Tiktoker sparks fury after calling to 'make Christmas Palestinian'
Tiktoker sparks fury after calling to 'make Christmas Palestinian'
Tik Tok/PA/Getty
A British TikToker who received a suspended prison sentence last week for antisemitic posts is now facing fresh controversy after calling on followers to "make Christmas Palestinian".
Fiona Rayan, 40, posted a new video on Sunday encouraging supporters to incorporate Palestinian themes into their Christmas celebrations.
The move comes just days after the Salisbury resident was handed a 20-week suspended sentence for what prosecutors described as "grossly offensive antisemitic posts".
In her latest video, Rayan urged followers to decorate their Christmas trees with Palestinian ornaments and spread the message that "Jesus was a Palestinian".
Fiona Rayan
TikTok
"What I think we need to do is to make Christmas Palestinian as much as we possibly can," she said in the video.
She added: "Maybe telling your family about how Jesus was a Palestinian and how Christmas is a Palestinian story.
"Mostly, it's about supporting Palestinian businesses, whether it's with presents, whether that's through donations, however, you want to do it."
Just days prior to the post, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) sentenced Rayan to a total of 20 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 18 months over "grossly offensive antisemitic posts".
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Rayan called for supporters to hang up Palestinian Christmas tree ornaments
PA
They warned that should Rayan commit the crime again then she would go to prison.
Her antisemitic posts had directly compared Ashkenazi Jews with Nazis and made false claims about Jewish doctors performing sex change procedures on children.
During her trial, Rayan attempted to defend her posts at Salisbury Magistrates' Court by citing freedom of expression.
Rayan claimed 'Jesus was a Palestinian' and that 'Christmas is a Palestinian story'
GETTY
However, prosecutors successfully demonstrated that her content had crossed the boundary between free speech and hate speech.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Gavin Sumpter condemned Rayan's previous content, stating: "Fiona Ryan sought to hide behind the right to freedom of speech, however, the court found that her posts and videos were grossly offensive."
"Her vile rhetoric reached a wide audience and has caused real harm in the Jewish community, the impact of which she was fully aware of," he added.
Responding to the post on X, one user wrote: "As a Christian, I can ensure you. That Jesus is a jew. And Christmas is a Jewish story. If you don't believe me, read the Bible."
Another user said: "It is very much offensive and shows she has no understanding of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures."
David Lange, who highlighted the post, said Rayan's comments were "an offensive and yes, antisemitic, claim that erases Jewish history".
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