Met Police apologise for their previous apology over "You are openly Jewish" comment

The Metropolitan police have an unenviable job in dealing with the mass protests and demonstrations from various sides over the tragic conflict in the Middle East. But, and I greatly regret having to write this this, the way they are discharging their responsibilities gives rise to serious concern.

The CEO of the Campaign Against Anti-semitism, Gideon Falter, has released film of the way he was treated by police officers a week ago for trying to use the public highway in the vicinity of a pro-Palestinian march. A sergeant in the Met told him,

“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.”   

Mr Falter has emphasised that he had been walking in the capital after attending synagogue and was not there to counter-protest.

In the clip another officer said to him: “There’s a unit of people here now.

“You will be escorted out of this area so you can go about your business, go where you want freely, or if you choose to remain here because you are causing a breach of peace with all these other people, you will be arrested.”

The officer said that Mr Falter’s presence was “antagonising”.

Mr Falter said afterwards: “Despite being told repeatedly that London is safe for Jews when these marches are taking place, my interactions with police officers last Saturday show that the Met believes that being openly Jewish will antagonise the anti-Israel marchers and that Jews need protection, which the police cannot guarantee.

“Instead of addressing that threat of antisemitic violence, the Met’s policy instead seems to be that law-abiding Jewish Londoners should not be in the parts of London where these marches are taking place.

“In other words, that they are no-go zones for Jews.”

The home secretary, James Cleverley MP, has written to the Metropolitan police about the incident.

“We welcome the Met Police’s apology, and recognise the complexities of policing fast-moving public protests, but simply being Jewish – or of any other race or religion – should never be seen as provocative,” said a Home Office spokesperson in a statement.

“Anyone of any religion should be free to go about their lives and feel safe doing so.”

Met Police assistant commissioner Matt Twist issued an apology for the incident which, frankly, made matters far worse, leading to a situation where the Met had to take it down and issue a second apology  for their first apology. That first apology did indeed give the impression that the Met thinks Jewish people in the vicinity of a pro-Palestinian protest, quote, "must know that their presence is provocative."

The Met then made this second apology:

For a police sergeant to make the initial comments when he was on the spot in a very difficult position was was indeed "hugely regrettable" and quite bad enough. 

For an Assistant Commissioner to release a presumably considered statement which compounds the problem is far worse, and to be honest, I think Matt Twist's position is untenable. 

If the Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley doesn't get a grip on this PDQ, his position will be untenable too.