When Jews Attack 368 – Victim – Brian May – Attackers – British Jewish Community

 The musician is passionately opposed to the ongoing badger cull in west Gloucestershire and west Somerset.

Farmers have been given permission to shoot around 5,000 badgers as part of Government efforts to stop the spread of the cattle disease bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

Hundreds of people have been protesting against the move and earlier four people were arrested inside the Gloucestershire badger cull zone, on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon.

In a visit to Gloucestershire to show his opposition to the culling, Mr May likened the measure to ‘genocide’ – a word which usually refers to the murder of people.

He faced an immediate online reaction from the local Jewish community who branded his use of the term as ‘dreadful’ and ‘inflammatory.’

Rabbi Anna Gerrard of the Gloucestershire Liberal Jewish Community said apart from being potentially offensive using the term was incorrect.

“The use of the word ‘genocide’ in this context is simply wrong,” she said. “From an etymological point of view genocide means ‘killing of people’.

“In particular I think high profile people need to be careful when they take a word like that out of context, especially when using it to emote others.

“From a Jewish perspective obviously it makes people think of the Holocaust, in which not only were many people killed but they were dehumanised to make that killing seem acceptable.

“It has the potential to cause offence but I think that most people would just see it as a ridiculous thing to say.”

Jenny Silverstone, chairwoman of the Cheltenham Hebrew Congregation, said although she was a ‘huge fan’ of Queen, May’s choice of words was ill-advised.

“Brian May obviously feels very passionately about the badger cull and we must not fault that,” she said.

“But the Holocaust was a terrible thing. I can understand if some of our members are upset by his ill-advised use of the term ‘genocide’.

“Let’s put it into perspective though. He misused a word – I’m sure he didn’t mean to say something atrocious.”

Ian Liddell-Grainger, the MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, has described the anti-cull protesters as “scroungers”.

Mr May said the cull was not only cruel but could make the spread of bTB worse by encouraging badgers to move around more.

He insisted the public do not want the cull to go ahead.

“Once the country sees what is going on with the brutality and the senselessness of this Government policy, I don’t believe that Britain will stand for it,” he said.

“We are a nation of animal lovers and we are decent people. It’s a desperate situation and a bloody situation in the countryside and if this rolls out all through England it’s a disaster.”

An online petition that May started against the pilots has become the most signed on the official Government website, with over 300,000 people having added their name.

In the past Mr May has compared killing badgers to killing people with Aids to stop the spread of a virus.