Conservative Candidate for Mayor of London, Zac Goldsmith MP, vowed to implement a “ruthless approach on anti-Semitism”, during a debate between Mayoral candidates at the JW3 centre in north London on Tuesday.
Ahead of the Mayoral election on 5th May, Zac Goldsmith pledged to improve the security of the Jewish community, and a prioritised a “zero-tolerance” approach to hate crime.
He said that the spike in hate crimes was of great concern, referencing recent anti-Semitic and anti-Israel incidents including violent demonstrations at King’s College London; Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) posters appearing on the London underground; and “events at Oxford in the Labour Party there, which are off the scale”.
Mr Goldsmith said that the so-called Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement is “a cover for something else” and underlined that if elected as Mayor, he would “apply pressure to universities. There is a line that’s clear. When students cross the line – such as at King’s College in London – the authorities need to take a zero-tolerance approach”.
He warned that social media was one of the biggest threats when it came to anti-Semitism. Users faced, he said, a “torrent of abuse and hatred”.
The Conservative Candidate for Mayor said it was essential that London’s police force have all the tools necessary to keep Londoners safe, and supported the Metropolitan Police Force Chief’s request for the ability to double the number of armed response officers ready on patrol. He also advocated intelligence-led stop and search.
Watch the video below to hear about Zac’s plans.
