Protestor found guilty after racially-aggravated hate speech directed towards Jewish people at Leeds rally
A protestor delivered a sickening anti-Semitic speech during a Leeds city centre rally, a court heard.
Hichem Ben-Abdallah was found guilty of racially-aggravated public disorder at the pro-Palestine protest last summer. He stood a trial at Leeds Magistrates’ Court today.
His sickening comments during the rally included claims that Jews were “stealing babies” and sacrificing them for “evil rituals”.
The 65-year-old, from Morley, denied the offence and said he was “exercising his right to freedom of speech”.
He claimed it was directed specifically towards the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Zionism, not Jewish people in general, an argument that was rejected by Judge Tim Capstick as being “disingenuous at best”.
The Crown said his words amounted to anti-Semitic “blood libel” - similar to false claims made by Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
District Judge Capstick told Ben-Abdallah that his words were “extremely offensive and insulting”.
Ben-Abdallah, who has no previous convictions, attended the rally outside Leeds Art Gallery on the Headrow on May 11 last year.
Like many similar protests, there was also a gathering of pro-Israel supporters in attendance. It was estimated up to 400 people were present between both sides, prosecutor Ella Embleton said.
During the protest, Ben-Abdallah was handed the microphone and made the claims that the Jews were “thieves” and “cowards” and said they even “stealing Palestinians’ dogs”.
He then made the claims they were stealing organs and babies to be sacrificed.
Several complaints were made to West Yorkshire Police following Ben-Abdallah’s speech.
He was arrested on May 18 at another pro-Palestinian rally. He gave a prepared statement to police, accepting he had made the speech but defended his right to make the comments.
He added that he was “fully entitled” to criticise, and denied it caused harassment, alarm or distress.
But Ms Embleton said it was blood libel, which she said was a “serious form of anti-Semitism”.
Giving evidence, Ben-Abdallah, of Moorland Avenue, Morley, said his comments were not directed towards ordinary Jewish people.
He said he was born in Tunisia, had Jewish friends and had never heard the term of blood libel before his police interview. He said he had attended “numerous” such rallies before.
Asked by his defence solicitor, Sarah Stewart, if his comments that day were directed at Jewish people in general, he replied: “Never ever.”
He later said: “Jews are my cousins. They are peaceful people.”
He said of his speech: “It intended to highlight the crimes of the IDF soldiers.”
During cross-examination, prosecutor Ms Embleton asked him: “Do you accept that the words you used could be viewed as blood libel?”
Ben-Abdallah responded: “No, I do not accept that.”
But Judge Capstick said Ben-Abdallah’s explanation was “disingenuous at best”.
He said he was an “obviously an educated man” who had a “great knowledge of the conflict” so rejected his ignorance towards blood libel.
He also said his choice of words were “deliberate” and that it was an attack on Jewish people.
He said the only sentences available were a fine or a conditional discharge.
The judge fined him £400 and told him he must pay £600 costs.