Police complaint lodged with accusation of ‘antisemitic’ art show at Margate gallery

76 Comments

1. as the painting appears to have been done by a 2 year old , i dont see the problem ?

   • I think you are being a little unfair in your criticism.

     Taking account of both the painting and the writing I would say that the artist would be five or six years old !

     This quality of artwork may deserve pride of place on the fridge under the gaze of a child’s mum but I am not sure that it warrants exhibition in a gallery.

     • I have print of Pablo Picasso’s Guernica hanging on my living room wall, how old does anyone think the child was when it was painted?

   • Anti-Semitism is ALWAYS a problem – ask the 6m Jews murdered in WW2. Except, you can’t can you, as they’re dead

     • Thanks for explaining why we can’t ask them!

       • Yes it needed a medical specialist to confirm they are deceased, thank you Dr Jones.

2. Why is it that anything anti-Israeli is always said to be antisemitic?

   A lot of people were horrified by the Hamas October attack in Israel and at the same time believe the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, is excessive. That does not make them antisemitic.

   • I was rather horrified at the Palestinian invasion of Israel…. “when the Palestinian militant group Hamas led a surprise attack on Israel, in which 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

     • Was that the attack that Israel ignored warnings of from Egyptian intelligence services for a year beforehand?

   • Spoken like a true pro-terrorist anti-semite. Israel calls itself the Jewish State, so the 2 are inseperable. Shame on you.

     • What if I call your back garden the numpty state, does that entitle me to live in your house with protections?

       Israel is a terrorist state who’s apparent ‘borders’ have continued to expand for the last 70 years. They are denounced by orthodox Jews the world over and among a plethora of other atrocities; They have killed over 250 journalists and are responsible for 81% of intentionally targeted journalist killings in the last year.

       Perhaps you can tell us why you so brazenly support censorship, terrorism, torture and murder? Dispicable.

     • Wrong again jones, Israel is NOT a Jewish state, at least a third of the population are NOT practising Jews, many are Palestinians and even Christians! The Israeli’s have tried to tie critisism of Israel to being anti-semitic its NOT. Google it to check your facts Jones, Duuurh! Jews are not a race, but Palestinians are, they are Arabs!

     • Israel was known as Palestine for centuries up until the mid 19th Century, but even then it was not recognised as a state!

       • Absolutely true.

3. As much as I dislike the Islamist loving lefty loons in this country is this really that big of a deal? Don’t give it the attention that the “artist” craves.

   The only criminal thing about this is its called art in the first place. Lets not become like the enemy and start crying over everything, and especially something that looks like a schizophrenic child would create.

   • ”really that big of a deal”? Ask the 6m Jews murdered in WW2. Except, you can’t, can you…

     • If the painting was about killing 6m Jews you might have a point. But its not, so you dont.

4. Zoe Strimpel is a typical conservative talking head who whines about cancel culture and everything else until she can weaponise it to try and silence criticism of her precious Israel and ruin the lives of anyone that doesn’t support them

   • Man from Broadstairs – what a stupid comment to make! Get real please

   • ”really that big of a deal”? Ask the 6m Jews murdered in WW2. Except, you can’t, can you…

   • Oops! anti-semite warning!! Man from Broadstairs who’s never been to the Middle East or met a Jew or even a Muslim.

5. Criticising Israel is not being anti-Semitic, check it out on Google!

6. Again, people confusing anti-Israel with antisemitism. It has already been established that Israel committed genocide in Gaza and there is an arrest warrant out for Netanyahu and some of his generals so please think and get better informed before you make these spurious complaints. The police should have better things to do than investigate this issue.

   • Confusing not supporting an ultra radical genocidal bunch of lunatics running Israel with hating Jews. Jews everywhere need to stand up & decry Bibi & his goons-because they are the ones causing the most problems for Jews around the world with their behaviour & also along with the orange criminal who also has no regard for human life or any kind of decency, is dragging everybody including them to another world war, while making an already high cost of living get even worse.

