This is the most extraordinary and unpleasant interaction between a not-very-bright Met officer and a British citizen.
This British citizen has just left his synagogue and is trying to go home.
In his way is a Palestinian supporting demonstration with various banners with anti-Jewish slogans.
The policeman tells the British citizen that if he continues to try to cross the road he will be arrested for potentially upsetting the demonstrators.
Mr Falter said: “I was identifiable as a Jew but was otherwise like any other Londoner.
I was not part of any demonstration and was not wearing any stickers or carrying any signs, flags or the like.
“I was exercising my right to walk around my home city as a Jewish Londoner. A year ago, that would not have been controversial. But now, it is.
“Despite being told repeatedly that London is safe for Jews when these marches are taking place, my interactions with police officers last Saturday show that the Met believes that being openly Jewish will antagonise the anti-Israel marchers and that Jews need protection, which the police cannot guarantee."
The Dame has commented about lousy Met leadership: this is an example. It makes one ashamed to be British.
There’s a wider context to this piece of footage.The Met Police didn’t actually threaten to arrest a random man for ‘being openly Jewish in a public place’. Mr Gideon Falter is the Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism and he purposefully crossed the street where people are marching. It would be the same if someone was tried to cross the street during the London marathon on Sunday. Yes, the policeman was wrong to say ‘you’re obviously Jewish’ - that was the main problem as far as plod was concerned and they have apologised. In a statement, the Met said they were aware of the video and ‘fully acknowledge the worry it has caused, not only to those featured, but also anyone who watches it … We recognise the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to be an issue of concern for many Londoners, and this includes the regular protests and marches in central London … Everyone has the right to travel throughout the capital in safety." BBC News | The Met Police apologises for 'openly Jewish' comment https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68856360
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter a tinker's cuss whoever Falter is. The fact is an idiot of a police officer attempted to stop an innocent man from going about his lawful business because he felt it might annoy terrorist-supporting demonstrators. Falter's point was very well made. To try to draw a parallel between obstructing the London Marathon and demonstrating to demonstrators your equal rights is as daft as you can get.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Gideon Falter the “victim” called the cops to have Tommy Robinson removed from walking the streets of London when it was Falter’s pro-Israel march.
DeleteYeah...I suppose you are one who thinks the Religion of Peace should patrol the streets telling what they can or cannot wear. A bit like the autocratic, theocratic regimes in parts of the Middles and Far East
DeleteYeah...I suppose you are one who thinks the Religion of Peace should patrol the streets telling what they can or cannot wear. A bit like the autocratic, theocratic regimes in parts of the Middles and Far East
DeleteOne man asserts his right as a Londoner to walk the streets unmolested. What part are you too thick to grasp?
Delete09:56 You refer to Tommy Robinson.
DeleteGideon Falter, the head of the Campaign Against Antisemitism organization, previously targeted Tommy Robinson, for attending Falter’s own march against antisemitism. Falter called for him to be arrested for walking London streets.
DeleteDidn't Robinson nearly get converted by the Religion of Peace?
DeleteQuite a few senior police and judiciary are now Muslim so one can expect that they will be supportive of their co-religionists. Expect more of the same.
ReplyDeleteThe Dame could remove the Islamophobia from FTHN
DeleteDon't talk bollocks. We have already seen a Muslim judge letting off 2 demonstrators who were carrying offensive placards. No other religion inspires such fear
Delete21:54 writing “Quite a few senior police and judiciary are now Muslim so one can expect that they will be supportive of their co-religionists” is clearly Islamophobic. If someone had written “Quite a few senior police and judiciary are now Jewish so one can expect that they will be supportive of their co-religionists” it would clearly be antisemitic.
DeleteThe Dame tolerates the Islamophobia.
The difference is that we have not seen senior Jewish lawyers favouring co-religionists. Islam is rarely a religion that tolerates other religions. You can dig out more examples yourself.I give Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Iran. Hardly feminist or gay friendly. So if you think that citing these countries is Islamophobic you may be right.
