‘Antisemitic’ union leader: I'd 'throw a party' if British PM dies
Hedley faced accusations of antisemitism last year for telling a British activist who combats Jew hatred, "You are a modern-day Nazi.”
By BENJAMIN WEINTHALBritain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson(photo credit: REUTERS)
BERLIN - The British Rail, Maritime and Transport trade union suspended its No. 2 leader on Friday after he said he would "throw a party" if UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson dies of coronavirus.The Evening Standard reported the comments of the now suspended union official, Steve Hedley.Hedley's euphoria about celebrating Johnson's death comes after the prime minister was admitted into an intensive care unit as he fought the deadly coronavirus.The union official faced accusations of antisemitism last year for telling a British activist who combats Jew hatred, "You are a modern-day Nazi.”A 2011 video showed Hedley’s anti-Jewish comment at a pro-Palestinian meeting. His rant targeted the prominent British activist and defender of the Jewish state, Richard Millet.According to a transcript of Hedley’s diatribe, he said to Millet, “You're an absolute disgrace to the Jewish people. You are a modern-day fascist, you are a modern-day Nazi, by supporting those policies that oppress a… minority in your own state.”Hedley continued that “What the Nazis did to you, you're doing to the Palestinians.”According to The Daily Mail, Millet responded: “Feel better?”Hadley answers: “Better than you, obviously. But then again, you're one of the chosen people, so you might feel better than me, huh?”Millet responded: “So it's about being Jewish?" Hedley then commented that “it's about being a Zionist.”
Ian Austin, a former UK Labour MP, said at the time about Hedley: “Here we go again. Yet another of Jeremy Corbyn's closest associates spewing out racist poison.This is antisemitism, pure and simple.”Corbyn was the head of the British Labour Party.The Blog Harry's Place reported in 2011 that Hedley supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign targeting Israel.The Austrian and German parliaments classifed BDS as antisemitic. Hedley earned nearly $125,000 a year.
