Anti Racism Group
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The Anti Racism Group (ARG) was formed after the meeting in February 2009 called to discuss the sharp rise in anti-semitism following the Gaza conflict. The group was formed by volunteers and has met roughly every month to discuss and formulate terms of reference, strategy and modus operandi.
The group chose the name “Anti Racism” rather than “Anti-Semitism” because it was felt that the term “anti-Semitism” had become belittled and diminished and that the term “Anti Racism” would have greater impact and remind people that discrimination against Jews was still racism.
The aim of the group is to help our community deal with anti-Semitism.We shall be providing support, information, organising and assisting a variety of communal events and initiatives as well as protesting where appropriate. The group is not an alternative to CST or the police. If you have been subjected to any form of anti-Semitic abuse, you should still report it to the police and CST.
We operate on a reactive as well as pro-active basis, responding to incidents as well as holding or supporting events in the community.Our focus is the local community including the university. We do not intend to get involved in national issues nor do we have the resources to do so. However, we will co-operate and collaborate with other groups similar to ours in other communities as well as with national organisations like the CST. We do not want to “reinvent the wheel” or tread on anyone else’s toes. Instead, if we discover we are doing so, we will step back and support existing work.
There have been a number of incidents this year, especially on campus. We are keeping in contact with the students and pass on information when we hear of anything. We successfully organised, at very short notice, a stall for the Bereaved Families charity at the “One World” fair at the Town Hall to counteract a Palestinian stall organised by the Oxford Palestinian Solidarity Campaign. Our aim at these types of events is to provide information about what is really happening to counter those who do not believe in peaceful co-existence and want to deligitimise Jews and Israel. We are not an Israel advocacy group and have no issue with criticism of Israel provided it is legitimate and balanced. We are about helping the local Jewish community defend itself against anti-semitism. However, as the 2006 Parliamentary report into anti-Semitism determined, unbalanced portrayal of Israel does lead to increased racism against Jews. So we end up having to deal with attacks against Israel in order to prevent attacks against Jews.
Although attacks from Islamists are the most high profile at the moment, our old enemies on the far right and far left have not gone away. Moreover, we still experience daily “low-level” anti-Semitism, in schools, in the media, socially, commercially and at work.
We are not “self-appointed experts”. What we do see our role as is to provide a focal point for the gathering and dissemination of information, and as a source of advice and support. It is really important to collect this information as there are groups and individuals who believe that there is no anti-Semitism in Oxford. We also want to hear about events planned that may lead to an increase in anti-Semitic incidents.
So if you wish to tell us about any anti-Semitism or anti-Zionism, we can be contacted by email at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
All information will be treated in confidence and no action will be taken without your consent.