Hastings PSC criticised for ‘Wanted’ posters targeting Labour MP

A local branch of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) has been accused of targeting Labour MP Helena Dollimore in what political figures have condemned as a “deplorable” campaign.

The Hastings and Rye PSC shared images of Dollimore online earlier this month, emblazoned with the word “WANTED”, alongside the caption: “Spotted. These posters have been appearing all over Hastings.”

The images have sparked outrage from Dollimore’s colleagues in Parliament and from and local Jewish residents, with some warning that the campaign could inflame political violence. Members of the local Jewish community have called for a boycott of the Hastings PSC.

The group has denied that the message is threatening and says it is being targeted by a smear campaign.

The controversy comes amid a wider mobilisation by the national PSC, which held a workplace day of action on May 15 “in solidarity with Palestine” and lobbied parliamentarians to sanction Israel.

Critics have accused the umbrella group and its local chapters of using increasingly aggressive tactics in their political campaigning.

One local activist who said she had previously supported the PSC’s campaign against Israel said the posters in Hastings were “an outrageous step too far”, writing on Facebook that her concern was heightened “in the light of the horrifying attacks/murders of elected MPs in recent years.”

Hastings and Rye PSC shared several images of the poster campaign on Facebook and X (Photo: screenshot Facebook)[Missing Credit]

Two sitting MPs – Jo Cox in 2016 and Sir David Amess in 2021 – have been murdered in recent years, and this week properties linked to the Prime Minister were the target of suspected arson attacks.

Dollimore, who was elected last July, has not commented on the posters targeting her; but she has been vocal about threats faced by elected officials more generally.

In her maiden speech in Parliament, she addressed the dangers of political intimidation, saying: “The unacceptable levels of abuse and intimidation that too many Members of this House have faced, particularly women… The plaque of the late Jo Cox is facing us, and that of Sir David Amess is behind me. They are a constant and tragic reminder of where that can end.”

More recently, she criticised a video by Irish rap group Kneecap, which appeared to show a member saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory.” Dollimore denounced the “extreme violence” of Kneecap’s language. The group has also vilified Israel and appeared to show support for Hezbollah.

In an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live with Nicky Campbell last month, Dollimore said: “It is very important we have a conversation about how all elected officials and all people standing for public office, whether that be as MPs or as councillors, can go about their jobs without facing intimidation, harassment [and] abuse, as unfortunately MPs and others do every single day.”

She went on to say that schoolchildren ask her about threats faced by politicians. “That is a shocking indictment of the society we live in,” she said. “It has got to stop, it has got to end, we need to have a more compassionate way in our politics of talking about things and to each other.”

Labour MP Mike Tapp, who represents Dover and Deal, told the JC: “I’m outraged that a PSC branch are sharing ‘wanted’ posters of one of my colleagues. It’s completely unacceptable and grossly irresponsible. To add insult to injury, I understand the PSC will this week host a lobby day in Parliament. There should be no place in our parliamentary democracy for those who deploy such deplorable tactics.”

The Hastings Jewish Community Facebook page said: “This threatening targeted action is misguided, vicious, misogynistic and bullying”.

“This is not civil or even robust political discourse,” the post said, “but anti-democratic toxic bullying by marginal extremists.” The community page called on local councillors and political parties to cut all ties with the group, including a boycott of PSC marches and public platforms.

Alex Hearn, of Labour Against Antisemitism, said: “The PSC have got away with inciting political violence for too long, and it is to the unions’ shame that they continue to affiliate to this hate group whose toxic ‘solidarity’ has achieved nothing for Palestinians.”

In response to the criticism, Hastings and District PSC defended the campaign, insisting it was a form of “satirical” protest and denying that it posed any threat to the MP.

In a statement provided to the JC, the group said: “Hastings Jewish Community Ltd. [which runs the Facebook page] is a private company which was set up in June 2024 with one named officer who has been smearing our organisation for many years. We are unaware who else it represents but it is not ‘the’ Jewish community in Hastings and to imply that it is paints an entirely false and misleading picture.

“Many of our members are part of the Jewish community, our chair is Jewish and we have been jointly holding protests against the Israeli genocide in Gaza with Hastings Jews for Justice, a large and active group which stands with the Palestinians in their struggle for liberation.

“We held two empty pot protests recently with Hastings Jews for Justice to draw attention to Israel’s barbaric siege of Gaza, which is starving a million children right now.

“There is clearly no threat in this satirical poster but it seems many constituents are outraged that after 19 appalling months of death, destruction and deprivation, the local MP has not condemned the Israeli genocide in Gaza. To paraphrase Massive Attack, Ms Dollimore is not the story. Gaza is the story. Genocide is the story.”