As usual, Sussex Friends of Israel were there to video the proceedings:
They have lots more videos on their Facebook page.
In other news, the Sussex Jewish News featured my Hasby Award to the group on the front cover of their March issue:
The article about the award says:
Sussex Friends of Israel (SFI) is now an award-winning organisation, thanks to the incredible grassroots support of the whole community in the fight to neutralise the activities of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement.
This community support for SFI’s activism has been recognised with the award of a special achievement ‘Hasby Award’, the brainchild of the popular and influential pro-Israel blogger ‘Elder of Ziyon’.
In the world of social media, Facebook, Twitter and online blogging Elder, an anonymous American writer, stands out from the crowd. For more than 10 years his blogs have stood up to scrutiny and he has been recognised as a trusted pro-Israel voice.
In his Award announcement, Elder described SFI as a group of people who, on their own, decided to counter-protest the haters who were intimidating the Ecostream shop in Brighton every Saturday.
The narrative also confirmed that SFI receives no help from the organised British Jewish or Zionist community, and that this lack of an organised response is what helped create SFI.
The award citation also explains that every week SFI come up with a different gimmick - handing out cookies or cake to passers-by. They mercilessly videotape and try to interview the haters, exposing their ignorance and how little they really care about Palestinian Arabs.
Elder said: “The greatness of SFI isn’t that they are counter-protesting. Their brilliance is in how they do it. They have effectively nullified and turned the tables on the anti-Israel protesters.
“On their Facebook page you can see that they generate a huge number of pro-Israel posters, often with a great sense of humour.
“No one else has the creativity, energy and effectiveness of Sussex Friends of Israel. Their model should be replicated around the world”.
Neil Duncanson, SFI’s director said: “Just to be nominated for a Hasby Award has proved the reach and reputation of SFI around the globe, especially when you consider the other esteemed nominees and past winners of the awards.
“To actually win an award is fantastic news and recognition for everyone who stands up against the hatred and lies of those who stand against Israel week in and week out.”
“I would like to thank Elder on behalf of Sussex Friends of Israel and its supporters, we are very proud that our work is held in such high regard by you and by supporters of Israel around the world”.
Elder’s blogs have been mentioned on CNN, Fox News and the New York Times. Blog posts have also been cross-published in Algemeiner Journal and Jewish Press.
The Jerusalem Report published the article Battle of the Bloggers, which called Elder of Ziyon “perhaps the most influential” pro-Israel blog.
