Police investigating abuse of Dame Helen Mirren as possible hate crime
The Metropolitan Police are “reviewing footage” showing Dame Helen Mirren being called an “evil Zionist bitch” for her support for Israel.
Police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.
The video started circulating on social media this week, but it was shot in 2025.
It shows Dame Helen walking down a street in London’s Tower Hill with her husband, American film director Taylor Hackford.
The 80-year-old actor greets the man shooting with a smile and asks if he is okay.
He then says: “And then there’s Helen Mirren, who is an avowed Zionist. You said Israel had to exist forever because of the Holocaust. And she was very happy that Palestinian homes were destroyed.”
“You’re a bad Zionist. Fuck you too (Hackford), fuck you too.”
Dame Helen’s husband then stepped in and told the man several times to “fuck off” and leave them alone.
The clip was first published by an anonymous account called Anti-Fascist Action UK.
The Met said they were trying to contact Mirren to see if she wanted to formally report the incident.
In a statement, a Met spokesman said: “We are aware of a video circulating online showing a man and a woman being subjected to anti-Semitic verbal abuse in Tower Hill.
“The incident is believed to have occurred late last year.
“Officers are currently reviewing the footage and attempting to contact victims to determine whether they would like to report the incident.
“The Met continues to work hard to tackle all forms of hate crime and officers across London have made more than 90 hate crime arrests since the end of March.
If you think you have been subjected to this type of crime, please report it to us by calling 101 or reporting online.
Dame Helen is not Jewish. A long-time vocal advocate for Israel, he signed an open letter in April with fellow stars including Boy George and Sharon Osbourne, pledging support for the country’s entry into the Eurovision Song Contest.
Throughout her career, she portrayed many prominent Jewish figures, including Maria Altmann. Woman in Gold and former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir in the 2023 film Golda.
While promoting the film, he said: “I believe in Israel, in the existence of Israel, and I believe that Israel must forever move forward into the future. I believe in Israel because of the Holocaust.”
Dame Helen first visited Israel in 1967, shortly after the Six-Day War, where she volunteered at Kibbutz HaOn near the Sea of Galilee.
Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick said he was “disgusted” by the images, telling LBC: “I’m disgusted by it, but antisemitism is sadly rampant and anyone who is Jewish or supports the British Jewish community should not be harassed on the streets of our country.”
“This is not just anti-Semitic, it is anti-British. Everyone should be able to walk the streets of our country safely, free from harassment.”
