Rishi Sunak was “appalled” by the way police treated a Jewish man during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in London, a Downing Street source has said.
The Metropolitan Police were forced to issue a second apology for causing “further offence” after an initial apology about an officer’s use of the term “openly Jewish” sparked outrage.
The police force found itself at the centre of a backlash when video footage circulated online of an officer talking to the Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, at a pro-Palestine march.
In the video, the policeman 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.”
Apologising for the language used by the officer, the Met Police’s initial statement said that opponents who turn up at pro-Palestine marches “must know that their presence is provocative” and they are “increasing the likelihood of an altercation” by lining the route to object.
However, the statement was deleted just hours later with the force apologising for the “further offence” that the statement had caused.
It said: “The use of the term ‘openly Jewish’ by one of our officers is hugely regrettable. We know it will have caused offence to many. We reiterate our apology.
“We have reflected on the strength of the response to our previous statement.
Pro-Palestine protesters gathered in central London, alongside the pro-Israel demonstrators
GB News
“In an effort to make a point about the policing of protest we caused further offence. This was never our intention. We have removed that statement and we apologise.
“Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in this city.
“Our commitment to protecting the public extends to all communities across London. It’s important that our public statements reflect that more clearly than they did today.”
Downing Street said the prime minister had seen the original footage of what happened and was “as appalled as everyone else by the officer calling Mr Falter ‘openly Jewish'”.
The source added it was right the Met apologised, but also criticised the force for “totally mishandling” the situation in which it made an initial apology which it then retracted and followed with a second statement.
Falter called the experience “frightening” and made him feel like he “was being treated like a criminal for being Jewish”.
With that in mind, do you think that London has become a no-go zone for Jewish people? Have your say.
