Stephen Fry to condemn antisemitism in Channel 4’s alternative Christmas message

nme.com:

Stephen Fry is to condemn antisemitism in Channel 4‘s forthcoming alternative Christmas message.The actor and comedian will point to an increase in incidents in the UK following the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, as reported by the Metropolitan Police in his message which air will after King Charles’ message on Christmas Day (December 25).“Since October the seventh there have been 50 separate reported incidents of antisemitism every single day in London alone, an increase of 1350 per cent according to the Metropolitan Police,” he will say, according to Channel 4.“Shop windows smashed, Stars of David and swastikas daubed on walls of Jewish properties, synagogues, and cemeteries.

Jewish schools have been forced to close. There is real fear stalking the Jewish neighbourhoods of Britain. Jewish people here are becoming fearful of showing themselves.

In Britain, in 2023. Can you imagine, Jews afraid to be themselves in the open for fear of reprisal?”NEW: Channel 4’s Alternative Christmas Message will be delivered by Stephen Fry this Christmas Day at 5:10pmhttps://t.co/tVhb4yoxPr pic.twitter.com/HilaqS25xO— Channel 4 Press (@C4Press) December 18, 2023He will also draw attention to the fact he is Jewish, and how he found himself “on lists of British Jews that some ultra-right wing newspapers and sites have published over the years.”Fry continues: “I’m frankly damned if I’ll let antisemites be the ones who define me, and take ownership of the word Jew, injecting it with their own spiteful venom.