GB News columnist enters explosive debate with trade unionist over the Israel-Gaza war
Met Police have blocked a pro-Palestinian march from going ahead after top rabbis and British MPs intervened, and it was argued that the planned route could have been dangerous or distressing to Jewish worshippers at a synagogue along the way.
Trade unionist Steve Hedley exploded with rage after GB News' Josh Howie revealed he was "relieved" to hear of its cancellation. He argued that it would have put synagogue visitors at risk of seeing Nazi placards, swastikas, and talk of killing "all the Jews in the world" as they attended weekly religious service.
Josh, who claims he and his friends have been subjected to hatred on account of their religion on the tube and in the streets of London, argued the only mistake was the Met Police not stepping in sooner. Talking on a televised GB News debate, he began: "I'm relieved and a bit frustrated because it's taken 15 months for police to do their job.
"You have a conflict of rights here, because of course, people have a right to protest, but also Jewish residents have a right to go to our place of worship on a holy day of the week and pray without hearing chants for genocide, about globalising the intifada [the Palestinian uprising against Israelis occuping the West Bank and Gaza strip]."
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Josh Howie and trade unionist Steve Hedley debating on GB News (Image: GB NEWS)However, the debate became heated as Steve Hedley shot back that he wanted to "challenge the completely false narrative" about the Palestinian Solidarity Committee.
He fumed that there was "no evidence whatsoever of Palestinian solidarity organised marches assaulting synagogues" and yelled to Josh: "You do not speak for Jews in London, you speak for Zionists in London!"
Referring to footage shown of Jews being harassed during marches, he argued that "Zionist counter-protestors had set up provocateurs to get a reaction" which they could film, while shouting "Kill the Arabs".
He also argued that Jews had been part of some Palestinian marches - but an enraged Josh shot back that those participating were "ex-communicated Holocaust deniers".
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When he quizzed why he had to explain to his children the reason they were walking past "police in riot gear" to go to pray, he shot back: "Because people like you, Josh, are whipping up hysteria!"
Steve doubled down on his comments that "a lot of Jews are against the genocide conducted by the Israeli Prime Minister", and continued: "Real Jews are on that march defending the principles of Judaism, while Zionists like you are defending the genocide in Gaza!"
Both speakers claimed that each group was intentionally antagonising the other, with Josh quizzing: "If it's got nothing to do with Jews, why are they so determined to [protest] at the exact time [and place] that Jews are having a religious service?"
Tensions continue to run high over the banned march, with Josh arguing it could have gone ahead had the protestors voiced plans to avoid the synagogue and take a different route.
window.topArticlesScript="https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/js/dist/article-top-articles20250107.min.js"GB News columnist enters explosive debate with trade unionist over the Israel-Gaza war
GB News columnist enters explosive debate with trade unionist over the Israel-Gaza war
GB News columnist enters explosive debate with trade unionist over the Israel-Gaza war
GB News columnist enters explosive debate with trade unionist over the Israel-Gaza war
GB News columnist enters explosive debate with trade unionist over the Israel-Gaza war
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