CAPE TOWN- Activists in South Africa displayed wanted posters at a pro-Palestinian protest in Cape Town, calling for the arrest or deportation of local Jews. The posters, which featured the names and photos of members from the Jewish community, sparked outrage, with many of those named denying any connection to criminal activity or Israel.

One of the individuals featured, a Johannesburg remedial educator, expressed shock at seeing her image used in the protest. “I felt proud to be Jewish and will always defend Israel’s right to exist,” she told the South African Jewish Report. Another person also clarified that he had committed no crime, condemning the posters as a form of discrimination based on their Jewish Identity.

The demonstration, which took place at the Sea Point Promenade, is part of a broader increase in antisemitic sentiment following the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre in Israel. Daniel Bloch, Executive Director of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (Cape SAJBD), highlighted an alarming rise in aggression, including violence against pro-Israel supporters. Bloch condemned the use of violent imagery in the protest, with slogans that included “Resistance until Palestine’s liberation” and “We trust the resistance.”

Cape SAJBD Chairperson Adrienne Jacobson criticized the protest, describing it as a thinly veiled act of harassment and antisemitism. She condemned the glorification of Hamas and the violent rhetoric, especially following the brutal murders in Israel.