BBC trailer for show on British Jews attracts storm of anti-Semitic comments
Video aired to promote the ‘We Are British Jews’ documentary is met with a wave of hateful online posts
A short trailer for the BBC’s new two-part documentary ‘We Are British Jews’ attracted a storm of abusive anti-Semitic comments this week, after a promotional video was posted to YouTube.
The most prominent theme was Jews’ loyalties to Israel over Britain. One user said: “At best these people have split loyalties. At worst they are loyal to Israel first, or entirely.” Another wrote: “You can’t really be both Jewish and British simultaneously. It’s one or the other, choose your tribe.”
Yet another said: “Being Jewish and British is an oxymoron. There [sic] loyalties lie with the Jewish people people [sic] and no one else. If these people were really British they would have assimilated into Britain long ago and lost their Jewish identity. They are a nation within a nation as they have been throughout history.”
The origin of the comments cannot be confirmed, but the BBC was nevertheless asked why it did not remove offensive remarks, and said the onus was – in part – on YouTube and viewers.
In response to a query from Jewish News, a BBC spokeswoman said: “As with other social media platforms, users can report comments they deem offensive to YouTube directly.
“Additionally, the BBC implements checks using filters. On this occasion we have initiated tighter filters but we encourage users to also report directly to YouTube if they see something they feel is offensive.”
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