Outrage after Ash Sarkar features in Rise of the Nazis BBC Two documentary

A Jewish historian has slammed the BBC for allowing a woman to feature on a documentary about the Nazis after she defended anti-Israel graffiti on the walls of the Warsaw Ghetto.  

Ash Sarkar, notoriously sent her ‘solidarity’ to Ewa Jasiewicz after she sprayed ‘Free Gaza and Palestine’ on the walls of the largest Jewish World War Two ghetto in 2010.

She is due to appear on a new BBC Two documentary called The Rise of the Nazis, sparking outrage among the Jewish community.

Ms Sarkar will discuss Stalinism and the German Communist Party on the programme. 

But historian Professor Simon Schama branded the move ‘really appalling’, while actress Tracy Ann Oberman described it as ‘deeply disturbing’. 

Jewish Historian Professor Simon Schama (pictured outside Buckingham Palace with his Queen’s honour, left) branded the decision to include Ash Sarkar (pictured on Good Morning Britain, right) on a documentary called Rise of the Nazis ‘really appalling’,

The Rise of the Nazis documentary, which is in three parts, will air on BBC Two next week 

The Warsaw Ghetto (pictured) was the largest Jewish Ghetto in German-occupied Europe

Professor Schama slammed the BBC as ‘really appalling’ for including Ms Sarkar in the documentary

Professor Schama wrote on Twitter: ‘Someone should have had editorial second thought! Really appalling’. 

Jewish actress Tracy Ann Oberman, who is often vocal on issues of anti-Semitism, said she was insulted as a relative of Nazi victims.

She tweeted: ‘Dear Patrick Holland #BBC2 as someone who lost family during The Rise of The Nazis I am deeply disturbed that of all knowledgable experts/historians.

‘You use Ash Sakar a woman who endorsed the spray painting of the remaining WarsawGhetto wall-an open grave for our families. Why?’

Countdown’s Rachel Riley, who has also spoken out on anti-Semitism, added: ‘Dear oh dear, upsetting and downright insulting.’  

Jewish actress Tracy Ann Oberman (pictured in 2017), who is often vocal on issues of anti-Semitism, said she was insulted as a relative of Nazi victims.

She tweeted to hit out against the BBC’s decision to include the activist 

Countdown’s Rachel Riley replied, calling it ‘upsetting and downright insulting’ to show her support

But Ms Sarkar, who is a senior editor at Navara media, hit back saying: ‘So, apparently a lot of the usual suspects are very angry with BBC 2 for asking me to talk on their #RiseoftheNazis series, despite the episode I feature on not airing until next week. 

‘I was asked on to talk about Ernst Thälmann, Stalinism and the red-brown alliance – so I did. 

‘I don’t see why my support for Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank should disqualify me from talking about the Communist Party of Germany, but hey, I guess we live in strange times.’

She added that she ‘wholeheartedly rejects’ claims she is anti-Semitic. 

In September 2018, Ms Sarkar defended Jasiewicz and another’s decision to spray the walls of the Warsaw Ghetto with anti-Israel graffiti.

She said it wasn’t ‘anti-Semitic’ but ‘anti-racist’ and sent ‘solidarity’ to the pair. 

The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest Jewish Ghetto in German-occupied Europe.

Hundreds of thousands of Jewish people were sent there to die, making it effectively a mass grave. The walls that remain are a painful symbol of the Holocaust. 

Ms Sarkar discusses Stalinism and the German Communist Party on the programme and and defended her position with a series of Tweets 

Ms Sarkar is a vocal supporter of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party and is a self-confessed communist.  

Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: ‘Ash Sarkar has been a cheerleader for Jeremy Corbyn and the antisemites around him. 

‘She has claimed that attempts by Jews to define the hatred against them are all part of a ‘silencing’ of legitimate dissent and has even defended the vandal who defaced the Warsaw Ghetto. 

‘It is hard to imagine a less appropriate person to speak on the lessons of the Holocaust than Ms Sarkar, but the BBC has chosen to elevate her to the status of an ‘expert’. 

‘The BBC should apologise for including Ms Sarkar and re-edit the forthcoming episodes to exclude her appearance.’ 

MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment. The Rise of the Nazis is due to air on BBC Two next week.  

The Rise of the Nazis (still pictured) is due to air on BBC Two next week. MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment 

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