Met and Greater Manchester police to take a more "assertive" response to certain chants

The Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police will take a more 'assertive' approach to pro-Palestine protestors who chant 'globalise the intifada' because of the 'escalating threat context'

Sir Mark Rowley, head of the Met Police, and Sir Stephen Watson, the head of Greater Manchester Police, have issued a statement saying they will take action despite the CPS advising that it doesn't meet the prosecution threshold

'Antisemitic hate crime has surged, protests have intensified, and online abuse has grown since 2023. These trends create real fear and disrupt daily life – and have an impact on how safe the Jewish community feel when attending synagogues and other communal spaces. Jewish children attend schools behind fences, guarded by security and routine police patrols. No community should have to live like this. That must change.

'The words and chants used, especially in protests, matter and have real-world consequences. We have consistently been advised by the CPS that many of the phrases causing fear in Jewish communities don’t meet prosecution thresholds. Now, in the escalating threat context, we will recalibrate to be more assertive.

'We know communities are concerned about placards and chants such as “globalise the intifada” and those using it at future protest or in a targeted way should expect the Met and GMP to take action. Violent acts have taken place, the context has changed - words have meaning and consequence. We will act decisively and make arrests

'Frontline officers will be briefed on this enhanced approach. We will also use powers under the Public Order Act, including conditions around London synagogues during services.'

To those who are disputing whether the phrase "Globalize the intifada" is incitement to attack Jews, I would point out that one of the organisations who have criticised the phrase on the basis that it is likely to be taken that way is the Global Imams' Council, who have said,

"Let us be absolutely clear. The Bondi Beach terrorist attack is what the globalizing of the intifada looks like when hatred is normalized, when incitement is excused, and when extremists are allowed to fester under the cover of politics, slogans, and cowardly silence. What begins as chants and threats inevitably ends in blood."

See link to their statement on the Bondi Beach atrocity which includes the above:

GIC Condemns Bondi Beach Antisemitic Terrorist Attack – The Global Imams Council (GIC)

I hope this more assertive approach will also apply to chants like

"Khaybar, Khaybar, ya yahud! Jaish Muhammad soufa yaʿoud!" which translates to "Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews! The army of Muhammad will return!". 

This chant is understood by Jews to be a death threat. It refers to the 7th-century Battle of Khaybar, an oasis in present-day Saudi Arabia that was home to a Jewish community. Forces under the Prophet Muhammad engaged in military action against the local Jewish tribes, ultimately resulting in their defeat, subjugation, and expulsion or forced payment of a tax (jizya) to the Muslim rulers.

Imagine for a moment that England were playing Scotland either in Glasgow or at Wembley, and a group of England supporters were foolish enough to march through the streets of Glasgow, or openly taunt Scottish fans at or near either football ground, with a chant along the lines of

"Culloden, Culloden, remember Culloden, Scotland! The Duke of Cumberland's army's coming back!" 

Does anyone seriously imagine that either Police Scotland or the Met would ignore the likely threat to public order that such a chant would represent?

Of course not, and nor should they.