A prospective Green Party councillor has provoked widespread condemnation after promoting conspiracy theories suggesting last week’s arson attack on Jewish community ambulances was staged by Jews themselves.
Tope Olawoyin, standing for election in Havering at May’s local elections, shared social media posts claiming the Golders Green incident was a “false flag” operation and an “inside job” carried out by “a fellow Jew.”
The Campaign Against Antisemitism described her comments as “straight out of Nazi Germany,” declaring: “This is a major moment for the Green Party to decide what it is and which side of morality it wants to be on.”
Counter-terrorism officers are investigating the attack, which destroyed four ambulances belonging to the Hatzola charity in north London, as a potential antisemitic hate crime. Two British men, aged 47 and 45, have been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and bailed until April.
Following the arrests, Ms Olawoyin claimed on social media: “I can say with almost absolute certainty that the men arrested are white, probably even Jewish.”
The incident has drawn political condemnation across the spectrum, though Ms Olawoyin—a member of the Green Party’s London executive board and close ally of leader Zack Polanski—appeared to suggest the attack was orchestrated to blame opponents.
Her comments emerge amid mounting pressure on the Greens over allegations the party has failed to adequately confront antisemitism within its ranks. Recently leaked WhatsApp messages revealed Green activists describing Jewish people as “an abomination to this planet.”
Party leadership distributed a document to members last month cautioning against posting content that could be perceived as antisemitic. The briefing warned: “Those who oppose us will be looking for the opportunity to say that we are a bunch of unpleasant, vengeful anti-Semites. They will seek to bait us into making statements emotionally, and smear us whenever they can. Don’t take the bait!”
Mr Polanski, who was born into a Jewish family and states he is “proud of my Jewish heritage,” faces criticism from several relatives who told the Daily Mail on Saturday they fear being forced to leave Britain should he attain power. One family member characterised the Greens as becoming “an Islamic party of Britain.”
Ms Olawoyin previously introduced Mr Polanski at the party’s annual conference.
The party’s weekend conference, conducted via Zoom with over 1,000 participants, was disrupted by technical difficulties. Delegates postponed voting on a motion equating Zionism with racism that would formally declare the party “anti-Zionist” and endorse “resistance” against Israeli “occupation.”
