A Jewish comedian was removed from a north London writers’ group after disclosing his Zionist beliefs, prompting controversy within the local literary community. Harry Deansway, whose real name is Joshua Rinkoff, was asked by Ruby Sullivan, the organiser of the Offbeat Writer’s Group, about his views on Israel. After Deansway described himself as both Jewish and a Zionist—while emphasizing his support for Palestinian rights and opposition to actions causing Palestinian suffering—Sullivan reportedly responded that there was no place for him in the group because of his beliefs.

Deansway, who is also a stand-up comic, filmmaker, and writer, said Sullivan accused him of endorsing “the massacre of an entire population.” He had been a member of the group, which serves writers residing near Islington’s Holloway Road, for six months without prior incident. The dispute, however, led Sullivan and other members to withdraw from an evening of short fiction readings that Deansway had organised at Bar Gemist, a local venue, scheduled for Tuesday.

Following the boycott by group members, Bar Gemist cancelled the ticketed event, leading Deansway to refund attendees and suffer financial losses. The venue’s directors, Marion Zoelle and Uroš Dezutelj, issued a statement denying any discriminatory motives, saying the cancellation resulted from “material changes and a lack of communication surrounding them.”

Deansway defended his identity as a Zionist by explaining that the term fundamentally relates to the belief in Jewish self-determination in their ancestral homeland. He stressed that this belief can coexist with opposition to the Israeli government’s policies and actions that contribute to Palestinian hardship.

Sullivan received a formal legal letter outlining the complaints on October 6 but declined to comment on the matter. The incident has sparked conversations about freedom of expression and ideological tolerance within creative communities in London.