   • It hasn’t been established perhaps read the article again ?
     I’m more horrified this is considered art !
     As of early 2026, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has not issued a final ruling on whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, with proceedings expected to last until at least 2027. The court issued binding provisional measures in early 2024 ordering Israel to prevent acts of genocide, and granted extensions for Israel to file its defence. The case was instituted by South Africa in late 2023. The case focuses on whether or not Israel is violating the 1948 Genocide Convention.

   • I repeat, with zero confusion… I was rather horrified at the Palestinian invasion of Israel…. “when the Palestinian militant group Hamas led a surprise attack on Israel, in which 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

     • Well Alex, perhaps the Hamas attack was as revenge because Israel had been holding hundreds of mostly young Palestinians hostage. It didn’t leave Hamas with much of an option did it?

7. Genocide perpetrators hiding behind the antisemitic claim. Wish Zoe would complain to the IDF for all the crimes they actually commit instead of whining about paint

   • What’s it like being a pro-terrorist anti-semite? I’d ask a Nazi, but they’re all long since gone. Oh, wait…

     • I don’t know why you keep banging on about the 6 million Jews who were murdered by German NAZI’s Jones, do you think this justifies Israel murdering tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian men, women, children, babies, and stealing their land in the West Bank? If you do, and especially if your a medical doctor, which I doubt, you should seek urgent psychiatric treatment, because your obviously deluded.

8. Rather like the people who used to go to Bernard Manning shows & complained about him swearing & telling jokes about non-whites, or Mary Whitehouse’s local sections going to plays with nudity or strip shows & then complaining about the boos, bush, buttocks & dongs on display. The clue is in the title chump, criticise his artistic talent or infantile prose lack of talent instead-but he is hardly alone in the Thanet ‘art world’ for that.

   I do love the right-wing media & politicians love banging on about free speech & cancel culture of the far-left & then as soon as it is something they don’t like they are trying to get it cancelled or denied a platform-the current one being Cadbury’s not have Easter Egg on the box-even though it does! Both are as bad as each other.

9. Unfortunately, many countries have a stated policy of genocide against their neighbors. The Palestinians and Iran wish to destroy Israel and Israel feels its only defence is to destroy Gaza. African Asian and S American countries have the same issues. It has been like that throughout history and art has highlighted it in many forms. Never a 1-sided issue but Human nature is confrontational instead of tolerant and cooperative.

   • Come off it-the Israeli solution is obvious-the two state, they know this & they have been told it by pretty much every politician & of course refuse to do it. The Arab world mostly would not care about Israel if it just stopped all this year after year, decade after decade-like the Good Friday Agreement you would stop 90-95% of reprisal attacks if you stopped dropping bombs, occupying, turfing people out of their homes & then moving in & imposing an apartheid system.

     Iran have done nothing to justify the attacks by Israel & his chair waiter bitch boy Trump-Trump wants to profit off the resources, just like he wants Gaza as a giant Casino & Golf complex built over dead bodies-Trump wants the resources of Iran & Bini just wants more land-with the resources secondary. You notice as soon as Iran threaten to destroy the resources the orange baby has backed off?

     Just like the Palestinian citizens had done nothing to justify the genocide against them-within days of the horrific attack of October 7th he was cutting off food supplies, water, medicine & fuel to them & then spent 2 years telling them to move elsewhere before the bombing in their region started & then attacking them as they did so, arresting hospital staff, having tanks driving around the hospitals, stopping anybody going in or leaving etc, along with delaying or refusing food or medics in & even attacking them before lying about it-unluckily for him some of it was filmed, shooting people coming for food etc.

