The office used by the Chingford and Woodford Green Labour Party has been daubed with antisemitic graffiti suggesting that Israel is responsible for the party axing a general election candidate.
Faiza Shaheen was not endorsed by Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to contest the Chingford and Woodford Green seat for Labour after she allegedly liked a series of social media posts that downplayed antisemitism accusations.
On Saturday morning, photos emerged of the Labour office daubed with graffiti reading: “Israel lobby out” and “UK MPs for UK Not Israel”.
Local Labour activists later scrubbed the graffiti off the office.
The incident comes days after Ms Shaheen told BBC Newsnight that she had received an email to say she would be blocked from standing as a Labour candidate. A Labour source confirmed to the Standard that Ms Shaheen would not be running on July 4.
Newsnight reported that Ms Shaheen was called to a meeting with a panel of NEC members on Tuesday in which they highlighted posts which raised questions about her suitability as a candidate.
One post said: “Every time you say something even mildly critical of Israel, you’re immediately assailed by scores of hysterical people who explain to you why you’re completely wrong, how you’re biased against Israel.
“Moreover, you can’t easily ignore them because those are not just random people. They tend to be friends or people who move in the same circles as you. Those people are mobilised by professional organisations.”
Ms Shaheen said she does not remember liking the post in question.
In a statement shared online following the decision, she said: “I am heartbroken at this decision but it does not come as a surprise. It is the end of a systemic campaign of racism, Islamophobia and bullying from some within the party which began when I first announced I wanted to run for Labour again.”
Speaking to supporters who gathered outside a supermarket in Highams Park on Friday evening, Ms Shaheen said she felt there was “no way back” for her into the Labour party.
“Look at what they’ve done to me, what they’ve done to Diane (Abbott), to make us grovel and beg – no,” she added.
Shama Tatler was recently announced as Labour's candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green.
Responding to the incident, Ms Tatler said: “This shameful vandalism is not just an attack on our campaign - it's an attack on our whole community.
"Together, we will defeat the forces of hatred and antisemitism and take our positive message of change to residents here in Chingford and Woodford Green."
A Met Police spokesman said: “Police were called to the premises in Hatch Lane shortly after 09:10hrs on Saturday, 1 June. Officers are investigating. There has been no arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or Crimestoppers, quoting CAD 2106/01jun”.
