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<\/p>\nCoronation Street star Maureen Lipman has revealed soap bosses have offered security to protect her from anti-Semitic attacks.<\/p>\n
The Jewish actress, 77, has been playing Evelyn Plummer on the long-running ITV soap since 2018. However, Maureen has been left stunned by the huge increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes. <\/p>\n
Since Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel and killed hundreds of people, there has been a shocking rise in attacks on British Jews. And according to Maureen, due to the rise in hate, Corrie bosses have offered her security protection.<\/p>\n
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Dame Maureen attended a conference held at the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism. As The Sun reports, at the event, she revealed: \u201cI had a real surprise this week when I was offered security guards by the \u00adpeople at Coronation Street \u2014 this is where we are now.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Fellow Jewish actress, Tracy-Ann Oberman, 57, best known for playing Chrissie Watts on EastEnders from 2004 to 2005, spoke at the event too. She is currently starring in a UK tour of Shakespeare\u2019s play, The Merchant of Venice,<\/p>\n
She explained: \u201cFor the last week, the production has had to have security men around keeping an eye on things. It\u2019s like a dystopian nightmare. A Jewish actress putting on a play about anti-Semitism which needs to be made secure because of Jew-hating extremists.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The publication also added that a spokesperson for ITV confirmed Maureen\u2019s security protection. They said: \u201cThe well\u00adbeing of all our cast and crew is of utmost importance. Everyone should feel safe to come to work, and Maureen has the full support of the entire Coronation Street family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maureen is one of many public figures who have signed the October Declaration over the weekend. They wrote: \u201cWe are a group of concerned British citizens and residents from a wide range of backgrounds and professions who stand in solidarity with British Jews and condemn all forms of anti-Semitism, whether in Britain or elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Criticising the BBC\u2019s refusal to call Hamas \u201cterrorists\u201d the signatories added: \u201cWe ask the media, members of all political parties and everyone in public life to call out Hamas for what it is: a terrorist organisation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Similarly, actor Steve Coogan has also condemned the recent attacks. Before Maureen\u2019s comments came to light on Sunday (October 22) he released a statement.<\/p>\n
He wrote of \u201cthe recent Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel; their deliberate murder of civilians and their taking of hostages\u201d. He also said: \u201cThe Jewish people have been uniquely the target of hate and prejudice for millennia and anyone who cares about human rights should be vigilant and call it out when they encounter it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt goes without saying that what Hamas did is evil beyond imagination. It was horrific and brutal. It is in no way inconsistent with condemnation of the Hamas atrocity, to express grave concern for the lives and welfare of innocent Palestinian civilians facing a humanitarian disaster, deprived of food, water, medicine fuel and shelter.\u201d<\/p>\n
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