News reports, public statements from bookshops, and in-store verification

Controversy Erupts Over Sale of Antisemitic Book at Hodges Figgis in Dublin

Jul 12, 2024, 05:39 PM

A controversy has erupted after the book 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,' a notorious antisemitic text, was found being sold in the Judaism section of Hodges Figgis, a prominent bookshop in Dublin. The book, which has been historically used to incite hatred against Jews, has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Elie Wiesel described the book as one that 'could produce mass hatred.' Historian Simon Schama condemned the bookshop, stating that the book has been the engine of pogroms and massacres of Jews and called for its immediate removal. Hen Mazzig criticized the sale as 'despicable,' arguing that accusations of rising antisemitism are not overblown and are often dismissed as attempts to protect Israel. The incident has sparked a wider debate about rising antisemitism and the responsibilities of bookshops in curating their selections.