Rabbi Arnold Saunders had been invited to Masjid Bilal to speak
Jewish community representatives have condemned the treatment of a rabbi berated outside a mosque he had been invited to speak at.
Rabbi Arnold Saunders, a councillor in Salford, who uses a walking stick, was left shaking as he was harangued and called a “snake”.
He had gone to Masjid Bilal mosque in Prestwich, Greater Manchester to speak after prayers last Friday, as he is standing for the Conservative Party in the Bury South constituency in the General Election.
He had been invited there by Muslim elders, but a video online shows the elderly candidate being abused before he enters and finally leaves without speaking.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews said in a statement: “We are disgusted by the abusive treatment of Rabbi Arnold Saunders, a candidate in Bury South.
“Rabbi Saunders had been invited by the elders of a local mosque; the video shows that some of the attendees took issue with this and the footage clearly shows the Rabbi was being targeted in this fashion due to his religion.
“We urge all who care about the health of our democracy to call out this bigotry.”
“You are a snake”WATCH the threatening way Rabbi Arnie Saunders was treated when he was invited to the Bilal Mosque in Prestwich, Manchester in his role as the Conservative candidate for Bury South by the mosque elders. That he was allowed to be abused, intimidated and have his… pic.twitter.com/X4PZTsteLq
— NW Friends of Israel (@NorthWestFOI) June 30, 2024
During the four-minute incident, a man shouting at Rabbi Saunders tells him not to “come to the house of Allah” and orders him to leave, claiming: “You justified children to be murdered…when you are with your own people these are the things you say, then you come here and smile like a snake.”
Christian Wakeford, until the general election was called the Labour MP for Bury South and the party’s candidate on July 4, said in a statement on X: “Both Bilal Mosque and Rabbi Saunders have undertaken many years of progressive interfaith work which is in stark contrast to this individual’s behaviour which is totally unacceptable.
Both Bilal Mosque and Rabbi Saunders have undertaken many years of progressive interfaith work which is in stark contrast to this individual’s behaviour which is totally unacceptable.
We get nowhere in the world without dialogue and this is not representative of Bury South. 1/2 https://t.co/EDeuilWuBf
— Christian Wakeford (@Christian4BuryS) July 1, 2024
“We get nowhere in the world without dialogue and this is not representative of Bury South.
“Despite political disagreements myself and Rabbi Saunders have always had an excellent relationship and I hope he is ok following this incident.”
The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester, said in a statement: “Rabbi Saunders is a much respected communal figure and we unequivocally condemn his treatment in this video.
“It is unquestionably antisemitic and we expect action to be taken.
“The incident occurred following an invitation by the mosque to meet their congregants.
“As an organisation we were delighted to invite and welcome members from the Mosque to our Hustings.
“The fact he has been attacked emphasises how individuals are importing the tragic conflict taking place in Israel and Gaza onto the streets of the UK.
“This is manifesting itself in politicians campaigning in a General Election being targeted, abused and unable to freely move around the constituencies they are seeking to represent.
“When politicians are unable to speak about their views in public, have meetings disrupted and their offices attacked, it constitutes a real risk to our democracy.
“We hope that there are no further scenes of this nature as we approach polling day.”
Masjid Bilal has been contacted for comment.
