"NAZI scum," a man with an Israel flag shouts at delegates entering the Green Party conference. "Shame!" scream others. The people going into Brighton Centre are a mix of members, journalists, exhibitors, those of all faiths and none – and there hasn't even been a vote on the hotly debated "Zionism is racism" motion yet. That doesn't matter to the pro-Israel activists standing at the entrance. Anyone is fair game for abuse.
The media has been keen to make the "Zionism is racism" motion the most important story of the Green Party of England and Wales conference this year. The proposal wants to see Zionism, effectively the belief that there should be a state only for Jewish people, explicitly categorised as racism. It has been the primary talking point among media at this conference, overshadowing major policy announcements on public ownership of water and a rent freeze.
