Rachel Riley criticised for 'erasing anti-Apartheid message' with Photoshopped Jeremy Corbyn T-shirt
Rachel Riley has been criticised for wearing a T-shirt that erases an anti-Apartheid message.
The Countdown host shared a photo of herself wearing the top, that features a photoshopped image of Jeremy Corbyn, during the leader debate on Wednesday evening.
The white top has a large, black and white picture of the Labour leader holding up a sign that reads: “Jeremy Corbyn is a racist endeavour.”
However, the original image actually showed Mr Corbyn being led away by police during an anti-Apartheid rally in 1984, with the sign reading: "Defend the right to demonstrate against Apartheid; join this picket."
Riley, who is Jewish, has been a vocal critic of Labour's handling of anti-Semitism and has regularly accused Mr Corbyn of failing to properly address the issue.
Ahead of the TV debate between Mr Corbyn and Boris Johnson at MediaCity in Salford on Tuesday, she tweeted: "I didn't feel comfortable knowing my workplace was to be full of racists tonight. I don't endorse Boris, but I do endorse Never Corbyn."
The T-shirts were first seen last September when other anti-Corbyn protesters donned them at an anti-Semitism demo in London.
I didn’t feel comfortable knowing my workplace was to be full of racists tonight. I don’t endorse Boris, but I do endorse #NeverCorbyn. Please see my pinned thread if you still don’t understand why. #LeadersDebate #LabourAntisemitism https://t.co/X93TcqOGjX pic.twitter.com/m8yZimVnHY
— Rachel Riley 🍊 (@RachelRileyRR) November 19, 2019
The tweet attracted criticism online, with some accusing her of hypocrisy and alleging that removing the reference to Apartheid was itself offensive.
In response to Riley’s selfie, one Twitter user wrote: “Dislike corbyn, whatever – it’s a free country – but jfc a white person doing this shows a complete detachment from reality. Precisely the kind of behaviour rewarded by the media (as long as you attack the left).”
Read more: ‘My baby stopped moving in the womb following anti-semitic trolling,’ says Rachel Riley
Another added: “This is, without doubt, the craziest thing I’ve seen on twitter. A white person erasing an anti-Apartheid message is new levels of bizarre. It’s something you expect from the alt-right. This person has fronted ‘anti-trolling’ campaigns. Good grief.”
is photoshopping over an anti-apartheid slogan a joke to you? pic.twitter.com/EpwV1ctQzk
— saeen (@saeen90_) November 20, 2019
Rachel Riley: I’m a warrior for truth
Also Rachel Riley: let me wear a shirt that has a edited picture on it so I can erase Corbyn protesting apartheid, because I don’t really believe in truth. I just believed my opinions are more important than truth. pic.twitter.com/Vs6PgbeDOE— ghost of Philip Burton (@rumisoul) November 20, 2019
However, actress Tracy Ann Oberman - who has also criticised the party over anti-Semitism - tweeted: "Saw @RachelRileyRR was trending. Assumed she'd had her and Pasha's baby. NOOOO just another massive evil organised Corbyn Troll Army pile on. They hate because they know you're getting your message out there Rachel. Stay strong #NeverCorbyn."
Read more: 'Countdown' contestant beams as Rachel Riley has to spell out another saucy word
Riley responded to criticism by referencing claims that Nelson Mandela declined to meet Mr Corbyn's anti-Apartheid movement CLAAG (City of London Anti-Apartheid Group).
She said on Twitter: "Without feeding individual ignorant trolls, this is why I have no qualms using this photo to highlight Corbyn's racism."
During the ITV Leaders' Debate between Mr Corbyn and the Prime Minister on Tuesday, the Labour leader said anti-Semitism was "an absolute evil and scourge within our society".
When asked further about the issue by host Julie Etchingham, Mr Corbyn responded: "I have taken action in my party, where anyone who has committed any anti-Semitic acts or made any anti-Semitic statements, they are either suspended or expelled from the party and we've investigated every single case."
After the debate, Jewish Labour Movement national secretary Peter Mason alleged the claim that every case had been investigated was a "lie", adding: "There are at least 130 outstanding anti-Semitism cases, some dating back years, that still haven't been dealt with."
With reporting by PA.