Maureen Lipman depicted as the devil by pro-Palestine activists in 'disgusting' boycott campaign over new role

Pro-Palestinian campaigners have sparked outrage after they portrayed Jewish actress Dame Maureen Lipman as a demonic figure with red horns and a pitchfork as part of a boycott campaign over a new role.

Activists have demanded that her upcoming Aberdeen theatre performance be scrapped.

The Aberdeen branch of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign published the doctored image on Instagram, expressing what it called "serious concerns" about the 79-year-old Jewish actress appearing at His Majesty's Theatre later this month.

The group has created an online petition seeking the cancellation of Allegra, a comedy production scheduled to run from May 26 to 30.

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Activists accused Dame Maureen of being "an open supporter of the settler-colonial, apartheid state of Israel" and claimed she had expressed "extremist Islamophobic anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab views" over the past decade.

The campaign group stated it did not believe platforming the actress aligned with Aberdeen Performing Arts' values.

Timothy Lovat, chairman of the Jewish Council of Scotland, has reported the image to Police Scotland, which is now investigating the matter.

"It is absolutely antisemitic and disgusting - this is the kind of thing which is leading to antisemitic attacks on our streets," Mr Lovat told the Daily Mail.

So disgusted by this…

Worked with Maureen in 2015 on a play, in Birmingham & London, & there were concerns for her safety even then.

This abysmally foul & downright dangerous attempt to demonise & cancel her should outrage & sicken us all.

Arts: SPEAK UP & OUT!

RT 🙏 https://t.co/rmfRVi7kIM

— James Dreyfus (@DreyfusJames) May 3, 2026

He added that the depiction would "encourage people to look at Maureen Lipman as a perpetrator of evil acts when in fact she is a respected British Jewish actress appearing in a play, being blamed for things which have nothing to do with her."

The Campaign Against Antisemitism condemned the graphic, with a spokesman stating: "Beyond the likely copyright infringement and defamation here, portraying a Jew with devil's horns is a longstanding antisemitic trope."

The organisation described such activists as "Jew-baiting agitators" and argued that discrimination against Jewish people had become normalised within the arts sector.

Dame Maureen has also received support from her counterparts in the acting world.

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Notting Hill star James Dreyfus fumed on X: "So disgusted by this. Worked with Maureen in 2015 on a play, in Birmingham & London, & there were concerns for her safety even then. This abysmally foul & downright dangerous attempt to demonise & cancel her should outrage & sicken us all. Arts: SPEAK UP & OUT!" (sic)

Elsewhere, political commentator Carole Malone echoed: "Maureen Lipman is one of our most prized actresses.

"She’s also a woman of strong opinions but most relevantly she’s Jewish + because of that moronic, racist Palestinian activists in Scotland are trying to ban her from appearing in a play there. This evil has to stop. Jail them!!!" (sic)

And Andrew Bowie, the shadow Scottish Secretary and Conservative MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, hit out: "Maureen Lipman depicted as the Devil and people urged to boycott her play in Aberdeen, all because, well you guessed it.

Maureen Lipman is one of our most prized actresses.She’s also a woman of strong opinions but most relevantly she’s Jewish+because of that moronic, racist Palestinian activists in Scotland are trying to ban her from appearing in a play there.This evil has to stop. Jail them!!!

— Carole Malone (@thecarolemalone) May 4, 2026

"Utterly abhorrent, anti semitic racists in plain sight here. In the North East. Well, not in my name. Maureen is welcome to Aberdeen and the North East." (sic)

Aberdeen Performing Arts has confirmed it will not be cancelling the production despite the campaign.

A spokesperson for the organisation, which receives funding from Aberdeen City Council and Creative Scotland, stated: "We do not endorse the personal or political views of the artists who perform on our stages."

The venue added that Dame Maureen was "playing a character in a show that is touring the UK" and that its stages were not being used to promote any personal or political narrative.

Thomas Hopkins, the show's producer, defended the production, telling The Telegraph: "I want to be clear this play takes no political or religious position. It is simply a story about joy and ageing with grace."

He described Dame Maureen as "a true national treasure" and emphasised that while peaceful protest remained a right, "hateful or derogatory language, including towards individuals, has no place in public life."

The controversy follows Dame Maureen's recent comments comparing current levels of British antisemitism to 1933 Germany, the year Hitler became Chancellor.

Speaking after the Golders Green double-stabbing attack last week, she told LBC Radio: "This is 1933."

The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign said it "stands by the petition."

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