17 April, 2014
While the Sussex Friends of Israel is not a political organisation, the alleged racist attack in Kansas, USA last weekend which left three people dead, the news that the controversial, Thor Steinar clothing store, which was once banned in Germany for its links to the extreme right-wing, has opened in London and the EDL’s March for England taking place in our own city, Brighton, this weekend, require a response.
What is clear to us is that hatred and bigotry, when left unchecked, can lead to violent acts. We mourn the senseless murders of father of 5, Baruch Mizrachi, on Monday night in Israel and of 14 year old Reat Griffin Underwood and his grandfather, Dr William Lewis Corporon in Kansas on Sunday.
While we have taken to the streets for the last 20 months to protest the lies and hatred of the BDS against Israel and the Ecostream shop, we must now also demonstrate our opposition to the EDL and their bigotry and discrimination.
This kind of hatred in our communities, if left unchallenged, spreads to create an environment where racial, religious and homophobic intolerance becomes acceptable. SFI is an organisation made up of people from different religions, political ideologies, sexual orientation and gender. What unites us is our love for Israel and our total rejection of any form of hatred and prejudice.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” Edmund Burke