Vandals have daubed ‘Gaza’ in red paint across a Holocaust research library in London – amid a string of disturbances around the capital.
Protests at Wiener Holocaust Library
Staff at the Wiener Holocaust Library found the vile graffiti this morning on a sign promoting its exhibition and reading room.
The library is the world’s oldest institution dedicated to the study of the Holocaust, having been founded in 1933 to provide information about Nazi persecution.
It came as pro-Palestine activists caused chaos in central London with a rush hour protest at St Pancras, while the Foreign Office and a UK weapons firm were smeared with red paint.
Protesters and chaos
A group of Jewish people gathered at the station to pray for the people of Gaza before videos appear to show British Transport Police officers attempting to break them up and take their speeches.
An employee noted that the word ‘Gaza’ appeared smudged, suggesting someone may have tried to remove it from the sign before it was officially discovered.
Library director Dr Toby Simpson told Jewish News: ‘This graffiti was obviously intended to cause damage and distress. To use ignorance as a weapon against an institution of learning is stupid and wrong.
‘To lash out against Israel by targeting a Holocaust institution is an action that can only make sense to antisemites and their enablers.’
The library’s CCTV is not believed to cover the area in question, according to reports.
The Tory peer Daniel Finkelstein is grandson of the library’s founder, Alfred Wiener.
He wrote today: ‘I’m so upset by this graffiti attack on my grandfather’s library. Alfred Wiener had a PhD in Islamic studies and cared deeply about Arab people.
‘To see his Holocaust archive vandalised in this way suggests an attack on Jews not a critique of Israel. It’s dismaying.’
‘Stop bombing Gaza’
At St Pancras this morning, protesters held signs including ‘Stop bombing Gaza. Not in our name’ and ‘Jews say ceasefire now’, as dozens of people chanted: ‘Let us pray, let us pray.’
As British Transport Police officers began speaking with those gathered at the station, the group began chanting ‘We can’t hear you’ and ‘let us pray’.
One attendee shared a video to X and said: ‘Police are attempting to arrest Jews in prayer. We shout ‘let us pray’ for Palestine. The police have confiscated copies of our speeches.
‘Others said the atmosphere was ‘pretty emotionally charged’.
Flags, banners and posters were all seen being held by those present.
