Posters calling an IDF soldier “Labour’s monster” have been reported to police over allegations they would “stir up hatred against Jewish people” ahead of last week’s local elections.
The flyers were among a series of anti-Israel messages put up by Labour’s opponents around Shadwell station in the days running up to the vote.
The picture in question showed an Orthodox Israeli soldier grimacing at a Palestinian woman and was originally taken by Italian photographer Pietro Masturzo in the West Bank.
It was used on the front cover of Italian magazine Espresso, under the headline: “Abuse”.
‼️Posters portray Jews as “Labour’s monsters”
— Alex Hearn (@hearnimator) May 10, 2026
Police are now investigating how political opponents of the @UKLabour candidate ran an anonymous hate campaign against him. Other posters claim Israel control the UK government.
Link in next post ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/PTsHcNCd3g
Ambassador Jonathan Peled, Israel's top diplomat in Rome, said at the time of the cover last month that the picture was “manipulative”.
“The image distorts the complex reality with which Israel must coexist, promoting stereotypes and hatred,” Paled wrote.
According to the Telegraph, a complaint was lodged with the Metropolitan Police alleging that the posters breached the Public Order Act as the image was “selected to appear menacing”.
“The monstrous characterisation is anchored specifically in Jewish religious identity markers, not Israeli military conduct generally. This stirs up hatred against Jewish people,” the complaint reportedly read.
The paper also reported that the police report on the case noted that the posters do not “carry a printer’s imprint or the name and address of the promoter, as required by law”, making it a potential offence under the Representation of the People Act.
Alex Hearn, the head of Labour Against Antisemitism, has now urged the Electoral Commission to investigate.
He said: “In an electoral district with a large Muslim population, this framing has the potential to inflame community tension by presenting political opponents not merely as wrong on policy but as agents of a foreign power associated with Jewish interests.”
And Gavin Stollar, the chair of Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel, told the JC: “The characterisation of Israelis or Jews as monsters for electoral or political gain is as racist as it is divisive. Parties must unite to condemn this type of activity.”
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