Dame Helen Mirren has been accosted in the street by a pro-Palestine stranger calling her an ‘evil Zionist bitch’.
The video, first posted by an anonymous account called Anti-Fascist Action UK, shows the Oscar-winning actress, 80, being approached as she walked along the street in London with her husband, Taylor Hackford.
At first, the Thursday Murder Club star appeared calm and polite, smiling as she greeted the man and asked if he was okay.
But the encounter quickly escalated as the stranger launched into an abusive tirade over the actress’s support for Israel.
He said: ‘And there is Helen Mirren the avowed Zionist. You said Israel should last forever because of the Holocaust. And she was very happy the Palestinians’ houses were gone.
‘You are an evil Zionist bitch. And you [Mr Hackford] as well, f*** you as well.’
As the situation became increasingly hostile, Mr Hackford stepped in and repeatedly told the man to ‘f*** off’ and leave them alone.
Dame Helen Mirren was harassed in the street by a pro-Palestine activist while walking with her husband Taylor Hackford
Dame Helen has long been outspoken in her support for Israel and opposition to cultural boycotts against the country.
Just last month, she signed an open letter alongside stars including Amy Schumer, Mila Kunis, Sharon Osbourne and Boy George backing Israel’s inclusion in the Eurovision Song Contest.
The actress has also portrayed several notable Jewish figures on screen, including Maria Altmann in Woman in Gold and former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir in the 2023 film Golda.
Speaking previously about Israel, Mirren said: ‘I believe in Israel, in the existence of Israel, and I believe Israel has to go forward into the future, for the rest of eternity… I believe in Israel because of the Holocaust.’
The comments were made during a 2023 interview with Israel’s Channel 12 while promoting Golda, which focused on Meir’s leadership during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
Mirren also revealed that some people had attempted to persuade her not to take the role because of Israel’s controversial position on the world stage.
At first, Dame Helen appeared calm and polite, smiling as she greeted the man and asked if he was okay
However, she defended her decision, saying: ‘I’ve met such extraordinary people in Israel.’
She added: ‘I know there is a base, a foundation of deep intelligence, thoughtfulness, commitment, poetry even in Israel that is very, very special.’
The British actress first visited Israel in 1967, shortly after the Six-Day War, volunteering on Kibbutz HaOn near the Sea of Galilee and hitchhiking around the country.
She has also spoken out strongly against cultural boycotts of Israel, arguing that abandoning Israeli artists would be counterproductive.
Despite her support for Israel’s right to exist, Dame Helen has also indicated she does not support every action of the Israeli government and has voiced concern over the country’s political direction.
Her representatives have been approached for comment.
A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of a video circulating online, showing a man and a woman being subjected to antisemitic verbal abuse in Tower Hill.
‘It is believed that the incident took place at the end of last year.
‘Officers are currently reviewing the footage and making attempts to contact the victims to establish whether they would like to report the incident.’
