British Jewish Groups Demand LBC Host James O'Brien Removal Over Antisemitic Broadcast

James O’Brien, an LBC radio presenter, faced widespread condemnation after reading aloud a listener’s message claiming that Jewish children in the UK are taught that Arabs are “cockroaches to be crushed” and that one Jewish life is worth thousands of Arab lives. O’Brien said he read the message in the interest of objectivity but later issued an on-air apology, expressing regret for taking the unsubstantiated claims at face value and acknowledging the offense caused. Jewish groups, including the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Campaign Against Antisemitism, condemned the broadcast as a “modern blood libel” that demonizes the Jewish community and called for O’Brien to be taken off air. The Metropolitan Police have reportedly been notified, with concerns that the broadcast puts Jews in real danger. The original segment, which was heavily focused on the Israel-Gaza conflict, was shared by LBC on social media but later removed following the backlash. Critics also highlighted that the term “Shabbat school” used in the listener’s message does not exist in the Jewish community, further emphasizing the false nature of the claims.