Toronto (February 16, 2018) -Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) is outraged by a Globeand Mail report that a political activist who has publicly supported a USreligious leader known for homophobic and antisemitic rhetoric will be speakingat this weekend's federal NDP convention.  

The speaker in question is Tamika Mallory, an American politicalactivist who the Globe and Mail, in yesterday's article, identifies as anoutspoken supporter of Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islambelieved to spread antisemitic conspiracy theories. According to the report,Mallory has a post on social media praising Farrakhan, includingreferring to him as "the GOAT [Greatest of All Time]" on Twitter lastyear. 

In a mediastatement released yesterday, FSWC urged the NDP to oppose the resolutionstargeting Israel and the Jewish people. According to the convention agenda,some 14 resolutions are anti-Israel and anti-peace, stating the "two-statesolution is dead" and calling for a "one person, one vote, democraticsecular Palestine".  Other resolutions call on the NDP to implementeconomic sanctions against Israel and its products and to condemn the USdecision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

"By far, this is the most draconian and far-reaching formof racism against the Jewish state possible," said Avi Benlolo, FSWCPresident and CEO. "Those who wish to boycott the Jewish people shouldthink carefully about the historical and practical consequences. Historically,every incident of antisemitism, including the Holocaust, began with the boycottand dehumanization of the Jewish people. This is no different, and theignorance of NDP locals to submit language which targets ordinary civiliansbecause of their Jewish faith and nationality is a racist antisemiticendeavour."

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center invites the NDP leadership toparticipate in its tolerance training workshops that build bridges, informcommunity about the history of the Jewish people and promote tolerance andhuman rights.

For more information or to speak directly with Mr. Benlolo,please contact:  

Avital Borisovsky 
Communications Associate   
416.864.9735 x 29
aborisovsky@fswc.ca

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Follow us on Twitter at @CanadianFSWC 

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Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is a top Jewish human rights foundation in Canada's organized Jewish community. It directly impacts over 100,000 people each year and 500,000+ peripherally. FSWC is committed to countering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles of tolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy and educational programs including workshops, Freedom Day, Spirit of Hope Benefit, Tools for Tolerance and the widely acclaimed Tour for Humanity. FSWC is affiliated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish human rights organization headquartered in Los Angeles which has won two Academy Awards, has built two Museums of Tolerance (with a third being built in Jerusalem) and is an NGO at the United Nations, UNESCO, OAS, OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament. Visit us at www.fswc.ca. 

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