     • Palestinians have rejected a two-state solution four times.
       1937 Peel Commission Plan – rejected
       1947 UN Partition Plan – rejected
       2000 Camp David Summit – historic rejection that essentially buried a two-state solution forever
       2008 Olmert Plan – also rejected

       You may have heard the little chant “from the river to the sea “
       This means the WHOLE of Israel. Palestinians are not and have never been interested in a two state solution. To suggest otherwise is disingenuous

       • I’m pretty sure you are wrong on all counts. Rejecting a 2 State solution was what? 1937 and 1947 the view was to give jewish migrants (mostly European) land in Palestine wholly disproportionate to their numbers.
         With up around 700,000 Pelestinians forcibly evicted from their homes and land in 1948, with many killed by the nascent IDF, what was the 2 State solution? Israel refused to allow any Palestinians a return to their homes and land. Since 1948 Israel has continued to colonise, steal, invade more areas where Plestinians lived.
         Think on this, you get turfed out your house at gunpoint along with your neighbours. You complain, some neighbours try to force their way back in but are killed or imprisoned.
         A man from the USA comes along and tells you all you have to live in peace together.
         You ask, does that mean we get our homes back? We’ll, no, unless the new “owners” allow it.
         You ask, where are we expected to live then? The new owners say, don’t care but not here.
         The USA man say we’ll arrange resettlement in neighbouring areas.
         A few years later the new owners decide to evict you from where you “resettled” but you fight or go? And this process continues for decades.
         Would you be a very happy bunny?

       • 1937 Peel Commission Plan – rejected by both sides
         1947 UN Partition Plan – rejected as totally biased to Israel
         2000 Camp David Summit – Barak who had already backtracked on prior agreements & sped up the settlements even faster than Bib had done previously put no proper offer-only oral ones, no solution for the ethnic cleansing Israel had done previously, Israel would still control the Palestinian airspace, illegal settlements in East Jerusalem would not be negotiated, even a high ranking state department official stated the US acted as Israel’s lawyer & were not even.
         2008 Olmert Plan – Abbas had already been told that Bibi would not honour any deal signed with the besieged lame duck president Olmert. Abbas had issues with it-such as Ariel & the refugee numbers, but it was put on hold, Bibi of course refused to carry on talks when he was back as leader

         Yes-this saying has also been used by the Israeli right, the Likud party in 1977 & including Bibi of course. Israel has never been interested in it, Netanyahu has said he has never been interested in it, methinks you are being disingenuous.

     • Just like the Palestinian citizens had done nothing to justify the genocide against them-within days of the horrific attack of October 7th….

       RAND reports indicate that in the late 1970s, Palestinian groups were responsible for half of the international embassy operations (bombings and attacks).

       (RAND is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that provides leaders with the information they need to make evidence-based decisions.)

       Can anyone tell me how many Israeli terrorist attacks have taken place in the world…asking for a friend.

       • Exactly this
         I lost sympathy with the Palestinian cause when the poor broken body of Shani Louk was paraded through the streets and civilians cheered and spat on her. This was someone’s daughter at a music festival !! The bodies of the Bibas babies handed back in coffins and civilians took their children to view this event like it was a day out in the park and cheered ! Animals that celebrate life over death

       • Exactly this
         I lost sympathy with the Palestinian cause when the poor broken body of Shani Louk was paraded through the streets and civilians cheered and spat on her. This was someone’s daughter at a music festival !! The bodies of the Bibas babies handed back in coffins and civilians took their children to view this event like it was a day out in the park and cheered ! Animals that celebrate DEATH over life

         • I recall reading, I think Marx or Engels, when a point was made about “the revolution”. It said the longer capitalist exploitation lasted the more violent the revolution would be. Not because the proletariat were “animals” but because firstly, the capitalist state would use violence against any actions that threatened their power and money, and secondly the lust for revenge by the exploited would be very hard to temper.
           I think Lenin also made this point when talking about Bolshevik Cadres and their role in educating the proletariat so they would replace revenge with organised action.
           It didn’t work well for the USSR, I know, but I do think it makes a good argument about why such violence happens. Not justifying it but explaining why.

       • Well, Up to 1948 three “terrorist” jewish groups in Palestine had bombed Hotels, hung two British Army Sargents and murdered the UN officer meant to negotiate.
         Israel has attacked the US navy ship, now this is evidence based, bombed their own embassy in London, murdered many Palestinian politicians and activists, used outlawed weapons against civilians like white phosphorus and dum-dum bullets, attacked UN peace keeping forces in Lebanon, etc.
         Now, however, just look at the Israeli newspaper Haraatz for all the terrorist attacks by Jews in the West Bank, shielded by the IDF and with the Israeli police not investigating or making arrests.

