LONDON — The U.K. government is investigating claims that two men who survived the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel were discriminated against when they arrived at a major British airport.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said the U.K. would probe the allegations and insisted the country will “not tolerate antisemitism or any form of discrimination.”
It follows an open letter Monday from the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region which alleged that two Israeli nationals who survived the deadly Hamas attack on the Nova music festival last year were detained for two hours by Border Force officials when they landed at Manchester Airport.
“Upon arrival, when Border Patrol noticed they were traveling with Israeli passports, they were asked why they had come to Manchester,” the group said.
“They responded that as survivors of the Nova music festival, they had been invited to share their experiences with the Jewish community in Manchester.
“They were informed that they would need to be questioned.”
The council added: “The only reason for their detention and interrogation was because they are Israeli.”
One of the officials is said to have spoken in “aggressive terms” to the two Israeli nationals — and to have told them, upon release, that “they had to make sure that you are not going to do what you are doing in Gaza over here.”
“The comment upon their release proves beyond any doubt that this individual was motivated by antisemitic intent,” the Jewish Representative Council statement said.
Responding Monday night, Cleverly — whose department oversees the Border Force — said: “We are investigating this.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are aware of the complaint made against Border Force staff at Manchester Airport and are investigating these claims.
“While the facts and circumstances are being established, it must be reiterated that we do not tolerate antisemitism, in any forms, anywhere.”
The U.K.’s border control system has long been accused of discriminating against ethnic minorities, with an Equality and Human Rights Commission analysis in 2013 reporting that Asian people are 11 times more likely to be stopped for extra checks than white people at border entry points.
