Two men have been charged with behaviour likely to stir up racial hatred for allegedly threatening to kill Jews at an anti-Israel protest in London during the 2021 conflict between Hamas and Israel, the Metropolitan Police have confirmed.
They are accused of chanting slogans that refer to a massacre of Jews by a Muslim army at the seventh-century battle of Khaybar in Arabia. It has long been acknowledged by police and the Crown Prosecution Service that the chant, which is often heard at anti-Israel protests in Britain, amounts to incitement to racial hatred, but until now, prosecutions have been rare.
Khaldoun Ahmad El-Ali, 27, and Mohammad Jihad Al Safi, 25 have been bailed to appear at Westminster magistrates court on May 17. If convicted they face a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
The Arabic chant, “Khaybar, Khaybar Ya Yahud, Jaish Mohammed Sauf Ya’ud” means “Watch Out Jews, Remember Khaybar, the Army of Mohammed is returning”.
