Solidarity with Dan – No To Defamation & Anti-Semitic Abuse!

WHAT HAPPENED TO ME

On 13th February 2020 I stood as a Labour Party candidate in the Borehamwood Kenilworth by-election for Hertsmere Borough Council. After a vicious, libellous smear campaign by Hertsmere Conservatives or their supporters, I was defeated despite having come within one vote of winning in the same ward just 8 months ago. Some of the individuals and groups concerned highlighted the fact that I am Jewish. This incited relentless and vile anti-Semitic abuse on social media, the worst I have received in my life.

I was told to “die in the gas chambers”, that I am a “Jewish C**t”, and “a lying Nazi.” I also received harassment at my work email, and a threatening message purportedly from Hertsmere Conservative councillor mentioning my soon to be born baby. Other anti-Semitic tropes were propagated. I was also branded a “terrorist sympathiser,” “a Marxist” and lies were spread about my political affiliations.

The hate campaign began when Conservative Councillors dragged up a story from many years ago that I had signed a letter defending then Labour Leadership candidate, Jeremy Corbyn against claims that he was anti-Semitic. They began sharing this 2015 story on social media, then the Jewish Chronicle published an article on it four days before the election on 10th February 2020. The timing of its publication delivered maximum damage to my campaign chances.

The seemingly orchestrated defamation campaign continued with the Conservative Candidate writing a defamatory letter under the Conservative Party logo. This was delivered the next day to homes in the part of the ward with a high Jewish population. An advert was placed outside Elstree & Borehamwood rail station on a large LCD screen owned by another Conservative Councillor, with my face and a red rosette mentioning Hezbollah. As I mentioned to The Independent, seeing that tore me in half. Several Conservative councillors posted grossly offensive things, labelling me “the worst anti-Semite,” and me and other left-wing Jewish people as “self-hating Jews.”

I have reported Hertsmere Conservatives to the police for incitement to racial hatred. They are currently investigating the anti-Semitic abuse that I received.

IMPACT

This hate campaign has been deeply painful. Members of my family also received abuse and it has brought a lot of stress to my heavily pregnant wife. My name has been dragged through the mud in the Jewish community, a community that I love and have volunteered and worked for most of my life. They have defamed me and tarnished my reputation in my local area. My opponents decided to politically execute me, just for wanting to make my town a better place, some seemingly because I am both Jewish and in the Labour Party.

The validity of the entire local democratic process is in question and I fully expect the guilty parties that hold public office to be investigated by Hertsmere Borough Council.

SOLIDARITY & MEDIA COVERAGE

What happened to me has been widely reported in the national media, including The Independent, Jewish News, I-News and Jewish Chronicle.

I have deeply moved by the outpouring of support from friends, family, hundreds of strangers I have never met, from MPs, trade union branches, from the national Labour Party and my Liberal Democrat and Green Party opponents. The Board of Deputies of British Jews sent me a tweet of support, as have several rabbis and left-wing Jewish groups. Hertsmere Conservatives have been left isolated and humiliated as people have come together to say that defamation and anti-Semitic abuse is unacceptable in British politics.

WHY I NEED YOUR SUPPORT

I need your donation to help cover my legal costs. The criminal case is underway and I also intend to pursue a defamation claim. The initial costs may rise considerably depending on how the case proceeds. Whether you are an individual, trade union branch or other organisation, your support would mean a huge amount to me. Any funds raised in excess of these costs will go to campaigning to defend Jewish people in the Labour Party from abuse.

This is the third election campaign in a row that Hertsmere Conservatives or their councillors have sought to defame Jewish Hertsmere Labour Party candidates. I want to make sure that no Jewish person who stands for election ever has to endure this kind of abuse again, whether in my area or the rest of the UK. We cannot, we will not let hate win.

Thank you so much in advance for your generosity.

Yours in peace and love

Dan Ozarow