‘Deeply troubling’: Yad Vashem condemns covering of Holocaust memorial in Hyde Park
That such a monument should be under attack – during pro-Palestine demonstrations – is a stain on our society, the centre in Jerusalem said
Yad Vashem has condemned the covering of the UK’s main Holocaust memorial in Hyde Park as authorities feared it would be vandalised by pro-Palestine demonstrators.
The memorial was hidden under blue tarpaulin over the weekend, as reported in the Daily Mail.
It is inscribed in both English and Hebrew, and reads: “For these I weep. Streams of tears flow from my eyes because of the destruction of my people,” a quotation from the Book of Lamentations.
Yad Vashem said in a statement: “Holocaust memorials serve as solemn reminders of the unparalleled horrors perpetrated, during one of the darkest chapters in human history. They stand as testaments to the millions of innocent lives lost and are beacons of hope so that such atrocities cannot and will never be allowed to occur once more.”
The decision to cover Holocaust memorials and exhibitions out of fear from the scourge of global antisemitism is “deeply troubling”, it added. “By concealing these historical reminders, we are only addressing the symptoms while ignoring the root cause of the issue. That a monument remembering the Holocaust should be under attack is a stain on our society and will be distressing to all those who lost loved ones. This development also underscores the need to tackle and combat antisemitism.”
The covering of the memorial comes after weeks of pro-Palestine demonstrations in London in which antisemitic posters have been seen, as well as widespread shows of support for Hamas.
Earlier this month, Gideon Falter, who leads the Campaign Against Antisemitism), was told by police not to enter one of the demonstrations because he appeared ‘openly Jewish’ by wearing a kippah.
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