Delete8:52 writes “ Islam is rarely a religion that tolerates other religions” this is clearly Islamophobic. If someone had written “Judaism is rarely a religion that tolerates other religions" that would be clearly antisemitic.
DeleteIslamophobia is not dealt with on this blog.
mmmm...I could live in Israel being openly gay, having a glass of wine and reading my New Testament without being interfered with. Thus, Judaism is not a religion that has issues with other religions. Get that into your thick head mate
DeleteI suspect he knew precisely what he was doing which was to embarrass the police into taking action against the demonstrators who were not playing ball by smashing the place up. The "openly Jewish" bit was disgraceful and ignorant and it needs to be clear to every officer that is unnacceptable. The threatening arrest was unnecessary. However not allowing him to walk directly through the march is a fairly standard part of policing. Happens every week at football matches, would happen today if protestors want to walk through the marathon course.
DeleteMatt Twist is the proto fascist ass commissioner who tried tp push people around during COVID....ugly looking and unpleasant little man
ReplyDeleteWatch the video! The police officer told him he wasn’t letting him walk through a pro Palestine march for his own safety and asked him to leave the area for that reason. Antagonising the protestors is unwise and this man wasn’t being helpful at all, the police have a tough enough job to do anyway! In this situation, the man was obstructive. Him wanting to walk through a protest isn’t helpful and would’ve put a lot of others in danger.
DeleteYou probably come from backward 3rd world country by in the UK you should be allowed to walk where the F***K you like without some thick plod telling you that we cannot protect you from Hamas supporting killers
DeleteThere are many many places in UK where we are not allowed to walk.
Delete‘Please do not arrest me’
ReplyDeleteGroups of pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protesters faced off in London earlier today. The two rival protests took place alongside each other in Tottenham Court Road, central London. Protester waved flags and held placards. They were standing in fenced off areas opposite each other with police officers stationed in-between.
Yeah...I suppose you are one who thinks the Religion of Peace should patrol the streets telling what they can or cannot wear. A bit like the autocratic, theocratic regimes in parts of the Middles and Far East
DeleteThe reality is there was a large group of protesters against the actions of the campaigners state. Most would be peaceful. Some would not, every large group like that has an element of people who want to cause trouble. In good conscience, if you were the officer, could you allow the campaigner to put himself in harms way? Knowing you could do something to change it? The “openly Jewish” statement was shit for sure, but I honestly believe that the officer acted with good intentions even if worded badly.
DeleteThe police officer was tasked to keep the peace. He was merely stating the obvious and if the man had crossed the road into the protest then the police with their limited numbers could not guarantee his safety or control the situation.
DeleteSo 13:27...so the police cannot protect innocent Londoners against groups of Hamas supporting demonstrators...London Life. These demos are a what happens when you lose control of your borders and you have violent zealots from around the world forcing their way in
Delete11: 26. You dimwit. The campaigner's state is the UK. Thick one
DeleteSome context about Gideon Falter and the CAA
ReplyDeleteIn January 2015, the All-Party Parliamentary Group against Antisemitism wrote: "We were somewhat disappointed to note that not all of the messages from that group [CAA] have been in line with CST's stated approach of seeking to avoid undue panic and alarm." They added "it is important that the leadership do not conflate concerns about activity legitimately protesting Israel's actions with antisemitism, as we have seen has been the case on some occasions."
That same month, the Institute for Jewish Policy Research said that a CAA survey about antisemitism was "littered with flaws", and "may even be rather irresponsible".
After criticism by CAA of Shami Chakrabarti over her 2016 report into antisemitism in the UK Labour Party, a number of British Jews wrote to The Guardian dissociating themselves from what they described as "the pro-Israel lobbyists of the Campaign Against Antisemitism"
and this has something to do with Falter's right to go where he wants? Another thick arsehole. Shami Chakrabarti is a leading light left winger. In other words a professional liar who hates this country
Delete14:05 ‘Another thick arsehole’
DeleteNo one has a ‘right’ to promote public disorder
The campaigner has a massively over-inflated sense of self importance. Just saw the video and it's actually reasonable dialogue. Yes in theory everyone has the right to walk into a demo just as a football fan wearing the colours opposite to a mass parade of fans on the other team do, but then a massive public order dispute can flare up. The officer in this case used clumsy language but remained polite and explained the issue. I suspect the headlines rely on people not watching the video.
