Speaking on the ‘s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho said: “What we can’t be saying to particular groups in society that their very presence is a provocation.”
Asked if Sir Mark Rowley should resign, she said she “personally wouldn’t go that far because I haven’t had the conversations with him”, before adding it “is really important that we stand by the Jewish community, and other communities as well”.
Labour’s shadow justice secretary told Sky News she did not think the commissioner should resign.
Shabana Mahmood said she could “understand the strength of feeling” and described the footage as “very concerning”, but believed the commissioner’s resignation was not “the way forward”.
Scotland Yard has apologised twice for the officer’s phrase.
An initial apology from the Met on Friday was withdrawn after it was criticised as victim-blaming and the Met issued a second statement saying “being Jewish is not a provocation” and apologised again.
It said: “Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in this city.”
In a video clip shot at the march, the 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.”
The Met has faced criticism for its handling of a series of pro-Palestinian demonstrations since last October, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented assault on Israel.
Hundreds of gunmen infiltrated communities near the Gaza Strip, and about 1,200 people were killed, with more than 250 taken to Gaza as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
More than 33,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in air and artillery strikes carried out by the Israeli military in response, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry has said.