Tag: Glasgow Jewish Representative Council

Statement following guilty verdict for Scottish Palestine Campaign founder Mick Napier

From JEWISH COUNCIL OF SCOTLAND and GLASGOW JEWISH REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL

“Glasgow Jewish Representative Council and the Jewish Council of Scotland welcome yesterday’s Glasgow Sheriff Court verdict finding Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign founder member Mick Napier guilty of a racially aggravated breach of Section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010.

“As reported in the media, we understand that Mr Napier was found guilty of having behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm, aggravated by prejudice related to religion, or a social or cultural group with a perceived religious affiliation, in this case directed towards Sammy Stein – a Jewish person.

“There must be no place for antisemitism – in any guise – in Scotland.”

Henry Lovat President, Glasgow Jewish Representative CouncilTimothy Lovat Chair, Jewish Council of Scotland

Israeli genocide cheerleaders secure conviction against lifelong anti-racist and Palestine solidarity organiser

STATEMENT from SCOTTISH PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN

Palestinian protest Edinburgh 17th oct’ 2015

In Glasgow’s Sheriff Court today (Tuesday 23 December), Sheriff John McCormick handed down a shocking verdict, finding SPSC founding member Mick Napier guilty of racism for verbally calling out the leader of Glasgow Friends of Israel.

The same sheriff jailed five activists last August for trying to interdict the supply of arms from Thales in Govan to the genocidal Israeli military.

The pro-Israel group whose leader made the complaint of racism on which the police, prosecutors and sheriff acted,

  • described Palestinians murdered by Israel as “euthanised”
  • welcomed the 2019 mass murder of 51 Muslims in New Zealand as “payback for what they have done around the world”
  • discussed how a Muslim lawyer, who supported Palestine, “should be strangled with her own scarf”
  • called two anti-Zionist rabbis “disgusting Jews”

The complainer, Sammy Stein, joined a recent anti-asylum seeker, pro-genocide demonstration organised by Tommy Robinson supporters in Glasgow and worked with a well-known fascist, antisemite and holocaust denier to harass Palestine supporters.

An appeal against conviction and the £600 fine has been lodged.

SPSC will continue our work to expose Glasgow Friends of Israel, including Sammy Stein, as the genocide deniers and cheerleaders that they are. They work in collaboration with Israeli government officials to target SPSC, our members and partners, because the international Palestine solidarity movement to boycott and isolate Israel is growing and making an impact.

It is critical that we continue to organise and build the movement in Scotland – if you are not already an SPSC member, you can join here.

You can also support our Fighting Fund appeal here – to be effective, we must also defend our rights.

Our fight continues. Look out for notices about hunger striker and wider court support.

PICTURE: Craig McLean

‘Deep Concern’ over Flag-Raising

Joint Statement from Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, Jewish Council of Scotland and Board of Deputies of British Jews in Response to Planned Annual Palestinian Flag-Raising In Glasgow:

“We are deeply concerned by the combined Palestine-Saltire flags being flown on council property in Scotland.

“This campaign is politicising public property in way that appears intentionally divisive, causing significant distress to many within the Jewish community, particularly in Glasgow and Edinburgh.”

“We are also troubled that Glasgow City Council’s 2024 decision to introduce an annual Palestinian flag-raising linked with the UN’s International Day of Solidarity has, in the current climate, contributed to the concerns felt within the Jewish community.

“These developments have highlighted the need for careful, sensitive decision-making in civic spaces.  As we have consistently raised with local and Scottish government, it is vital that the Israel-Palestine conflict is not imported into civic spaces in ways that risk deepening division.  Local authorities should instead prioritise fostering community cohesion and mutual respect.

“Every community in Scotland must have confidence that civic decisions are guided by fairness, balance and a commitment to mutual respect.  We remain committed to working constructively with both councils and the Scottish government to ensure that all communities feel safe and respected.”

Attack on Heaton Hebrew Congregation: A Statement

Attack on Heaton Hebrew Congregation: Statement from Timothy Lovat, Chair, Jewish Council of Scotland, Henry Lovat, President, Glasgow Jewish Representative Council and Matthew Shaps, Chair, Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation (written 2nd October 2025, following the conclusion of Yom Kippur):

“We are devastated by the terrorist attack that took place this morning at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester, on Yom Kippur.

The victims, their families, and the entire Manchester Jewish community are in our thoughts and prayers during this time of profound grief and fear.

This awful attack is a tragic reminder of the manner in which hatred and intolerance towards Jewish people – whether put explicitly as such or directed (nominally) at “Zionists” or other euphemisms – can translate into deadly acts of violence aimed at our community.

Sentiments of concern and condolence from those whose words and conduct have previously increased rather than addressed the fears of our community, will inevitably ring hollow.

Rather, to be meaningful any words of concern must now be matched by substantive action to confront and combat antisemitism in all its forms.

Anti-Jewish sentiment and communal fears in the UK have been stoked by our political leaders’ use of inflammatory and irresponsible language about the ongoing, tragic conflict in Israel and Gaza.

With this in mind, we call on political and community leaders across Scotland to act urgently to stop fanning the flames of hatred, and – once again – to work with and alongside, rather than vilifying and alienating, the Jewish community of Scotland, to support rather than undermine community cohesion across our nation. 

We thank Police Scotland for their continued engagement with and support for Jewish communities across Scotland at this extremely fraught juncture. 

Last, we would once again urge all members of the community attending synagogues or other community premises to follow all instructions from police and security, and in particular not to congregate outside communal premises and to keep doors closed at all times.”