UK, US both said probing alleged ties between China and an anti-Israel protest group

The United States and United Kingdom are both investigating alleged ties between China and a pro-Palestinian protest group, according to a recent report in The Telegraph, after an earlier story in the UK paper revealed that far-left feminist organization Code Pink is suspected of receiving funds from Beijing to stage anti-Israel protests in Britain.

Code Pink has staged dozens of protests in the UK and US since the war in Gaza began with the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks. Its website says it supports “Palestinians’ right to resist the violent Israeli occupation of Palestine,” and that it is “committed to supporting Palestinian liberation from abroad.”

Sponsored A80 64-Color LED Ambient Light Kit for Car Interiors: A Look for DIY Enthusiasts AliExpress See the review →

According to The Telegraph, the UK’s Home Office’s probe into the group’s funding is part of a larger investigation into foreign influence and interference in Britain. The paper said that the probe comes amid concern in London that Beijing is looking to deepen societal tensions and wage “political warfare” in the country.

Code Pink is suspected of receiving 250,000 British pounds ($338,000) from a company connected to a China-based British tech tycoon named Neville Roy Singham, who has previously been accused of funding Chinese propaganda, the report said, though he has consistently denied such allegations. Singham is married to Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans.

Commenting on the probe, an unnamed government spokesperson said: “The first duty of government is to protect our national security. That is why we have brought forward some of the most robust measures to defend our country and democracy from state-backed threats.”

“Protecting the UK’s democracy and democratic institutions is fundamental to our national security, and we will continue to take whatever action is necessary to safeguard them,” the spokesperson added.

The US is also looking into the allegations, the report said.

The US probe is being conducted by a congressional committee alongside the Justice Department, the report said, and is looking into whether Singham “used his money to spread pro-China propaganda and advance the interests of Beijing.”

The report quoted Congressional Ways and Means Committee chairman Jason Smith, a Republican from Missouri, as saying that “it’s clear from the investigation that Singham’s money and influence does not stop at America’s borders.”

“The committee is well aware that Singham’s funding is supporting pro-Hamas and pro-communist causes not only in the United States, but also overseas, including in the United Kingdom,” Smith said.

According to the report, the Justice Department has launched a federal grand jury investigation into Singham’s alleged ties to China and pro-Palestinian protest groups.

Both the UK and US have seen a surge in anti-Israeli protests as well as antisemitic sentiment since the war in Gaza began in 2023.

As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.

This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world. 

If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.

— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist

We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.

That’s why we started the Times of Israel – to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.

So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.

For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.

Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel