Urban Outfitters, the trendy youth clothing and lifestyle store, has been upsetting Jewish customers by displaying magazines featuring allegations of genocide by Israel at its counters.

Several customers in its Camden stores noticed piles of magazines at the check out counter blasting out the accusation “Israel is committing Genocide, Use your Voice”.

The customers tried to turn over the pile of magazines to display their front cover, but staff quickly turned the magazines back again to display the genocide message.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has written to the managing director of Urban Outfitters UK and General Counsel of their US parent group pointing out that many Jewish and Israeli customers found the message at each of the tills distressing and offensive.

UKLFI explained that there was no evidence for asserting Israel has intended to destroy a national ethnic, racial of religious group as such, in whole or in part, which is a critical element of the definition of a genocide. It has merely intended to destroy the terrorist group, Hamas. Judge Donoghue, then President of the International Court (ICJ), has confirmed that it did not find there was a plausible case of genocide by Israel, as had been suggested by some incorrect media reports.

The magazine, called “Crack”, also contained alleged Gaza death statistics inside this issue on display, which far surpassed even the figures given out by the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health (GMoH). (see A/3 below). Reuters reported that a new update released by the GMoH on Tuesday 29^th July 2025 put the number of those killed in Gaza during the war at 60,034 people.  However, this magazine states in huge lettering that 93,126 people have been killed.

UKLFI’s letter argues that it is inappropriate for the shop to display and give away piles of this offensive magazine to shoppers because

1. it is offensive, misleading and designed to stir up hatred against Jews
2. The name of the magazine is apparently a reference to crack cocaine. The Manual of Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment calls it the most addictive form of cocaine. This magazine appears to be glamorising crack cocaine.

UKLFI also pointed out that Urban Outfitters appeared to be breaching the Equality Act 2010. The displays of the false allegation of “genocide” in various parts of the shop would breach Section 29 (3) of the Equality Act 2010 (the Act) by creating a hostile and intimidating atmosphere in the shop for Jewish and Israeli customers.

A spokesperson for UKFI commented “We hope that Urban Outfitters will be considerate of their customers and withdraw these offensive magazines.”