The Guardian Apologizes and Deletes Anti-Semitic Cartoon of Jewish BBC Chairman

BBC Broadcasting House in Portland Place, London. Press Association via AP Images.

The Guardian apologized and deleted an anti-Semitic cartoon of Richard Sharp, the outgoing, Jewish chairman of the BBC.

The cartoon, which was produced by Martin Rowson, depicted Sharp wearing an evil smirk with fat lips and a protruding nose while carrying a cardboard box with gold and a grinning squid inside.

The depiction of Richard Sharp in today’s @guardian cartoon falls squarely into an antisemitic tradition of depicting Jews with outsized, grotesque features, often in conjunction with money and power. It’s appalling. Here’s why 🧵 pic.twitter.com/RI46VmL6z8

— Dave Rich (@daverich1) April 29, 2023

A spokesman for the Guardian said that “This cartoon does not meet our editorial standards, and we have decided to remove it from our website. The Guardian apologises to Mr. Sharp, to the Jewish community and to anyone offended.” Rowson has also apologized and said that “his Jewishness never crossed my mind as I drew him.”

Dave Rich, head of policy at Community Security Trust, which advocates for British Jews, called the cartoon “a racialised depiction of a Jew.”

“All the component parts were there: the large nose, the lips, the Fagin-like sneer, and, of course, what appears to be money,” said Rich.

In an op-ed praising the The Guardian for its removal of the cartoon in the publication itself, Rich also noted the significance of the squid.

“Antisemitic conspiracy peddlers regularly describe the fantastical Jewish power network they believe exists as a squid or octopus, its tentacles reaching into every part of society,” wrote Rich.

Jewish Chronicle editor-at-large Stephen Pollard, meanwhile, expressed his horror that it made it through The Guardian’s original review process.

“It takes a lot to shock me. And I am well aware of the Guardian’s and especially Rowson’s form,” began Pollard. “But I still find it genuinely shocking that not a single person looked at this and said, no, we can’t run this. To me that’s the real issue.”

Sharp resigned his position on Friday after an investigation revealed that he had failed to disclose having arranged for a million dollar loan for former British prime minister Boris Johnson.

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