Guardian apologizes to BBC chairman and Jewish community for ‘anti-Semitic’ caricature

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The Guardian has apologized to the Jewish community and outgoing BBC president Richard Sharp for publishing a caricature described as ‘anti-Semitic’.

The illustration by cartoonist Martin Lawson received a review that found it broke rules by not revealing his role in securing former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s £800,000 loan guarantee. It was made public Saturday after Sharp stepped down.

The cartoon features a depiction of Sharpe in a box marked Goldman Sachs, where he once worked, and includes what appears to be Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s puppets, an animal that looks like a squid, and a resume. (Johnson era) included. like figure sits on money.

The newspaper has since removed the image from its website and instead “decided to remove it from its website because the caricature published here today did not meet editorial standards.”

The Guardian said, “We understand the concerns raised.

“The Guardian apologizes to Mr. Sharpe, the Jewish community, and anyone who was offended.”

“obstacle”

Writer David Rich, who has previously criticized anti-Semitism in British left-wing politics, called the cartoon “appalling”.

He wrote on Twitter: “Richard Sharpe’s portrayal in today’s Guardian cartoon fits squarely into the anti-Semitic tradition of portraying Jews with gigantic, grotesque features, and often money and power.”

Dudley’s Lord Austin, a Labor MP before quitting the party in 2019 over what he called a “culture of extremism, anti-Semitism and intolerance”, said the cartoon was “anti-Semitic imagery”. The newspaper was “embarrassed.”

Former Prime Minister and Health Secretary Sajid Javid also wrote on Twitter: A disturbing theme or, at best, a lesson not learned?”

‘Failure’

Cartoonist Lawson also apologized, but claimed that Sharpe’s Jewish identity played no part in his painting.

he said: In fact, I was in school with him while I was collecting Network for Cronyism, but I doubt he remembers me.

“His Jewishness is completely irrelevant to the story or his actions, so it never occurred to me when I drew him. It played no conscious role in any twisted way.”

Rowson adds: It obfuscates some silly ambiguity that makes it look like something I never intended. “

editorial director

Criticism was directed not only at the artists, but also at senior editors of newspapers.

Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, points out that the caricature was born when those who practice Judaism “kept the Sabbath”, referring to it as editor Catherine Viner’s ” It was called a “crime of resignation.”

He added: “The cartoon has now been taken down, and the cartoonist apologetically declared that the catalog of anti-Semitic images… was all wrong, but was waved by the editor. I did.”

Stephen PollardThe editor-in-chief of the Jewish Chronicle states: And I know a lot about Guardians, especially Lawson’s forms. But it still really shocks me that no one sees this and says, “This can’t be done.” For me that’s the real problem. “

anti-semitic column

This is the second time in the past week that the Guardian has been involved in a string of incidents surrounding alleged anti-Semitism.

On April 23, Labor MP Diane Abbott was suspended from her party after she published a letter in The Guardian’s sister paper, the Observer, suggesting that Jews would not be racist “for life.” I was.

Epoch Times photo
Diane Abbott attends a rally against racism outside Downing Street in London on July 17, 2021. (Hollie Adams/Getty Images)

Abbott, who served as shadow home secretary under far-left ex-Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, responded to comments suggesting Irish, Jewish and Traveler people all suffer from racism in Britain. I commented.

she wrote:

“But they haven’t been exposed to racism all their lives. In pre-Civil Rights America, Irish, Jews and travelers didn’t have to sit in the back of the bus.

“During apartheid in South Africa, these groups were allowed to vote.

Labor leader Sir Kiel Sturmer denounced Abbott’s remarks as anti-Semitic and said they would never be accepted within the party.

PA Media contributed to this report.



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