BBC staff have accused the corporation of double standards after they were told not to attend a march against anti-Semitism this weekend.

Staff working in current affairs and factual journalism who have sought permission to go to the Campaign Against Antisemitism march in London have been referred to guidelines that tell employees not to take part in public gatherings about controversial issues.

Jewish employees have argued that protesting against racism should not be regarded as a controversial or partisan issue, and that the BBC should not stand in their way.

They have told bosses that “racism is racism” and that if the BBC believes racism is not acceptable in any form, it should allow staff to show their opposition to it.

They point out that BBC staff are allowed to take part in marches supporting other causes, such as Pride, which are not seen as controversial by the broadcaster.

Must adhere to the guidelines

But the broadcaster is telling staff they must adhere to the same guidelines that have prevented them from attending pro-Palestinian rallies in recent weeks.

According to the impartiality rules, editorial staff “should not participate in public demonstrations or gatherings about controversial issues”.

One BBC source said: “When Jewish colleagues ask permission to go on this march, they are told they can’t go.”

It has given rise to accusations that the BBC is treating anti-Semitism differently from other forms of racism.

Sunday’s march from the Royal Courts of Justice in London is being billed as the biggest British demonstration against anti-Semitism since 1936.

In that year Jews and fascists clashed in the so-called Battle of Cable Street during a march by Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists.

Eight of the BBC’s UK-based journalists have accused it of favouritism towards Israel and a failure to “humanise Palestinian victims” in its coverage of the conflict.

Gary Lineker endorsed video

The corporation has been beset by controversies and complaints since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, including government pushback over its refusal to refer to Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

This week, football pundit Gary Lineker appeared to play with the impartiality guidelines when he endorsed a video by journalist Owen Jones in which an academic accuses Israel of “genocide” and dismisses comparisons between Hamas and the Nazis.

The Match of the Day presenter shared a tweet by Mr Jones, a columnist with the Guardian, of his interview with Raz Segal, an Israeli-American historian, and added the caption: “Worth 13 minutes of anyone’s time.”

Mr Lineker hasn’t responded to the criticism of him.

A BBC spokesman said: “The BBC is clear that anti-Semitism is abhorrent. We have established guidance around marches, which explains that different considerations apply depending on what you do for the BBC. Corporately, we have not issued any staff communication on any specific march this weekend, but this does not mean discussions which consider the guidance have not taken place between colleagues.”

Saturday will seen another of the weekly pro-Palestinian marches in London that have been organised by groups including some with links to Hamas.