I want to introduce you to someone whose story has stuck with me—Iman Spati. His courage, persistence, and dedication to exposing hate are inspiring. Spati’s voice is one we don’t hear enough, even though it deserves to be amplified. He’s not a politician or a well-protected journalist reporting from the sidelines. He’s a man who walks directly into the fire to document what too many are willing to ignore.
Spati’s connection to hate and violence runs deep. His family fled Iran in 1999 after his father, Akbar Spati, was executed by the regime for being an opposition activist. Iman has no real memories of his father, only a single keepsake: an old cassette recording where his father says, “Don’t be afraid, wherever you go, I am with you, watching over you.” His father’s execution was ordered by Ebrahim Raisi, the then-prosecutor in Tehran and now the president of Iran. To add insult to tragedy, the regime forced Spati’s mother to pay for the bullets that killed her husband.
When his family arrived in Germany, they sought safety. But over time, Iman began to recognize echoes of the same hatred that had forced them to flee Iran. He became deeply aware of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment, noticing how these ideologies often walked hand in hand. In 2016, after witnessing shocking slogans at the Al-Quds demonstration in Berlin and seeing flags of Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah waved openly, he realized he couldn’t stay silent. That’s when his work documenting hate began.
Then came October 7, 2023. When Hamas carried out its brutal massacre in Israel, Spati saw something in Berlin that left him shaken: people celebrating with baklavas in the streets. For him, this was a turning point. Since that day, he’s attended over 140 pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Berlin, armed with nothing but a camera and a determination to capture the reality of what’s happening.
Spati describes how these demonstrations have evolved. Initially, thousands attended, claiming to support the Palestinian people. But as the crowds thinned, what remained was darker, angrier, and more violent. Openly anti-Semitic slogans replaced calls for justice. Protesters physically attacked police officers, threw bottles, and screamed slurs. According to Spati, the police are exhausted and unsupported by politicians unwilling to confront the problem.
For Spati, these rallies are not abstract political events—they’re personal. He has been targeted, harassed, and even physically assaulted. Demonstrators shout obscenities at him, follow him home, and accuse him of being a Mossad agent. In one incident, someone struck him on the head with a flagpole. In another, he was headbutted. The harassment escalated to the point where, one evening, a man with a knife waited for him outside his home. When Spati confronted the man, his female accomplice screamed false accusations of attempted rape. Spati was briefly arrested but released after police apprehended the real culprits. Despite hundreds of similar incidents, Spati notes that “not a single conviction” has resulted.
He describes the crowd at these rallies as a “strange cocktail” of the radical left and radical Islam, two groups with little in common except their shared hatred of Jews and Israel. Ninety percent of the participants, he says, celebrate the October 7 massacre, and the remaining ten percent are too scared to speak up. He points out that Muslim immigration to Europe, especially since 2015, has emboldened the radical left to express its anti-Semitism under the guise of solidarity with “victimized Muslims.” What was once taboo is now openly accepted in many circles.
But the danger doesn’t stop there. Spati highlights how some protesters are incentivized by money and social media fame. For them, attending these rallies is less about ideology and more about the clicks and views they can generate by posting videos of their participation. Anti-Semitism has become “cool” in certain circles—a way to gain social acceptance and online clout.
“The level of violence and incitement rises with each demonstration,” Spati warns. His documentation shows this escalation clearly. What started as veiled hostility has grown into explicit, violent Jew-hatred.
Iman Spati’s story isn’t just about Berlin. It’s about a global pattern we cannot ignore. His courage to stand in the middle of this storm and expose its reality reminds us how critical it is to speak up before the frog in the frying pan gets cooked. Jew-hatred doesn’t erupt overnight—it creeps in, degree by degree, until it’s too late to escape. Spati’s work is a wake-up call for all of us to notice the rising temperature and act before it boils over.
The Boiling Point of Hate: Who Will Take Action Before It’s Too Late?
The slow rise of Jew-hatred is not a new phenomenon. It’s been simmering for generations, and now the temperature is rising faster than ever. Like the frog in the frying pan, we risk being boiled alive if we don’t act. This isn’t something that happens overnight—it’s a process. Each demonstration, each chant, each act of violence pushes the line further. What was once unthinkable is now the new normal.
So, who needs to notice this rise in temperature? Who must act before it’s too late? Let’s talk about it.
1. The Jews
It starts with us. If anyone should notice what’s happening, it’s the Jewish community. But noticing isn’t enough. We have to respond—and not with fear, but with strength. This doesn’t mean reacting with aggression. It means reclaiming our confidence, our self-respect, and our readiness to face the reality that hatred doesn’t just disappear on its own.
