To think this so called art exhibition in Margate is nothing short of a hate crime

There are lots of people who believe that the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza. The UN has raised serious allegations with regard to this so MC's position is not that unusual. I think it is generally accepted that the Nazis committed genocide so it's a very short step to link the actions of the Israeli government and the IDF with those of the Nazis. Jews may, and IMO should, feel very uncomfortable about that but it is in no way anti semitic to make that connection and there are plenty of Jewish people who also make that connection. Are they anti semitic? Art is not always about making people feel comfortable and if MC's exhibition makes people think, discuss, argue and disagree IMO that's a good thing? Perhaps the Holocaust wouldn't have happened if enough people had been brave enough to challenge what Hitler was telling the Germans about Jews!

So if it was accepted for any other group I would possibly agree in terms of free speech. But Jewish people are the only group who this would apply to. Actually I correct myself there was once an art exhibition against gender critical feminists- punch terfs and the like.
I often find the intersection between the anti semitic and the misogynists vaguely interesting. You rarely get one without the other.
I mean have people looked into the artist ( suspended from the labour party under corbyn, etc) but yeah we must march against the far right ( hollow laugh).

I can only echo what you have said Galaxy

Allira

^Gransnet similarly does not rule that posters must be "qualified" to pontificate on political matters- we are all able to share and express our differing views on the politics and news forum. All posters also have the freedom to choose as an individual which posts concerns them personally and which don't - there is no rule or law that states they must not express their views on matters that other posters consider "simply don’t concern them".^

Well, that's a relief to read!

So often we see posters being told their views are not well-researched, are just opinion (unless something is an absolute, it is someone's opinion) or that their views are not welcome because they don't live in this country or they do not concur with other posters. Yet daily we read threads about the politics of other countries and posters are dismissive of the views of others.

Thank you Lemonjam, I agree with you. Without varying opinions and different views, this would be a very boring forum.

Perhaps those words should be at the start of every thread😄
Remind people that other opinions are just as valid as their own are to them.

Honesty is a good thing so if somebody has in the heat of scrolling misunderstood or misinterpreted a post, its good to say so perhaps.

I have been offered up ( somewhat reluctantly) my experiences and thoughts only to be slapped down by the same old people over and over again. So therefore it's pretty pointless.

I did comment early on that I thought this exhibition sounds awful, I also did not suggest that the tax payer or an employer should pay for ESOL lessons.

"So if it was accepted for any other group I would possibly agree in terms of free speech. But Jewish people are the only group who this would apply to."

I'm not sure what you mean by this. There have been many artists that have used art to express political opinions connected to the genocides that have been committed in the last century. I think the difference is that in Rwanda, Cambodia, Srebrenica, Armenia etc it was possible to criticise the regime/group committing genocide without it being immediately seen in a much wider context. When 8,000 Muslim men were massacred by Serbs, I don't think it was seen as anti Christian to hold the Serbs responsible and to condemn them. If there is creditable evidence that the Israeli government has committed genocide in Gaza, it is not anti semitic to condemn them too and art can contribute in a unique way.

Honesty is a good thing so if somebody has in the heat of scrolling misunderstood or misinterpreted a post, its good to say so perhaps.
Indeed. I'm always more than happy to say, oops, or to go off and check.
The thing is, I, and probably others, only pick my phone up for a quick glance at GN, and just say what instantly comes to mind. I haven't time at that moment to come back with a follow up look until later or not at all.

It's a case of a genuinely spontaneous reaction to an idea for most posters, but not a slap down.

When 8,000 Muslim men were massacred by Serbs, I don't think it was seen as anti Christian to hold the Serbs responsible and to condemn them. If there is creditable evidence that the Israeli government has committed genocide in Gaza, it is not anti semitic to condemn them too and art can contribute in a unique way.

Do we condemn all Germans for the actions of Hitler and his Nazis? No. I know of British servicemen who married German women after WW2.
Do we condemn all Serbians for the actions of Mladić and Karodzić? Some might and I know one kind, gentle Serbian man who was shunned by some of his community when this atrocity happened. It was wrong to do that.
Likewise, should we condemn all Jewish people for the actions of Netanyahu and his Government ? Should hatred against Jewish people be stirred up by such as this artist?

I don't think so. He is taking this opportunity to get away with spreading his anti-semitic views in public.

Thank you Allirafor agreeing with me but the Israeli government is not the same as the Jewish people and I haven't seen the exhibition but what I've read about it my impression is that MC is representing the Israeli government and it's military, not Jewish people per se. I'm sure the war in Gaza is being used by people who are basically anti semitic but my point is clearly stated in the last sentence of my last post.
"If there is creditable evidence that the Israeli government has committed genocide in Gaza, it is not anti semitic to condemn them too and art can contribute in a unique way."

