Countdown co-host Rachel Riley is continuing her private little war against anyone she doesn’t like: now she has attacked poet (and former children’s laureate) Michael Rosen as a Holocaust denier, months after he published a book about the family he lost in it.

Also attacked was film director Ken Loach – not for the first time.

It arises from a tweet by anti-racism organisation Show Racism the Red Card:

We’re really excited to have @MichaelRosenYes and Ken Loach @KenLoachSixteen on board as judges for our School Competition this year! Don’t forget to register your school to take part before 28 Feb https://t.co/8W5acBXB9m #ShowRacismtheRedCard — Show Racism the Red Card (@SRTRC_England) February 4, 2020

Dave Rich, head of policy at Community Security Trust and an Associate at the Pears Institute for the Study of Antisemitism, then tweeted:

Ken Loach said antisemitism is an "understandable" reaction to Israel's actions; whether the Holocaust happened "is there for us all to discuss"; antisemitism in Labour is "exaggerated or false"; & complained about "the generalised sense of guilt that everyone has about the Jews" https://t.co/j07E3qeCnJ — Dave Rich (@daverich1) February 5, 2020

Ms Riley’s accusation came as a response to Mr Rich – and seems to have mysteriously disappeared from Twitter!

Fortunately, we have a screenshot, provided in response to Mr Rosen’s request for evidence:

“The supposed anti-racist football charity #ShowRacismTheRedCard yet again unashamedly promotes deniers/proponents of anti-Jewish racism,” her tweet stated, casually tarring Show Racism the Red Card as fellow-travellers with racists. That organisation should take action over this slur.

“I hope schools don’t touch this competition with a barge pole.”

But Ms Riley’s view is not shared by all Jews. Take representative group Jewdas, for example:

Personally its not something we'd do but if you were planning on accusing a beloved childrens' poet of Holocaust Denial, best not to do it DAYS after he releases a book about losing family in the Shoah — jewdⒶs // ייִדהודה (@jewdas) February 6, 2020

This is true, as the Telegraph clarifies, saying he wrote The Missing (published on December 12 – nearly two months ago, rather than the days suggested by Jewdas) after talking to a teenage Holocaust denier:

“We are discussing his latest book, The Missing, an account of his European relatives who vanished during the Holocaust. ‘I was face to face with one of the most virulent forms of anti-Semitism,’ he says, with a long stare.

The idea for the book was buried in Rosen’s head for decades, as a series of questions he had been asking about his paternal great-uncles, Oscar and Martin, who existed before the Second World War – then vanished from collective memory. “’I was doing it for the family and for my own stubborn mentality,’ says Rosen, 73.” Members of the public have supported this view:

Just irritating that RR's opinion is given attention. She's just the helper on a daytime game show aimed at very old people but people give her nonsensical views such credence. — Mr Socko (@laotianrockrat) February 6, 2020

Why is @MichaelRosenYes a Holocaust denier? I am so confused, just read The Missing he clearly isn’t. But, what do I know. — Niall Campbell (@NiallCArtist) February 7, 2020

But many others, apparently influenced by Ms Riley, now seem to believe in her “Holocaust denier” narrative.

Why did she delete her tweet? Is it possible that she realised she had gone too far and that, unlike some of us, Mr Rosen has the funds to hold her to account for such false claims?

I don’t know – but I do know that this won’t stop her publishing such falsehoods.

It seems clear that this person will continue to make questionably-motivated attacks on innocent people until she is stopped – in court if necessary.

And of course there is a court case already underway – that she launched – that could put a stop to these antics. I refer to her libel action against me.

It was because I stood up for a teenage girl with anxiety issues who Ms Riley had attacked online that she launched proceedings against me. Again, the association was with anti-Semitism.

So allow me to repeat my appeal: if you want to see an end to this nonsense from a so-called TV celebrity who should know better, please support the CrowdJustice appeal for the funds I need to bring the case against me to court and to defeat her claims.

Such a loss would be a serious financial – and personal – setback for her. It is unlikely that Ms Riley would be able to present such questionable views to the public afterwards and expect a sympathetic reception.

So here’s how you can help:

Please consider making a donation via the CrowdJustice page.

Also (or alternatively), email five of your friends, asking them to pledge to the CrowdJustice site.

Post a link to Facebook, asking your friends to pledge.

On Twitter, you could tweet in support, quoting the address of the appeal.

On other social media platforms, please mention the campaign there, quoting the appeal address.

This is a witch-hunt. It will continue as long as privileged people like Ms Riley are allowed to go unchallenged when they attack people, simply for having views that she doesn’t like.

Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice. https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/mike-sivier-libel-fight/

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