The UK-based newspaper The Guardian has taken down and apologized for a recently-published cartoon that was widely condemned for perpetuating antisemitic tropes, saying it “did not meet our editorial standards.”
The caricature in question, drawn by Martin Rowson, depicted outgoing BBC Chairman Richard Sharp — who is Jewish — with imagery that the Board of Deputies of British Jews described as “shocking.”
Rowson is seen carrying a box — with the words “Goldman Sachs” written on it — containing a squid and a puppet head of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. There is also an overturned trash can with the word “Sponsors” written above the crossed-out word “Patrons,” as well as a pig eating off the dirty ground in the background.
British antisemitism expert Dave Rich tweeted, “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.”
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
On Saturday, Rowson tweeted, “Through carelessness and thoughtlessness I screwed up pretty badly with a Graun toon today & many people are understandably very upset. I genuinely apologize, unconditionally.”
Through carelessness and thoughtlessness I screwed up pretty badly with a Graun toon today & many people are understandably very upset. I genuinely apologise, unconditionally. A fuller response will be on my website in about an hour. I’ll post the link here as soon as I have it.
— Martin Rowson (@MartinRowson) April 29, 2023
In its “Corrections and Clarifications” section on Sunday, The Guardian said it “apologizes to Mr. Sharp, to the Jewish community and to anyone offended.” It did not explain how the cartoon was approved for publication in the first place.
British media personality Piers Morgan tweeted:
Haven’t seen a single @guardian journalist publicly condemn the paper’s anti-Semitic cartoon. Just imagine what they’d all be tweeting/saying if the Sun or Daily Mail had done something similar with, say, a Muslim public figure?
The hypocrisy is pungent. pic.twitter.com/cA72sQ8XB4— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 1, 2023
