Scotland Yard is twice forced to apologise after an officer used the term “openly Jewish” to describe an antisemitism activist, who was told his presence near a demonstration was “antagonising”.
Scotland Yard is twice forced to apologise after an officer used the term “openly Jewish” to describe an antisemitism activist, who was told his presence near a demonstration was “antagonising”.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
A video showed an officer using the term while speaking to Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, who was wearing a kippah skull cap near the protest in the Aldwych area of London on the afternoon of Saturday 13 April.
Issuing an initial apology on behalf of the Metropolitan Police, assistant commissioner Matt Twist said the officer’s use of the phrase was “hugely regrettable”, but suggested Mr Falter’s presence had been “provocative” and the release of the footage would “further dent the confidence of many Jewish Londoners”.
The response prompted further criticism, with Mr Falter accusing the force of “victim-blaming” and arguing it was “the right of every Jew” to walk freely around London.
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Footage showed one police officer saying to 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.”
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters had gathered in London last Saturday to call for a ceasefire and urge the government to stop all arms sales to Israel.
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