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Police are investigating a pro-Palestinian group’s social media post depicting Jewish actress Maureen Lipman with devil horns and a pitchfork.<\/p>\n
The image was posted by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign as part of its petition to cancel Lipman’s upcoming performance in the play Allegra at His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen.<\/p>\n
The group said she had a “long record of harmful statements about Muslims, Palestinians and Palestinian rights”.<\/p>\n
However, the Campaign Against Antisemitism charity said the depiction of the actress was a “longstanding antisemitic trope”.<\/p>\n
The BBC has approached Lipman for comment.<\/p>\n
Aberdeen Performing Arts said it was not affiliated to any political stance or cause.<\/p>\n
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We have received a report which is being assessed.<\/p>\n
“Officers are also liaising with partners and continue to proactively engage with the Jewish community.”<\/p>\n
In recent years Lipman has criticised other actors who have spoken out against Israel’s actions in Gaza.<\/p>\n
The former Coronation Street actress hit out at “bleeding heartless liberals” in 2023 who had failed to criticise Hamas attacks in Israel, saying they should feel “shame shame shame”.<\/p>\n
A regular BBC contributor, she protested against the corporation’s documentary about children’s lives in Gaza after it emerged the film’s 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official.<\/p>\n
Last week, after two Jewish men were stabbed in London, Lipman told LBC she believed antisemitism in the UK had reached levels akin to Nazi Germany in 1933.<\/p>\n
She also called for a ban on pro-Palestine marches in central London.<\/p>\n
The Campaign Against Antisemitism said the recent social media post about Lipman was “shameful” and written by “Jew-baiting agitators”.<\/p>\n
They said: “Discrimination against Jewish people has become normalised in the arts: it’s now simply part of doing business as a Jewish creative in modern Britain.<\/p>\n
“The only consolation is that Maureen Lipman knows that she enjoys the support of the Jewish community and is beloved across the country, regardless of what vocal Jew-baiting activists might say.”<\/p>\n
It comes at a time of heightened concern for London’s Jewish community after two Jewish men were stabbed last week in Golders Green.<\/p>\n
Police declared it a terrorist incident and the government’s adviser on terrorism has since told the BBC that attacks on Jewish people in the UK are “the biggest national security emergency” in almost a decade.<\/p>\n
The producer of the play, Thomas Hopkins, said that Lipman was a “national treasure” and that Allegra took no religious or political position.<\/p>\n
He added: “Peaceful protest is a right, but hateful or derogatory language, including towards individuals, has no place in public life.<\/p>\n
“Artists should be free to do their work, and any concerns should be addressed lawfully and respectfully.”<\/p>\n
Aberdeen Performing Arts said it did not endorse the personal or political views of the artists who perform on its stages.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson added: “On this occasion, Maureen Lipman is playing a character in a show that is touring the UK and our stages are in no way being used to endorse a personal or political narrative in this performance.<\/p>\n
“As per our ‘Everyone Is Welcome Here’ ethos, we open our doors to all and ensure we create a safe space in our venues for everyone to attend and enjoy.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n