Men charged over antisemitic abuse shouted from car during Gaza rally

Four men have been charged in connection with a video which appeared to show antisemitic abuse being shouted from a car in north London during a protest over Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.

A demonstration in May saw a group of cars adorned with Palestinian flags driving through St John’s Wood in north London.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police said Mohammed Iftikhar Hanif, 27, Adil Mota, 26, Asif Ali, 25, and Jawaad Hussain, 24 had been charged. All four men are from Blackburn.

The men were charged via postal requisition – a legal document notifying that a decision has been made to prosecute – on Thursday 16 September with using threatening, abusive or insulting words, or behaviour, with intent, likely to stir up racial hatred.

They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 6 October.

This follows an investigation after police received reports of people shouting antisemitic abuse from a car travelling as part of a convoy of vehicles on the afternoon of 16 May.

An investigation was launched and four men were arrested later that day and taken into custody at a west London police station.

Over that weekend in May, Israeli-Palestinian violence intensified with dozens of Palestinians killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.

Pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets to oppose the violence and show solidarity in several cities, including London, Glasgow and Manchester.

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