Post by Stammerhead on Apr 20, 2024 13:01:31 GMT
The Met Police has apologised after an officer said an antisemitism charity leader looked "openly Jewish" as he was threatened with arrest for being near a pro-Palestine march.
Gideon Falter was wearing a kippah skull-cap when he was stopped in the Aldwych area of London on Saturday.
He was told by police his presence was causing a "breach of peace", in a video posted online.
Scotland Yard apologised for the officer's phrase.
The force then withdrew its initial statement, after "reflecting on the strength of the response" to it, and issued a second apology for causing further offence.
The original statement talked about a "new trend of those opposed to the main protests appearing alongside the route to express their views", and "knowing their presence is provocative".
However, this was criticised as victim-blaming, and the Met issued a second statement saying that "being Jewish is not a provocation" and apologising again.
Mr Falter, who is chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), said he had been walking in the capital after attending synagogue and was not there to counter-protest.
In footage of the police officers speaking to Mr Falter, posted online by the charity, an officer said Mr Falter would be arrested if he remained at the scene. In response, Mr Falter has accused the Met of creating "no-go zones" for Jewish people.
In the video, one police officer said: "You are quite openly Jewish, this is a pro-Palestinian march, I'm not accusing you of anything but I'm worried about the reaction to your presence."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68856360
Gideon Falter was wearing a kippah skull-cap when he was stopped in the Aldwych area of London on Saturday.
He was told by police his presence was causing a "breach of peace", in a video posted online.
Scotland Yard apologised for the officer's phrase.
The force then withdrew its initial statement, after "reflecting on the strength of the response" to it, and issued a second apology for causing further offence.
The original statement talked about a "new trend of those opposed to the main protests appearing alongside the route to express their views", and "knowing their presence is provocative".
However, this was criticised as victim-blaming, and the Met issued a second statement saying that "being Jewish is not a provocation" and apologising again.
Mr Falter, who is chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), said he had been walking in the capital after attending synagogue and was not there to counter-protest.
In footage of the police officers speaking to Mr Falter, posted online by the charity, an officer said Mr Falter would be arrested if he remained at the scene. In response, Mr Falter has accused the Met of creating "no-go zones" for Jewish people.
In the video, one police officer said: "You are quite openly Jewish, this is a pro-Palestinian march, I'm not accusing you of anything but I'm worried about the reaction to your presence."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68856360