ByRosa Doherty, Rosa Doherty
A man thrown out of a pensioners meeting for claiming a comment was antisemitic insists he is still awaiting an apology.
Harry Spillman, 67, who is Jewish, was taking part in the Blackpool Senior Voice Forum, when he claims the chairman, Geoff Newman, made a comments he found offensive at their July meeting.
He said: "We were having a discussion about money and our treasurer was talking through how we could spend it. Mr Newman turned to him and asked 'were you born Jewish?'."
"I raised it at our August meeting and asked Mr Newman to apologise but I was told I should drop it.
"I refused and the group turned on me. Mr Newman told me 'to pack my bags and go'. He refused to meet in the same room as me and called security to have me evicted."
The September meeting was cancelled as the row rumbled on and Rita Walsh, 73, a member of the group which meets at Blackpool's Central Library, said she wanted police at their October meeting.
She said: "It is horrendous that we have had to cancel meetings. In the end, we got security involved. People were in pieces, it was that bad."
Amid talk of deepening divisions within the group, Ms Walsh said she considered freezing the forum's bank account as a precaution.
Senior forum member John Wareing, 69, said: "Harry raised the issue in a calm and dignified manner. For others to describe it as 'frightening' is complete fantasy.
"His complaint about antisemitism should have been put on the agenda as it is a serious issue and now the group is divided. I think it was probably just banter but it offended him and you can see why."
The Forum met again this week - without police and without incident.
Afterwards, Mr Spillman said: "I still haven't received an apology while others in the group have made accusations about my behaviour."