at Dagestan airport in October.
Please read. While it’s a real shame @DouglasKMurray’s event has had to be rescheduled. Off the back of Me calling out Dilly Hussain in the comments and raising awareness of the Charity, we have brought a huge influx of donations to @TechnionUK @TechnionLive in just a single… pic.twitter.com/BCfJOVPliY
— Kosher (@KosherCockney) February 4, 2024
Hussain orchestrated the protests, posting on X "IDF FUNDRAISING EVENT IN LONDON TODAY! A fundraising event for IDF reservists is taking place this evening with the Islamophobe and Nazi humaniser @DouglasKMurray. The ICJ ruled last month that Israel could be committing a plausible genocide in Gaza. Therefore funds raised at this event could be funding a genocide in Gaza. @TechnionUK is a registered UK charity — this must be looked into @ChtyCommission TURN UP TO PEACEFULLY PROTEST AGAINST THE FUNDING OF WAR CRIMINALS."
IDF FUNDRAISING EVENT IN LONDON TODAY!A fundraising event for IDF reservists is taking place this evening with the Islamophobe and Nazi humaniser @DouglasKMurray.The ICJ ruled last month that Israel could be committing a plausible genocide in Gaza. Therefore funds raised at… pic.twitter.com/a6AJKbWkTh
— Dilly Hussain (@DillyHussain88) February 4, 2024
In addition to calling for protests, Hussain denied Murray's and Aziz's claims that staff willing to work had been doxxed and threatened, instead claiming they all refused to work.
1. There was an IDF fundraising event scheduled at the Apollo with Douglas Murray.2. NO ONE leaked the emails of staff who worked there.3. NO ONE received threats.4. The staff REFUSED to work and the venue CANCELLED.5. A win for pro-Palestine groups.This is London 2024. https://t.co/kyhfayCQHR
— Dilly Hussain (@DillyHussain88) February 5, 2024
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.