For too long, we’ve relied on hiding and hoping for the best. History has taught us this doesn’t work. Jew-hatred has existed in every era and every corner of the world. It’s evolved—from blood libels in medieval Europe to the pogroms of Eastern Europe, from the horrors of the Holocaust to the anti-Israel rallies we see today. It’s the same hate, wrapped in different words. And once again, it’s growing louder and more brazen.
It’s time to change the equation. We need to stop cowering and start preparing. Preparation isn’t about picking fights; it’s about refusing to be caught off guard. It’s about learning how to protect yourself and your family. It’s about showing up in the world with confidence, not as victims but as individuals ready to defend what we love.
Survival doesn’t happen by accident. We have to create it.
2. The Protesters Who Say They “Don’t Hate Jews”
Then there are the protesters. The ones who insist they’re not anti-Semitic—that they’re just “against Israeli policies.” Some may even believe that. But let’s call it what it is: a lot of these people are uninformed, emotionally driven, and swept up in a tide they don’t fully understand.
Why Was Israel Established?
Let’s remind them of a little history. Israel wasn’t created as an experiment or a luxury—it was a necessity. After the Holocaust, when six million Jews were murdered, the world finally realized—too late—that Jews needed a homeland. Israel is the answer to centuries of persecution. It’s a safe haven, not a political bargaining chip.
What Sparked October 7th?
And let’s not forget why we’re here. On October 7th, Hamas didn’t launch an attack on soldiers. They didn’t target military bases. They slaughtered civilians—mothers, fathers, children. They kidnapped 101 people, including toddlers. This wasn’t about “resistance.” It was about terror.
Yet, we see people marching to justify this. Many of these protesters don’t even know what they’re marching for. They’re caught up in the crowd, shouting slogans they barely understand. Some are led by Jewish anti-Zionists—a baffling and tragic phenomenon. How can a Jew, with the weight of history on their shoulders, deny the necessity of Israel? Without Israel, we’re not just at risk of another Holocaust—it becomes a near certainty.
War is ugly. No one likes to see it, and no one should. But war isn’t about good optics. It’s about survival. And while the world cries out for the losses on one side, it seems far too willing to dismiss the Israeli lives lost—if it notices them at all. That silence speaks volumes.
3. The Allies
And then there are the allies. Those who see what’s happening and know it’s wrong. Now is the time to step up. If you’re waiting for a perfect moment to show solidarity, this is it.
Acts of Solidarity Matter
In Seattle, Christians bought mezuzahs and placed them on their doors after hearing that Jews were removing theirs out of fear. That one act carried immense weight. It told Jewish families, “You’re not alone.” It reminded them that there are people who see the hate rising and refuse to let it go unchallenged.
These moments matter. Organizing interfaith vigils, calling out anti-Semitism when you see it, and educating your community about the truth are all ways to stand up. This isn’t just a Jewish issue; this is about protecting dignity, human rights, and the shared values we claim to hold.
The Time to Act is Now
The frog doesn’t notice the heat rising until it’s too late. Each protest, each chant, each act of violence is another degree in the pan. If we wait, the water will boil over, and it will be too late to act.
Jews, protesters, allies—this is a moment that demands awareness and action. Recognize the trajectory. Take it seriously. And don’t stay silent.
History has already shown us what happens when the world looks the other way. Let’s not make the same mistake again.
Remember these words – Radical left and radical Islam, while currently united by their shared Jew-hatred, are ideologically incompatible in almost every other way. The radical left claims to champion progressive values like gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and freedom of expression—values that are fundamentally at odds with the authoritarian and theocratic principles of radical Islam. This alliance is a fragile and dangerous convenience, not a true partnership. Ironically, many of the radical left’s supporters will be the first in line to fall victim to the very ideologies they now tolerate or enable—ideologies that don’t seek to coexist with the West but to dominate and replace it. This stark reality underscores the urgency for all of us to recognize the trajectory and act before it’s too late.
The solution lies in education grounded in historical facts—uncompromising, unfiltered, and free from the distortions of propaganda or “alternative facts.” It cannot be about rewriting history to fit a narrative or omitting inconvenient truths for the sake of a “good story.” Education must illuminate the reality of the past, from the establishment of Israel as a refuge for persecuted people to the dangers of ignoring the patterns of rising hatred. Without this foundation, ignorance thrives, and the same mistakes are repeated. Only by teaching the unvarnished truth can we equip future generations to understand, confront, and ultimately break the cycles of hatred and violence.
Do something amazing,
Tsahi Shemesh
Founder & CEO
Krav Maga Experts
