Cranky

A man has been arrested after a video showed a Tube passenger directing “horrific” anti-Semitic abuse at Jewish children.

The clip showed a man reading Bible passages to two boys in skullcaps and acting aggressively. (Alexis’s note: He’s speaking directly and harassing to children about how they and all Jews are of the Synagogue of Satan, a phrase that comes from the Christian Bible, specifically the letters to the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia in the Book of Revelations.)

…The [British Transport Police] said it had arrested a man in Birmingham on suspicion of a racially-aggravated offence.

Asma Shuweikh, who was widely praised for confronting the man in the video, said she “wouldn’t hesitate to do it again” and wished more people had intervened in the altercation on Friday.

“If everyone did, I do not think it would have escalated in the way that it did,” she said.

“Being a mother of two, I know what it’s like to be in that situation and I would want someone to help if I was in that situation.

“When he started talking to the child I thought, ‘no, I have to say something’. As a mother of two it’s appalling, I can’t sit back and watch that happen.

“To be honest I thought it is my duty as a mother, as a practising Muslim, as a citizen of this country, to have to say something.

"You can’t just sit back and watch that because I felt that it was just getting out of hand. It was really getting too much.”

Speaking to BBC Radio 5Live Ms Shuweikh said the response to her actions on social media had been “heart-warming”.

…“All my friends and family have been so supportive. But they’re also worried about my safety because I have children back home.

"But when you’re put in that situation you don’t really think about yourself. You just think, ‘look this is the right thing to do. I need to say something’.”

Commuter Chris Atkins recorded the altercation on the Northern Line service before moving to swap seats with the young boy next to the man in the video.

“It was the children that really got me and everyone else, he was just screaming at these children. It was horrific in every sense,” he said.

—

Yasher koach to Asma Shuweikh for having this courage knowing that she could end up being subjected to Islamophobic harassment.

I just watched the full video here that captures about 2 minutes of reportedly 10 minutes of harassment to a child. After blaming Jews for stealing his heritage (he’s a Black Hebrew Israelite), for starting the Transatlantic Slave Trade, for being behind 9/11, for being the Synagogue of Satan (pointing directly into the boy’s face), and for being imposters Ms. Shuweikh tells him to stop (he was also threatening to punch a man in the nose who tried to intervene and was cursing) because there were children. His response? That she should care about her people and that she obviously doesn’t because otherwise, she wouldn’t be wearing trousers. I swear to G!D. 

Again, I don’t know where she found the courage to stand up to him especially after he started leveling misogynistic and quasi-Islamophobic abuse towards him because I’m so terrified of confrontation and antisemitism. 

I hope to have as much bravery as she does one day. 

(from IlmFeed’s twitter)

24 November, 2019

Hi Joy, I hope you see this.

I wanted to show you my sign for the march I’m going tomorrow. You see is in spanish, I’m marching in Colombia. Because the government has done terrible things. It all started with withdrawing from the peace treaty the last president made with Las FARC, the oldest guerrilla in LatinAmerica, then they made a bill that makes the founds for public universities available to pay for the debts the nation has to it’s citizens, cutting (more) the founds for public education, and the last and most horrible thing they did, was bombing a camp in the Amazon that had a High Commander for Las FARC, in this camp were 18 children, who were force into being in this guerrilla. The government knew about this force recruitments, and after they did it, they choose to lie about it for 3 months. (If you want links to the news, I can share them, but they’re in spanish and are heart bracking. I don’t wanna upset you unnecessarily)

I’m outrage. I can’t stand still for this. So, when I was thinking what to write in my sign, I remember your frase. Because I wont forgive them. And I hope this nations doesn’t either.

The government is scare. They’re using force and censoring the media, they’re wrecking the houses of artists and magazines that are telling the truth. I hope this pacific protest won’t costs us lives.

And I’m sorry if I use your frase without your knowledge.

@thebibliosphere

I am so, so humbled and proud that you would want to take something I have written and turn it into a protest sign. Thank you for reaching out and  raising awareness of this issue and for having the courage to stand up and fight for what you believe in.

Please stay safe tomorrow and know that you have friends across the world who are rooting for you. It takes a lot of strength to stand up against corruption.

For anyone interested (and who need it in English), the Guardian had a piece on this earlier today and I think/hope it’s accurate:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/20/colombia-border-closed-protests-ivan-duque

I just woke up and I’m crying

Thank you Joy and everyone, it’s hearth warming to know I have your support. I’ll update with photos latter.

You absolutely do, and again please stay as safe as you can. The world is going through a dark time and we need as many people as we can to spread light and to take hope into dark places.

(And for those who needs it, the original English was: “I hope your God forgives you because we will not”)

Ok, I’m back. The march went well, a lot of people came and my friends and I stick to a group that were singing and dancing.

(Church of Santo Domingo, Popayán, Cauca, Colombia)

As you see, a lot of people. mostly students as we are outside of the University Of Cauca. 

(Plazoleta of Santo Domingo, Popayán, Cauca, Colombia)

that photo was taken from the next building, you can’t see the end of people. 

My friends, top one: I hope your God forgives you because we will not. right one: Bomb, to march this is a bomb (at the tune of La Bomba). Center one: That your privilege doesn’t cloud your empty. 

my friends and I, top one: Bomb, to march this is a bomb (at the tune of La Bomba). Right one: I hope your God forgives you because we will not, that’s me!! I made Those!! Center one: That your privilege doesn’t cloud your empty. 

In every mayor city the turn out was great. Many signs, a lot of creativity, and much singing. 

We had a good time and everything well until the march reach city center. I was at home by this point but I’ve been watching the news and getting things through WhatsApp and social media. We believe police masked as protesters are doing vandalic stuff and making the protesters have fights with the Police. 

In Bogotá, Cali and Medellin, the Police attacked the protesters without warming, they are using tear gas and rubber bullets. In Cali, they put curfew and people are robbing banks and houses (people that DON’T have any association with the protest). In Manizales the police are attacking students and there’s rumors of people being killed. At home, Popayán, the police is also attacking students and they put a curfew. 

I wanted to come with a better report, but things aren’t that great. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow but people are not happy with the government and the police. we’re trying to show everything through social media. 

Thank you for your wonderful words and your kindness. I wasn’t expecting this kind of attention but it’s good, people need to know what it’s happening. 

Thank you for the pictures and the updates, I was watching out for news and thinking of you, hoping you were safe. I am glad to hear that you made it home safely, but I am sorry to hear about the violence that is happening. I did mange to find something in the New York Times about it, but it didn’t go into too much detail beyond number turnouts and the fact that things were escalating and the police were using tear gas.

For anyone who wants it: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/21/world/americas/colombia-protests-duque.html

The world is in such a terrible state at the moment that it can feel like no one is looking, but I want you to know that’s not true. There will always be people who care and who want to help, even if sometimes they don’t quite know how to. Just like there will always be brave people willing and able to stand up and fight.

Thank you for being brave and for being a part of the change that needs to happen. It’s no easy thing to do. Stay safe.

5 November, 2019