Would be interesting to hear from sources in the know, what the artist 's intent was.
Is it named or labelled? That is usually a clue.
Sorry to have to agree with your post foxie, about Gaza.

How many deaths does it become genocide?

How many would you suggest?

I think it us useful to have a look at some of the information on the exhibition and information on the artist.

Galaxy 12.08: "I think it us useful to have a look at some of the information on the exhibition and information on the artist".

Many posters already have included such information in their posts to date. You and anyone else is free to add further information about the exhibition and the artist.

MC has had an interesting and fairly illustrious career which has helped a number of artists, some of whom are Jewish. Below is the last paragraph of his Wiki entry.
"In 2026, hundreds of works by Matthew Collings criticizing Zionism and genocide in Gaza were presented at an exhibition in Margate, Kent. The exhibition contained a drawing showing a sign a Zionist had written about a previous exhibition by Collings.[failed verification] This sign read “Antisemitic art exhibition this way” and was taped to the frame of a bicycle outside the gallery. Collings showed himself in the drawing, passing the bike and nonplussed by the sign. Critics claimed the drawings in Margate contained antisemitic tropes, including depicting Jewish people eating babies. Collings denied the antisemitic interpretation. He said there were no such images in the show. Kent Police determined the drawings broke no criminal laws and were not antisemitic but criticised the state of Israel."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Collings

I have. For example he was suspended from the labour party ( under corbyn) but yes people are free to make their minds up.

The exhibition contained a drawing showing a sign a Zionist had written about a previous exhibition by Collings.[failed verification]

He has obviously written his own Wiki entry and, of course, it will be biased.

There is no proof that a Zionist had written the sign an, in fact, anyone outraged by the display of anti-semitism could have written it.

Yes, people are free to make their minds up. MC was suspended from the Labour Party in 2019 by Corbyn. MC dismissed allegations of a comment he made perceived to be anti- semitic as a "witch hunt"- parallel/similar to allegations about his art exhibition in Kent. As an aside, Corbyn himself was suspended from the Labour Party the following year and in 2023 banned from standing as a Labour candidate due to a row over anti semitism.

Matthew Collings is not new to such criticism about his genocide and Zionist art or his anti Zionist comments. Zionism is a political issue hence why the police found no evidence of a crime in the Kent art show as expressing views in any form, including art is protected under UK freedom of speech laws.

MC also had a November 2025 art exhibition that was taken down three weeks early. Art critic Waldemar Januszczak said of that MC art exhibition "One of those rare art displays as it's doing something art has never done before in ways that have never been previously tried" He then corrected himself and said "had" an exhibition "until the Israel lobby decided it didn't like it and began to make trouble. They allegedly threatened the owner of the gallery, the owner of the building that houses the gallery and Collings himself. The Zionist bullying machine rarely misses an opportunity".

There you have it- on the one hand is an opinion of the existence a Zionist bullying machine- and those accused of such bullying perceive themselves to be fighting anti semitism. The law is clear that Zionism is a political issue not a racist issue- protected by free speech laws, again the reason why the Kent police found no evidence of any crime committed.

The art critic of the Sunday Times had given MC's exhibition a rave review and thought that Collings should get a Turner prize for it. The former director of Tate Britain was also approving.

See full article titled "Raved-about art show closed by gallery owner after Israel lobby attacks and threats by Skwawkbox 30/11/25 on the canary.co.

Oh really?

I count eight different named accounts which have edited the Wiki page since this controversy started.

JeffSpaceman, Headhitter, Jontel, JezGrove, Alaexis, OcularDelusion, Agacat and AnomieBOT.

Which is Collings, what were his revisions and how do you know it’s him?

The law is clear- anti- Zionism is NOT antisemitism.

I'm not much of an art critic but it is said that good art divides opinion, fwiw I'm not saying MC's art is good or that he is not anti semitic, he might be both or neither and that's the point really!

LemonJam

The law is clear- anti- Zionism is NOT antisemitism.

Absolutely right! It is also perfectly legitimate to support Zionism but not the present Israeli government, which is the position that many Jews both living in Israel and the diaspora take.

foxie48

I'm not much of an art critic but it is said that good art divides opinion, fwiw I'm not saying MC's art is good or that he is not anti semitic, he might be both or neither and that's the point really!

I think he isn’t any good as an artist and is antisemitic to boot.
Other opinions may vary😂

foxie48

I'm not much of an art critic but it is said that good art divides opinion, fwiw I'm not saying MC's art is good or that he is not anti semitic, he might be both or neither and that's the point really!

That's why we're debating, yes! 😂

It's all a matter of perception.

Thanet: says it all.