         • Why don’t the left ever criticise Putin?

10. People in this country can no longer express their views if it ‘goes against’ the Jews. We can hold opinions against all other people, but we get called antisemitic and get into trfoble if we criticise Israel. It’s time they took the chip off their shoulder, and aslo realise what Israel, their homeland, is doing. We obviously cannot have opinions about the genocide being committed today. Ironic, don’t you think? I will probably be accused of being antisemitic, I’m not. I’m just anti-Israel.

11. Can you imagine the outrage if this “art” depicted (say) the savagery of black people in Africa?

    As someone of Jewish-English heritage (and proud of it), I find the increasing anti-Semitism in this country very scary indeed.

    Peace, Love & Shalom to all.

    • Kool in the Kaftan, love and peace man.

      • Go and buy some T rex

    • If this art depicted the savagery of the Islamist militias currently comitting mass slaughter in Darfur then I for one would not complain. Savagery should be called out no matter the race, religion or appearance of those committing it against their fellow humans.

      • Except it wouldn’t be shown in the first place.

        Shalom.

12. If someone criticised the actions of Mussolini and Italy during WWII it was not taken as anti-Catholicism, despite Italy being the home of the Vatican State and Pope. So it should be possible to differentiate between being against the actions of ISRAEL, a COUNTRY and it’s Government, and being against Jewish PEOPLE, in whatever country they might live. The fact that any criticism of the former is taken held up as a hate crime against the latter seems to be a case of convenient political manipulation to silence any criticism?

13. First off. The image shown is so poorly conceived and executed, why is it anywhere near something that calls itself a gallery. Even Hitler would have termed it “Degenerate Art”.
    As to claims of “Antisemitism”. Absolutely it is antisemetic. Regardless of whether one can argue semantically that one can separate Zionism and Judaism. The very fact that all of the other human carnage on the planet is being ignored repeatedly and utterly by those who choose to exclusively condemn Israel is the absolute proof. None of the “Artists” of The Left are creating posts about women in Iran and Afghanistan. None of them are creating works about the Yazidis, the refugees in Sudan, the victims of Boko Haram in sub-Saharan West Africa, the Uighur in Xinjiang, etc., etc., etc., and nauseum. Their omission of everything else proves beyond any reasonable that these works have nothing to do with human misery, mass murder or anything else.
    It is Jew hate pure and simple. Cloaking it as “Art” renders it more dangerous and insidious than Stephen Yaxley-Lenmon or Paul Golding ever did. They didn’t hide behind a mask of academic respectability.

    • I don’t understand the ‘Even Hitler …’ bit as it suggests he was generally a fan of modern art which is very, very far from being true. Should read ‘Hitler especially’. The Nazis labelled all modern art of their time ‘degenerate’.

    • To be fair, a simple Google search would find you works of art highlighting many of the abuses and genocides you list.
      Why Israel? There are many reasons for this I’m sure. Some of these will be based on the Shoa and the shock that Jews, treated so badly, could be so cruel to others. Perhaps this is a stereotype and therefore judeophobic.
      Like South African apartheid, there were many abuses at this time across the world but some capture the imagination and fury that leads to action.
      And Israel is unique in using the Shoa as a cover for its abuses. Please read The Holocaust Industry by Norman Finkelstein or The Creation of the State of Israel by Shlomo Sand.
      And, crucially, none of the abusers you list are in European sports and cultural events because they understand geography despite their appalling behaviour.

14. Netanyahu Is as bad as Hitler. He has put more Jews in danger than he has saved from harm.

15. It’s similar to the Kneecap argument; I believe that it’s better for an artist to have several hundred per cent too much license than 1% too little. (That’s a view from the centre-right anyway)

    • Can we do an art exhibition of the Prophet Muhammad??

16. Accusations of anti-semitism have been, and still are, levelled against people in order to shut down any criticism of Israel.

