From the London Evening Standard
A group of anti-Zionist protesters gathered outside an Israeli restaurant in London on Friday evening, with video showing one man being physically restrained by officers during tense scenes.
Footage showed around 50 people stood under a banner proclaiming themselves as the “International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network” outside the Israeli restaurants Miznon on Elgin Crescent in Notting Hill, west London.
Video footage captured an activist using a megaphone to shout: “Standing with the resistance, we affirm that Palestinians have the right to return to their homeland that was stolen from them during the 1948 Nakba [when the state of Israel declared its independence].
“We believe in the right to resist by any and all means necessary, for the full liberation and from the river to the sea!”
A chant then broke out of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.
Another protester, who claimed to be a local, celebrated the “diversity” of the area, before saying: “Zionists are not welcome in Notting Hill.” She added: “So get the hell out of Notting Hill.”
This is a link to a longer version of the Telegraph video on X.
A woman with a thick foreign accent declares “I am a local – I been ‘ere 20 or so years…” Only 20 years? I got socks older than that. Anyway, she commends the diversity, “we are Jamaicans, Moroccans, Spanish, all sorts and Zionists are not welcome here.” I think she’ll find that English men and women have been Jewish in England a lot longer than she has been here. We all know ‘anti-zionism is code for anti-Jewish.
Activist Heidi Bachram added: “There are antizionists outside an Israeli restaurant in
London right now screeching that they ‘stand with the resistance’. They want to destroy Israel ‘by any means necessary’. This is NOT legitimate protest. It’s violent threats.
Footage posted online shows a large police presence appearing to look on outside the restaurant as the protesters blare their megaphones.
The day after the protest, Kemi Badenoch posted on X: “Hatred thrives when authority shows weakness. The Home Secretary promised more powers for the police to crack down on these repeated protests. It’s time for her to get on with it.
“We must do more [and quickly] to combat the rise of anti-Semitism, incitement to violence and public support of terrorism on our streets.”
The Met Police has been approached for comment.
The Miznon restaurant chain was founded by Israeli celebrity chef Eyal Shani in 2011.
Similar protests outside Miznon chains were seen in Melbourne, where chaotic scenes unfolded amid reports of protesters throwing chairs, food and glassware while chanting “death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]”. Three people were charged with assault in relation to the incident.