ReplyDeleteWe are not talking about a football match though are we. The dialogue between the plod and Falter made it quite clear that the Hamas supporters were being special treatment and were not to be upset!
DeleteAs you mention the dialogue between the plod and Falter:
DeleteIn new Sky News footage, the activist (Falter) insisted he was only trying to cross the road down which the demonstration was passing, but this is disputed by an officer in the new footage, who said Mr Falter had deliberately walked head-on into the crowd and accused him of being "disingenuous" and seeking to "antagonise" the marchers.
As emotions continue to run high over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the Sky News footage shows a Met police sergeant explaining to Mr Falter that it was a "big demonstration" and barring his way to the march.
When Mr Falter asked if it was because he is Jewish, the officer nods and says "unfortunately".
The officer said: "Unfortunately, sir you took it upon yourself to go from the pavement right into the middle of a pro-Palestinian march, which is why I asked you to go away."
He added: "You are looking to try and antagonise this."
"So I can already see what your mindset is, sir."
* Sky News footage reveals new details of exchange between police and antisemitism campaigner called 'openly Jewish' https://news.sky.com/story/sky-news-footage-reveals-new-details-of-exchange-between-police-and-antisemitism-campaigner-called-openly-jewish-13120104
"You are looking to try and antagonise this" says illiterate plod. "No, I am establishing my right to go wherever I wish in my city without terrorist supporters being upset". Very simple even for a simpleton like you!
DeleteI totally support the Palestinian cause.
DeleteThe Officer's language was clumsy and inept but I believe he meant well. His tone was respectful even if what he said was incredibly crass.
Those participants who abused Mr Falter because he is Jewish should have been arrested. It is antisemitic to visit the sins of the Israeli Government on individual Jewish people regardless of how that Jewish person views the politics of the Middle East.
Some of the participants on that demonstration clearly crossed the line. I heard the words "scum" being shouted at Mr Falter "Shame on you'' because of his ethnicity and religion, and "Baby killer." It is not acceptable to abuse a Jewish person in this way even if they are pro Zionist.
New hate speech laws could curtail freedom of speech criminalising from religious views to tasteless jokes. The enforcement would be police labour intensive.
Delete21:24 If that's what you want move to 🏴
DeleteThe law as it stands in England and Wales makes it an offence to stir up racial hatred. The law treats Judaism as a RACE, religion and a culture. Visiting the sins of Israel on Mr Falter with the words "scum,'' "shame on you" and "baby killer" is RACIAL hatred (just as it would be towards people of colour) and incurs criminal liability in English Law without the need for Scottish style legislation being introduced.
DeleteIshmael Haniyeh, Hamas leader's sister sent messages to dozens of contacts, including her brother, that praised the cross-border assault and called for further slaughter.
ReplyDeleteOne of her messages reportedly includes the line: “Oh God, count them and kill them and don’t leave any of them, Oh God.”
Hamas Chief's Sister Charged By Israel For Praising October 7 Attack
DeleteAt least 34,049 people have been killed and 76,901 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas's October 7 attacks stands at 1,139, with dozens of captives held in Gaza.
DeleteAnd this would never have been so had Hamas not launched a brutal, murderous attack on civilians
DeleteSaying "they started it" isn't childish, but it's usually the excuse for the childish behavior that happened immediately before the statement was used.
DeleteNo, it shows that Hamas wanted to create conditions of war
Delete22:14 Saying "they started it" is childish!
DeleteWhy do we never hear about radicalised Hindus, Sikhs, Christian, and Buddhists? Always radicalised Muslims
ReplyDeleteWhat a silly comment. You do hear about extreemism in those religions.
DeleteBollocks...maybe in India but it is very rare
Delete11:55 ‘Bollocks…maybe’
DeleteWhat a silly reply.
Mr Gideon Falter is an activist and knew exactly what he was doing and he knew exactly the outcome he wanted. He knew he would wind up a few boneheads on the march, and to his good fortune, the panicky police played along. He also made sure someone was filming, to ensure YouTube content, and now he's has stacks of news coverage. Sorted!
ReplyDeleteGood! Much coverage to show that the many demonstrators are violently pro Hamas and anti semitic and the police side with them. It's called research
DeleteIt is a public order matter in the sense that it is similar to a case the police might try to prevent someone with, say, Chelsea colours walking towards a group of West Ham fans, or a Muslim (dressed as such) walking towards a group of Hindus in Leicester at a time when there were tensions a couple of years ago.
DeleteTo compare it to football teams shows how limited your intelligence is? If the police cannot protect an individual from attack by demonstrators then they are failures.
Delete11:55 ‘how limited your intellegence’
Delete‘Football colours’ were being used as an illustration.
Intellegence? To draw a parallel between footie and Pro Palestine/Hamas demo people is daft
DeleteDo you really think Met officers should not try and prevent distubances of the peace ? E.g. Ask someone wearing the signs of one tribe (e.g. Chelsea) not to walk into a large group of an antaganistic crowd (e.g. West Ham).
DeleteSo, in your opinion, these Pro Palestinian/Hamas supporters tend to the same tribally violent tendencies as the worst types of football hooligans?
DeleteIn my opinion, the Met officers should try to prevent disturbances of the peace. So they would ask someone wearing the signs of one tribe not to walk into a large group of an antagonistic crowd.
DeleteSo, we are to be ruled by 'antagonistic crowds' and a London Jew is a member of a 'tribe'? You sound very odd
DeleteThe posts on FTHN are clearly encouraging division and tribalism.
DeleteThere are parts of British cities which are aggressively dominated by people of one particular religious following. Parts of Brum are now no go. Is that what an idiot like you means by tribalism?
Delete10:38 ‘idiot like you’
DeleteThere are zero ‘no go’ areas. Posting the myth that there are UK neighbourhoods and towns unsafe on FTHN, oh dear!
Says 20:49 who is an expert on British cities pontificating from K&C
DeleteNo one has a ‘right’ to promote public disorder.
ReplyDeleteThere has been chaos at St George's Day march (today) as protesters clash with police in London. The Met Police released a statement condemning the groups as they passed beyond their ALLOCATED AREAS. A spokesman said mounted officers were forced to intervene as chaos ensued.
The Met are constantly putting out statements and then having to amend them. Much as you might like to impose a police state this country is still relatively free. That means a lone Jewish Londoner is perfectly within his rights to go where he wishes without being threatened by Hamas supporting demonstrators.
DeleteIt is clear that any English demo like the St George's event will be targeted by the police. The Met is staffed at a senior level by Muslims...hence the bias. You are `a third class citizen if you are English in your own country. I forecast much trouble ahead
Delete10:37 You are a clear Islamophobe.
DeleteIslamophobia is not dealt with on this blog.
It is there are many comments about the radical Islamists. Stop moaning
DeleteNo such thing as Islamophobia, there is though an awakening amongst the vast majority of ordinary people to the serious negatives of Islam and Islamic imperialism.
ReplyDeleteIslam is intolerant of other religions and conventional cultural norms. In France, there is a growing number of cases of extremists attacking co-religionists for not dressing modestly.
ReplyDeleteThe person who posted this comment is expressing hatred to all Muslims. If the word Christianity or Judaism or Hinduism or Buddhism replaced the word Islam in the 22:51 posting it would be deemed unexceptable.
DeleteIt is a disgrace that the FTHN moderator allows this filth. Islamophobia is not dealt with on this blog.
Islam is intolerant of other religions. Never been to Saudi Arabia? Read your papers. In France Muslim kids in schools are being attacked by radical Islamist over the way they dress and for wearing make up. You think that shows tolerance
Delete