A few days ago I got the following question.
Dear Rabbi,
I’m a NY Jew living in the SouthWest UK, a town called Plymouth. It doesn’t have a regular weekly Rabbi but has one of the oldest Synagogues in the UK. The Jewish community exists but is SMALL. I own and live in a beautiful listed, historical building with other middle class folk, 25 flats total. A neo Nazi somehow got thru the vetting process of a skanky estate agent and now lives right next to my flat. They started parking their motorcycles in front of this lovely building, in a non-designated area that makes it difficult for resident’s cars to get into their spots and get out. It turns out one of the 2 bikes has a large Swastica on the top of it’s seat and is VERY noticable to all that enter and leave the building. If anyone should wish to sell or even rent their flats, this Swastika will be seen to all potenial tenants etc. For myself, I simply can’t bear living in a building with a disgusting flat of twisted racist white supremicist Jew haters. And right next to my flat as well. The town of Plymouth was destroyed completely by the Nazi’s in WW2 so I can’t believe the other tenants can live with this threat either. I’m VERY upset about this, but don’t know where to turn for help in this matter. Please advise if you can? Many thanks, my blood is BOILING!
I know what you are feeling and it is never a good feeling. Your problem can only be sorted by contacting the council and the police. The first problem with the bikes as if they are parking in a area they are not allowed too then contact the land lord of the building and explain to them the problems people are having with parking their cars but sadly there is little anyoen can do about the swastica.
There is not much I can say about them living right next to you but I would imagine you are feeling threaten living there and if so I woudl contact the police and tell them. Also try contacting your local MP and explain the problem to them as these are the only people that can really do anything about it.
With that said, sadly neo-nazism is not illegal in the United Kingdom but if they outright make a threat or do anything to offend you – document it and go to the police right away.
