Nike has come under fire after installing signs that read “Never again, until next year,” along the London Marathon route on Sunday.
The phrase ‘Never again’ is widely associated with the Holocaust and represents a global pledge to prevent similar atrocities from ever happening again. Its use in a marketing campaign has sparked anger.
“As a Jew living in London, I felt shocked, hurt, and angry to see the use of words in this context, even if no doubt in reference to the temporary pain of running 26 miles," retired British judge Nigel Lithman, told Walla.
“‘Never Again’ is a phrase related to the Holocaust and the murder of six million Jews. It is directed as a prayer to the world that it will not allow such a horror to repeat itself. And over the past 18 months, it has been used more than ever, as we mourn the barbaric slaughter of more than 1,000 Israelis and long for the return of hostages kidnapped to the tunnels of Gaza.”
“The fact that the phrase is used as a marketing tool for the marathon is very indicative of the way it is treated. In fact, to chant ‘never again, until next year’ is exactly what Hamas promised: to repeat October 7 over and over again,” Lithman added.
He clarified, “I am not arguing that Nike meant an antisemitic act, but he demonstrated how a serious and important comment is thrown aside as of little importance, despite the fact that for many Jews it is of enormous importance.”
The marathon took place just three days after Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, amid a broader rise in global antisemitism. Britain alone experienced its second-worst year for antisemitic incidents in 2024, with over 3,500 recorded cases. Approximately 56,000 runners took part in the London Marathon on Sunday, according to the BBC.
Two anti-Israel activists disrupted the event
Among the attendees were two anti-Israel activists who ran onto the route to disrupt the event and protest ties between Israel and the UK.
A marathon staffer intervened and wrestled the activists away from the path of the marathoners, after they jumped the barriers and threw red powder at the Tower Bridge, the Metropolitan Police said on X/Twitter.
Police officers arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance. The two protesters were part of the British pro-Palestinian group Youth Demand, aimed at protesting UK arms sales to Israel.
Last year, Nike installed a similar billboard featuring the phrase "Never again, see you next year.”