17. Beyond the arguement about whether this is antisemitic or not which I find troublesome, I find the arguement about whether this is art or not and it seems the same behaviours apply in both; because I disagree with it I’m going to make it stop, I HAVE to win, there is NO half way here.
    If you’re interested which I doubt you are, Art is meant to make you feel something, that ‘something’ might feel uncomfortable which means the art is doing its job. Just because it makes YOU feel uncomfortable don’t use that as a justification to be rude, nasty and hateful about it. It suffices for you to say that it’s not your cup of tea. Incidentally it’s not my cup of tea but I don’t want it to stop existing.

18. I think it’s all gone mad,everyone hates everyone,everyone wants to harm everyone,most got a massive chip on there shoulders from so long ago,still making life hard for people now,when past has gone.move on people start living,instead of harming and judging.cant say a thing about a Jewish,can’t say a thing about black ppl..freedom of speech my arse.no opinion allowed unless your allowed to say it .madness all crap

19. There isn’t a genocide happening in Gaza, it’s all just more far-leftoid blue-haired anger and confused gibberish manifesting vehement antisemitism, yet again… The quality of the drawings show the state of mind of the total moron who drew it. Free Palestine from Hamas. God bless Israel and the Jewish people.

20. Just looking at who “curated” the exhibition says it all. The libellous term Genocide has been used endlessly despite this being false. If nothing else tells it all, Ireland even tried to get the legally, internationally recognized definition changed in order to try to make it fit the situation so had it been legally applicable, tgey woukd have had no need to try and get it changed. If you want to see who is guilty of genocide , read the Hamas Founding Chsrter: they clearly spell out their intent – to wipe out Israel and all Jews. And listen to the words of their leaders, and the ‘innocent civilians’, including the children who are raised to believe that killing a Yahoud…that’s a Jew, not an Israeli…is their goal in life. THAT is what genocide isis.

21. TDC clearly believe that this is anti-semitic.

    https://www.jns.org/news/world/uk-council-removes-page-promoting-antisemitic-art-exhibit

22. I’m more concerned that this ‘art’ is pish! An art critic desperate to be taken seriously, producing something that you would do on a foundation course.
    Don’t even bother talking about it.

23. Art should never be censured! Freedom of expression is part of the democratic process! Tough if you don’t like it! Matthew Collins is entitled to express his views on the suppression and genocide of the Palestinian people by Zionist colonialists and war criminals.

    There is no justification for bombing civilians & depriving them of food and medical aid. They are even depriving malnourished babies of formula. The actions of the Israeli government are fuelling the rise of antisemitism worldwide. Criticism of Zionism is not antisemitic.

    • Define “Zionism”.

      https://jewishgreens.greenparty.org.uk/2026/02/12/why-jewish-greens-are-urging-party-members-to-vote-against-a105/

      • Peter, The link doesn’t work for me. But Zionism, without looking at a dictionary, is a political movement that wanted a “homeland” for Jews. Initially various places were considered, in Africa and South America.
        One thing is clear, the movement was funded by wealthy Jews in the UK and USA, not so they could “return” but so other Jews would be sent there. This quote by Ben Gurion sums it up.

        Let us not ignore the truth among ourselves … politically we are the aggressors and they defend themselves… The country is theirs, because they inhabit it, whereas we want to come here and settle down, and in their view we want to take away from them their country.

        Once zionists had chosen Palestine their leaders (European, not indigenous to the Middle East) and military commanders (terrorists at the time) knew exactly what they were doing. The Shoa was an awful but incredibly powerful lever that zionists used to get into Palestine.
        From its inception zionism understood and accepted that the Jewish settlers/colonisers would displace any local people by evictions, theft, intimidation and murder. Today we see the logical end in what Israel has done and continues to do in the name of zionism.

        As a Jew and third generation immigrant I feel safe to say the State of Israel is and always was a violent abomination.

        • Why Jewish Greens are urging party members to vote against THE MOTION: ZIONISM IS RACISM
          This is not your run-of-the-mill motion opposing Israel’s actions (something that Jewish Greens would have no problem with), but something much more problematic that is likely to make Jews feel unwelcome in the Green Party.

          We urge Green Party members to listen to their Jewish comrades within the party, and consider whether this motion is appropriate for the type of party they want to be in.

