Why we are returning to action
We are returning because the volume and intensity of antisemitic rhetoric, and the willingness to excuse it, has risen sharply again, including in spaces that describe themselves as anti racist. It is showing up not only as direct hostility, but also through conspiratorial narratives and coded language that spreads fast and is then denied even faster. Our approach will be calm, evidence based, and educational. We will prioritise clarity over slogans, and careful analysis over heat. We will focus particularly on the left, because that is where we come from and because racism on the left corrodes the left from within, but we will apply consistent standards across the spectrum.
By Barnaby Marder
Socialists Against Antisemitism was founded in 2018 by Jews and non-Jews on the Labour left. We paused our social media work a few years ago. We are returning now because antisemitism is rising again, including in spaces that describe themselves as anti-racist, and because recent events have made it impossible to stay quiet.
I co-founded SAAS after many years as an activist on Labour’s factional left, including work with Red Labour during the 2017 general election campaign. Over time I became increasingly aware of antisemitism on the left, online and in person. I saw it in party settings, heard accounts of incidents that should have alarmed far more people than they did, and I was on the receiving end myself.
During our active period we published articles, resources, and the Gallery of Antisemitism on our website, which maps recognised forms of antisemitism, including older stereotypes and newer political variants. We kept the site going, but reduced our social media presence when it felt, at least inside Labour, that the worst of the problem had been confronted.
Antisemitism is one of the oldest hatreds in human history. It can look like straightforward racism, but it also often appears through conspiracy thinking and coded language, which makes it easier to deny and harder to challenge. Too many people who would never lecture other minorities about their own oppression feel comfortable doing exactly that to Jews, often confidently and wrongly.
In recent weeks we have seen a sharp rise in antisemitic rhetoric and incidents. That range runs from casual conspiracy claims and racial stereotypes, through to violence and mass casualty attacks, including the antisemitic attack at a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach in Sydney. We have also seen how quickly social media fills with false flag narratives and other familiar patterns of denial and deflection whenever Jews are attacked. Some of this may be automated; much of it is plainly coming from real people.
SAAS exists because we are socialists and because we are anti-racist. That means rejecting antisemitism with the same seriousness we reject every other form of racism and discrimination. It also means doing the work properly: careful definitions, evidence, context, and a willingness to be fair even when the topic is emotionally charged.
We will focus on antisemitism for two reasons. First, it is widely misunderstood, including by people who think of themselves as anti-racist. Second, between us we have built real expertise in how antisemitism mutates, how it hides, and how it is rationalised.
That focus does not mean we believe antisemitism is uniquely important, or that other racisms matter less. We reject the idea of Jewish exceptionalism. Jews are no more and no less entitled to safety and equality than anyone else. We are concentrating on antisemitism because it is frequently minimised, misdescribed, or waved away as a smear, and because we are well-placed to challenge it.
We will give particular attention to antisemitism on the political left because that is where we come from, and because racism on the left corrodes the left from within. A left that cannot recognise antisemitism in its own ranks cannot build a credible universal politics of solidarity.
That said, we will also expose antisemitism on the right and elsewhere. Too often, right-wing antisemitism is treated as either background noise or someone else’s problem. We do not accept that. We will apply the same standards across the spectrum.
We will also be clear about something else: not every accusation of antisemitism is fair or accurate. Sometimes the truth is more complicated. We will not shy away from saying so, because integrity matters, and because careless or cynical accusations ultimately make it harder to confront the real thing.
What to expect from us
We will post again on Facebook and on our website, and we will consider other channels where it makes sense. Our emphasis will be educational. That means explainers, analysis, and case studies, including material drawn from the Gallery of Antisemitism.
There will be some changes from our earlier social media presence:
- We will not operate a party political editorial line, even though most of us are Labour members and supporters.
- We may limit comments on some posts. Our aim is public understanding, not endless debate threads.
- We will avoid slogans and polemic. We will prioritise nuance, rationality, and careful analysis.
If you would like to contribute, we welcome original articles and features from people who broadly support our work. Please contact us via our website. We cannot promise to publish everything, but we will read submissions in good faith.
We wish we did not need to revive SAAS as an active group. But we do. Antisemitism is not fading into history. It is adapting, spreading, and in some spaces becoming normalised again. We are returning because we want a left, and a society, that recognises antisemitism clearly and rejects it without excuses.
To those who supported our work before, thank you. To new readers, we hope our posts help you see patterns that are easy to miss, and give you language to challenge them when they appear.