Gary Lineker, Antisemitic Imagery, and the BBC’s Obligation to Act

BBC presenter Gary Lineker recently shared a social media post from The Palestine Lobby — a fringe, highly politicised account. The video purported to “explain Zionism in under two minutes,” and was accompanied by a rat emoji — a grotesque image with a long, documented history in Nazi propaganda, used to dehumanise Jews as vermin.

Let us be clear: this was not criticism of Israeli policy. It was the dissemination of explicitly antisemitic visual language, the kind historically weaponised to incite hatred and violence. That it appeared on the platform of one of Britain’s most visible public figures — and one funded by the taxpayer — is deeply alarming.

Although Mr Lineker has since deleted the post, its damage lingers. With over 1.2 million followers, his platform amplified one of the most dangerous antisemitic tropes in modern history. The BBC has, to date, taken no public action.

Legal and Regulatory Context

1. Communications Act 2003 (Section 127)

It is an offence to send a message via a public communications network that is “grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character.” The use of the rat emoji in reference to Jews or Zionism may well meet this threshold in legal interpretation.

2. Equality Act 2010

Antisemitic expressions — including anti-Zionist tropes that target Jewish identity or collective peoplehood — may constitute harassment, particularly when they create a hostile, degrading or offensive environment for Jewish people.

3. Ofcom Broadcasting Code

The BBC, as a publicly funded broadcaster, is bound by regulations prohibiting the incitement of hatred and discriminatory or abusive treatment based on religion or ethnicity. While the post was made on a personal account, BBC talent are expected to uphold the standards of the institution both on and off air.

4. BBC Editorial and Social Media Guidelines

BBC presenters are required to maintain impartiality and avoid conduct that brings the corporation into disrepute. Given the BBC’s own stated commitment to combatting all forms of racism, its inaction in this case is unacceptable.

What We Are Asking You to Do

We are calling on members of the public to write directly to the BBC and demand action.

Write to:
Director General Tim Davie
BBC Broadcasting House
Portland Place
London W1A 1AA

📧 Email: [email protected] & [email protected]

Ask the BBC to:

• Publicly condemn the dissemination of antisemitic imagery by Mr Lineker;

• Launch an internal investigation into his conduct and whether it violates BBC editorial or social media policy;

• Clarify the BBC’s social media standards for presenters, including whether hate symbols are addressed in training and enforcement;

• Commit to antisemitism awareness training for all staff and on-air talent, using the IHRA definition as a framework;

• Reaffirm its duty to Jewish audiences who deserve protection from hateful, dehumanising content — even when disguised as political commentary.

Why It Matters

This is not about silencing criticism of any government. It is about drawing the line between criticism and incitement, between free speech and hate speech.

In a time of record-high antisemitism in Britain, public institutions must act with urgency and moral clarity. When figures with massive platforms circulate dehumanising content — knowingly or otherwise — they erode the safety and dignity of an entire community. The BBC’s silence in this matter is not neutrality. It is complicity.

✉️ Take Action Now

Use our template letter below, or write in your own words. Make it clear:
Hate symbols have no place in our public discourse — and no place at the BBC.

WRITE TO THE BBC HERE

📄 Template Letter to the BBC

Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Gary Lineker’s Dissemination of Antisemitic Imagery

Dear Director General,

I am writing to express my deep concern regarding BBC presenter Gary Lineker’s recent decision to share a social media post from The Palestine Lobby — a highly politicised and fringe account — purporting to “explain Zionism in under two minutes.” The post featured a rat emoji, a grotesque and deeply antisemitic symbol drawn directly from Nazi propaganda, where Jews were routinely depicted as vermin.

While the post was subsequently deleted, Mr Lineker’s platform had already amplified this content to over one million followers, reinforcing dangerous and dehumanising imagery targeting Jewish identity and Zionism.

This is not a question of editorial nuance or legitimate policy debate. This was the spread of content that mirrors genocidal antisemitic tropes. As a publicly funded broadcaster, the BBC has an obligation to uphold the highest standards of impartiality, integrity, and respect for all communities — especially when antisemitism is surging across the country.

I believe Mr Lineker’s conduct breaches:

• The Communications Act 2003, in relation to grossly offensive communications;

• The Equality Act 2010, concerning harassment on grounds of religion;

• The Ofcom Broadcasting Code, which prohibits abusive and discriminatory treatment;

• The BBC’s Editorial Guidelines, which require impartiality and prohibit behaviour that may bring the organisation into disrepute.

I am calling on the BBC to:

• Publicly acknowledge and condemn the use of antisemitic imagery in this instance;

• Open a formal investigation into Mr Lineker’s conduct;

• Clarify what disciplinary or corrective measures are being considered;

• Implement mandatory antisemitism awareness training for all public-facing staff and presenters, in line with the IHRA working definition of antisemitism;

• Reaffirm its commitment to maintaining a safe, respectful public space for Jewish audiences.

The BBC cannot credibly claim to stand against hate if it allows such incidents to pass without consequence. Silence is not impartiality — it is a betrayal of public trust.

I await your response and hope to see immediate and principled action from the Corporation.

Yours sincerely,