Charity Commission Chief Warns of Consequences for ‘Forums of Hate Speech’

Demonstrators L to R, the chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Eddie Marsan, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rachel Riley, Maureen Lipman, unknown man, and Vanessa Feltz take part in a march against anti-Semitism on Nov. 26, 2023. (Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire

The chairman of the Charity Commission, Orlando Fraser, has warned, in the wake of allegations of anti-Semitism by some Muslim or pro-Palestinian groups, he will not allow “premises, events or online content to become forums for hate speech.”

Earlier this month the Campaign Against Antisemitism and eight other bodies, called for an “urgent investigation” into allegations that certain charities were hosting speakers who were espousing, “anti-Semitism of the most extreme kind” and “glorification of terrorism” following the attack by Hamas terrorists on Israel on Oct. 7.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr. Fraser said, “The Charity Commission is aware of a significant number of serious concerns about activities linked to the conflict in Israel and Gaza.”

“These include charities representing communities across the religious divide, although these, to date, largely concern allegations of anti-Semitic or hate speech,” he added.

Mr. Fraser said: “Charities must not allow their premises, events or online content to become forums for hate speech against any community or unlawful extremism.”

Earlier this month the culture secretary, Lucy Frazer, wrote to Mr. Fraser and said charities, “promoting extremist narratives... risk undermining our wider system of charity regulation.”

‘The Commission Will not Stand by’

Mr. Fraser told the Telegraph: “The commission will not stand by and permit charities to be abused in this way. Where there proves to have been wrongdoing, make no mistake, we will deal with it robustly.”

The Charity Commission has the power to:

• Restrict the transactions a charity can enter into.
• Freeze a charity’s bank account.
• Appoint additional trustees.
• Suspend or remove a trustee.
• Appoint an interim manager.
• Remove charitable status altogether.

Mr. Fraser avoided mentioning any ongoing cases but said some charitable giving associated with the Israel-Hamas war could be, “undermined by a few individuals abusing their privileged positions to fuel division and tension.”

“The commission will not stand by and permit charities to be abused in this way. Where there proves to have been wrongdoing, make no mistake, we will deal with it robustly.”

Mr. Fraser, KC, is a commercial barrister who has been involved in the charitable sector since 1992, when he took an aid convoy to help Bosnian Muslims affected by the war in the former Yugoslavia.

Charity Closed After Vigil for Iranian Leader

Earlier this year the Islamic Centre in London closed down a few weeks after the Charity Commission appointed an interim manager in the wake of an investigation following the holding of a vigil for Qassim Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Soleimani—who was killed by a U.S. attack drone in Iraq in 2020—was accused of having close ties with the Taliban and was subject to UK financial sanctions over his terror links.

The centre had been the subject of a statutory inquiry over serious governance concerns following what the commission described as “extensive engagement” and was given an official warning after the candlelit vigil for Soleimani.

On Sunday, the former prime minister Boris Johnson joined tens of thousands people on a march against anti-Semitism in London.

Mr. Johnson was joined by the chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, and other senior government officials at the march to express solidarity with the Jewish community. Organisers billed it as the largest gathering against anti-Semitism in London for almost a century.

Marchers waved Israeli flags and Union Jacks, and held placards reading “Never Again Is Now” and “Zero Tolerance for anti-Semites.”

An image taken from the Twitter feed of Oliver Cooper, showing anti-Semitic graffiti on a shop in Hampstead, north London on Dec. 29, 2019. Oliver Cooper/X/PA Media

There has been a huge uptick in anti-Semitic incidents since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, when 1,200 Israeli citizens—including children—were massacred.

Israel responded with a military bombing campaign against Hamas targets in the Gaza strip.

The Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza say at least 11,078 Palestinian civilians have died since the beginning of Israel’s military operations, which have included a ground invasion.

A four-day truce began on Nov. 24 and 13 Israeli hostages have been released, in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons.