A newly opened Arabic bookshop in central London is facing accusations of antisemitism after copies of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf were found on sale close to a major synagogue, according to reporting cited from The Telegraph.
The Aafaq Bookstore on Edgware Road reportedly stocked an Arabic translation of the Nazi leader’s manifesto featuring a cover image of Hitler giving a salute. The shop is about a five-minute walk from the West London Synagogue, roughly half a mile away.
Councillor Says Copies Were on Display
Conservative councillor Elliot Keck, who represents Hyde Park ward, said he visited the store on Wednesday evening and found several copies laid out on a display table.
“Imagine my disgust upon going into this new Arabic bookstore on Edgware Road last night only to find them selling multiple copies of Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler, apparently published themselves,” Keck said. “I rarely wish ill on a new business, but I hope this one fails, and fails quickly.”
The edition reportedly carries the name of Aafaq Publishing and Distribution, a Kuwait-based firm that also owns the London shop. The source material links both to Dr. Naser Al Shammari, a 47-year-old Kuwaiti.
According to the report, there was no indication on the cover that the book was an annotated or critical edition intended for academic study.
Jewish Groups Condemn the Sale
Jewish community groups responded with alarm. A spokesman for the Community Security Trust described Mein Kampf as “the most infamous antisemitic text of the Holocaust era” and said no London Arabic bookshop should be publishing and promoting it.
The Jewish Leadership Council called the situation “utterly horrifying,” citing broader concerns about Islamist extremism and rising antisemitism in Britain.
Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg said the organization was investigating the matter with communal partners. He described any promotion of the text without clear refutation as “totally unconscionable.”
Bookshop Denies Promoting Nazi Ideology
Aafaq Bookstore strongly disputed the claim that the books were displayed prominently. In a statement, the store said it began trading on Aug. 1, 2026, and had only three copies, which it said were stacked among history books at the rear of the shop.
The store alleged that Keck rearranged the books side by side before photographing them.
“The presence of a controversial historical book in a bookshop does not constitute endorsement of its ideas,” the statement said. “Aafaq unequivocally rejects Nazi ideology, antisemitism, racism and Islamophobia.”
Keck rejected the store’s version of events. He maintained that the books were among the first titles stocked and were visible on a main display table inside the small premises. He said he separated the copies only to show how many were available.
