Farce as Met Police apologise for threatening to arrest 'openly Jewish' man ... trends now
The Metropolitan Police has apologised and retracted a statement saying sorry for the actions of an officer who threatened to arrest a man he described as being 'openly Jewish' after the communication was slammed as 'appalling victim blaming'.
London's police service issued a statement on Friday afternoon apologising after Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) boss Gideon Falter was stopped from walking through a pro-Palestine march last Saturday by a Met officer.
The Met's initial statement accused counter-protesters at the regular rallies of being 'provocative' by filming themselves as they turned up on the routes to express their views. Mr Falter maintains he was 'going for a walk' after attending synagogue.
But after the CAA furiously accused the force of 'abject victim blaming' it pulled the statement, replacing it with a further apology for causing further offence which added: 'Being Jewish is not a provocation'.
And following the first Met bulletin the campaign group issued further footage of exchanges between the officer and Mr Falter in which the policeman says that his Jewish faith is 'part of the factor' as to why he can't cross the road during the march.
The officer was seen blocking Campaign Against Antisemitism boss Gideon Falter from crossing the road, and said he was stopping him because he looked 'openly Jewish'
Mr Falter was interviewed alongside the footage and accused the Met of failing to make London safe for Jews
The Met Police has apologised (above) for an earlier statement in which it suggested counter-protesters at pro-Palestine marches were being deliberately 'provocative'
The CAA labelled the earlier statement 'atrocious' and claimed the Met was not outlining how it would protect Jewish people in London
Another clip from the protest was also shared of a second officer telling the Jewish man: 'I am trying to make sure you are safe and that no one attacks you or your group or anyone else, that's all.'
The Campaign Against Antisemitism shared correspondence between Mr Falter and the Met Police about what the force labelled a planned protest on April 27
Mr Falter told the Met that the gathering - which will have at least one predetermined meeting point - is not a march, but a 'walk'
In the footage, which the group had not released as part of the earlier clip, the officer says: 'I'm sure there are an awful lot of people of all sorts of faiths and creeds who want to go where they want, but unfortunately today is different.'
Mr Falter then asks: 'So basically because I am Jewish, I can't cross the road today?'
The officer replies: 'Because of the march, that is part of... unfortunately part of the factor.'
Sharing the new statement, the Met said: 'Earlier we posted a statement about a video released on Thursday evening by the Campaign Against Antisemitism.
'That statement has now been removed. We apologise for the offence it caused.'
The statement read: '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. 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.'
The CAA labelled the earlier statement 'atrocious' and claimed the Met was not outlining how it would protect Jewish people in London.
Contacted for further comment, a Met Police spokesperson told MailOnline the force would not be making any further comment on the earlier statement.
CAA is calling on Jewish Londoners to go for a walk being 'quite openly Jewish' on Saturday April 27, the date of the next pro-Palestine march.
It insists the #WalkTogether event - which will have at least one predetermined meeting point - is not an organised protest.
Mr Falter said in an email to the Met Police shared on CAA's account on X, formerly Twitter: 'I am not planning a protest on 27th April. I am going for a walk as a private individual.
'I have not yet decided where I will walk, however it is likely that whilst walking I will be quite openly Jewish.
'Others might decide to join me. They might not. That is a matter for them. They might also be quite openly Jewish. They might not. That is also a matter for them.'
The row began earlier this week after the CAA shared footage of the Met Police speaking to Mr Falter at the side of a pro-Palestine procession on Saturday.
The officer can be heard saying to Mr Falter, who is wearing a kippah: 'You are quite openly Jewish. This is a pro-Palestinian march. I am not accusing you of anything but I am worried about the reaction to your presence.'
Mr Falter, pictured here on Good Morning Britain in 2018, is the CEO of Campaign Against Antisemitism
Met Police assistant commissioner Matt Twist (above) accused counter-protesters at pro-Palestine marches of being 'provocative' in an earlier statement
Mr Falter claimed in the video that he 'did what I normally do' on a
