Pro-Palestine group accused of antisemitism after ugly row at cafe near Fiddler on the Roof theatre

The row divided social media

(Regents Park)

A group of pro-Palestine protesters were subject to accusations of antisemitism after entering a café near a theatre showing a performance of Fiddler on the Roof while carrying Palestine flags.

Footage widely shared on social media captured the angry encounter in which two groups argue over the Israel-Gaza conflict inside the café, which is a four-minute walk from the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, in London, on August 5.

The nearby theatre was showing a performance of Fiddler on the Roof, a play about a Jewish man preserving his family’s traditions in a village in imperial Russia at the turn of the 20th century.

In one clip, a man carrying a Palestine flag accuses someone seemingly of Jewish heritage of “Zionism”, while in other clips someone off camera shouts “embarrassment”.

More footage shared online captures some of the theatregoers shouting at the pro-Palestine group, claiming “you are not welcome here” and “I don’t like pigs standing before me”.

The row divided social media with some supporting the theatregoers who took exception to the pro-Palestine group, and others defending the protesters as having simply entered the cafe to purchase refreshments.

The assistant manager of Regent’s Park Cafe was subsequently interviewed by a pro-Palestine activist who suggested the group were actually just customers and not demonstrating at the show.

This view was supported by other members of the pro-Palestine group, who were also interviewed by the same activist, who publishes TikTok videos under the name MigrationFilms.

A Twitter/X user, who identified themselves as Jewish, wrote: “Presumed it was an Israeli theatre company but it’s not. If this is what it looks like, this needs stamping out right now – we cannot be having this.”

A second Twitter/X user referenced the widespread anti-Muslim demonstrations taking place across the UK in the wake of last week’s Southport stabbings and said the incident should receive a similar level of condemnation.

“This is a performance of Fiddler on the Roof,” they wrote alongside footage of the protesters. “So, if you’re busy condemning racist demonstrations, but not this, & you don’t think they should be prosecuted, stop preening yourself. You’re happy with racism – it’s only the target that you worry about.”

A spokesperson for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre said: “The videos that emerged on social media were exchanges that did not take place at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Last night’s performance went ahead as planned.”

The Metropolitan Police was approached for comment.

This article was amended on 19 August 2024. It previously referred to a pro-Palestine demonstration outside the performance of Fiddler on the Roof, however it subsequently became clear that there was no protest at the Regent’s theatre venue.