          Especially worrying, and a significant step-change from previous conference motions, is the rather authoritarian implication to not only condemn Zionism, but to actively proscribe members who consider themselves (or who others accuse of being) Zionists.

          Zionism can mean many different things
          Zionism is an exceptionally vague ideology; cultural Zionism for example opposes the idea of a political state entirely. If you ask the Jewish bloc on the next Pro-Palestine march in London, it is likely that many would say they are Zionist while utterly opposing the actions of the Israeli Government. Similarly, some within the UK-based Jewish organisation Na’amod would call themselves Zionists while also utterly and actively opposing everything the state is doing
          Calling all forms or interpretations of Zionism ‘racism’ is painting a very diverse group of people with a very broad brush and in effect, it accepts the most extreme right-wing version of Zionism (aka – Kahanism) peddled by the far right as definitive.

          This is like accepting the EDL’s definition of Englishness… (it goes on, but you get the idea)

          • I’m attending the protest in London so I’ll ask around the Green Block. But I think you are wrong about zionism, it is racist because it places Jews socially and racially higher than the indigenous people’s who lived and live in Palestine.

          • So, safely back from the London “Hope not Hate” demonstration I can say I met no Jews who thought zionism was purely a cultural or faith matter.
            This said I did see a few people on the side lines with a banner and placards calling the Greens rascist due to this motion. They came from an organisation that is pro-Israel and the violence and apartheid it meets out. Also, they looked like the men I see on Tommy Robinson gatherings, waving Union flags while doing Hitler salutes at anyone who challenges their hate.
            I’m uncomfortable about the motion, not because I think zionism can be separated from Israeli violence, but that the Greens have made their position clear about what Israel and its supporters have done and continue doing. So what is the purpose of this motion? I think it may be power politics at play within the party. I’m very glad that our Thanet Greens are very far removed from this kind of thing, leading with compassion, kindness and understanding in their work and interventions.

24. It would appear that this story has reached the Daily Express. Their view is clear. They are not happy with the outcome of the police complaint.

    What I find most interesting about the “debate” concerning Zionism in places remote from Western Asia is its myopic, blinkered and partially informed nature. Nobody ever talks of the Medes and the Achaemanids freeing the Israelites from the Babylonians, returning them to Jerusalem and funding the rebuilding of their temple. Nobody ever discussed Yasser Arafat’s familial connection to the last Grand Mufti of Jerusalem whom the British appointed to that role and, who then made friends with Hitler. The arguments are replete with phrases such as “… rich Jews…” in disparaging tones, whilst omitting the “Palestinian” billionaires resident in one or more Gulf States.

    I loathe all forms of racism. I believe in no invisible friend. Nor do I adhere to any political creed. However, this tawdry exhibition of talentless scrawls is precisely what led to pogroms the world over. It ranks with the South African “Kill the Boer!” chant or, Klan graffiti in the U.S.

25. Watch two Jewish men (one American, one Canadian) covering this debacle. They are anti-Zionist and do a brilliant and very funny job of mocking Zoe Strimpel, Jake Wallis Simons etc. Criticism of Israel should not be banned or labelled a ‘pogrom’.
    

    • Two bearded men mocking an intelligent and successful woman.

      No thanks.

      • Quite!

    • You merely proved my last point.

26. Nazi is as nazi does and the zionist antisemites do nazi so very very well.

27. Wow Garry just wow

    “ They came from an organisation that is pro-Israel and the violence and apartheid it meets out. Also, they looked like the men I see on Tommy Robinson gatherings, waving Union flags while doing Hitler salutes at anyone who challenges their hate.”

    These protesters are from the group Stop The Hate. The clue is in the title. Two members are Baptist preachers. Never ever has this group been involved in hitler salutes
    Spreading this misinformation says all we need to know about you
    Shocking !

    • RB you seem to have criticising the wrong organisation. Those I saw were from “Our Fight”. If you look at their website and pists you can see they are as I described, zionist, pro-israel and all it has done.
      Maybe “Stop the Hate” were at the march but that is NOT who I saw.
      Shalom