A second London Green Party candidate has withdrawn from the upcoming local elections after it was revealed he had shared conspiracy theories about Jewish people online.
Bernard Mani, who was due to stand in Lewisham on May 7, was also accused of tearing down balloons put up in solidarity with Israeli children kidnapped by Hamas.
The incident was filmed during a pro-Palestine march in Brighton in November 2023 and covered by national newspapers.
Posts on X show Mr Mani had suggested the October 7 terror attacks on Israel had been committed by Israeli forces as part of a “false flag” operation.
He had been selected as one of three Green Party candidates to contest Forest Hill ward despite the social media posts, which were visible until his Instagram and X accounts were taken down on Thursday.
A Green Party spokesman told the Standard: "Bernard Mani is not a Green Party candidate.
“We have two candidates in the ward who we are excited to see elected to Lewisham Council on May 7.”
It comes after a Green candidate due to stand in Havering stepped down when it was revealed she had shared a conspiracy theory about the arson attack on Jewish community ambulances.
Tope Olawoyin withdrew from the council elections last week after suggesting that the Jewish community had been responsible for burning down the four emergency service vehicles last month.
Lewisham’s Labour mayor Brenda Dacres raised concerns about the Green Party’s candidate vetting process.
In a letter to leader Zack Polanski, she said: “Lewisham was the UK's first borough of sanctuary, and we have a long and proud history of celebrating our diversity while standing up to racism.
“To spread conspiracy theories about October 7, or to state it was a false flag attack is wrong and deeply hurtful, not just to the Jewish community here in Lewisham, but across the world.
“I was also sickened to view the footage of Mr Mani cutting down balloons that have been placed for the child hostages.
“I’d also like to raise again my serious concerns over the vetting process of the Lewisham Green Party.
“Mr Mani’s posts remain online for everyone to see, and the footage of his actions was covered by a major national newspaper at the last general election, the Green Party candidate for Lewisham North was extensively featured in the media for his views regarding October 7.
“It is incredibly disappointing to see that no lessons have been learned.”
Mr Mani was on Friday still listed as a Green candidate on the party’s website, where his biography says he “has lived in Forest Hill since the age of four” and “is a pioneer of high-performance sound systems, having built and led one of the most respected operations in the industry, working across music festivals, dance events and cultural gatherings over many years”.
