Pro-Israel campaign group Enough is Enough have hit out at the Metropolitan Police, after the forced issued an apology to remarks made about a Jewish man during a pro-Palestine march in the capital.
The Met Police sparked outrage after calling Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, “openly Jewish” at a march in aid of Palestine.
Enough is Enough have taken to the streets of London against the continued pro-Palestine marches, claiming their protest aims to be “peaceful and non-provocative”.
Speaking to GB News, the group claimed that they have “had enough of anti-Israel hate marchers” in the capital, and the protests have made central London “an intimidating no go area for Jews and many others”.
Pro-Israel protesters say pro-Palestine protests are ‘intimidating for Jews and many others’ in London
GB NEWS
One protester told GB News it was “sad” that the situation in London had become so toxic, adding the city is now regarded as “not completely safe for Jewish people to walk in the streets of their own city”.
He criticised the pro-Palestine protests and the Metropolitan Police for allowing the marches to become “normalised”.
He explained: “Not only are their views distressing and vile, the scene is also vile and becoming normalised.
“It should be democratic, 21st Century Britain, and to be told that wearing a yarmulke is breaching the peace is revolting.”
Pro-Palestine protesters have gathered in central London, alongside the pro-Israel demonstrators
GB News
Another attendee at the protest blasted the Met Police for their actions towards the marches and Falter, calling for the “Government to act”.
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He fumed: “You can’t walk through central London with a yarmulke on your head, no signs of any Israeli flag or support for Israel, or any views on on what may be going on in the Middle East.
“But if you’re not allowed to walk across the streets in central London because you are openly Jewish, then it’s time for the Government to act.”
When asked if he believes a lot of Jewish people living in London feel they need to “avoid central London” as a result of the protests, he claimed it is “clear that they need to”.
Discussing the Met Police’s position on the protests, he told GB News: “They’ve been in a tough position for the last six months, but they’ve allowed clear antisemitism to thrive on the streets of London, and now it’s come down this where you can’t even be openly Jewish in the centre of London on the days when these marches are taking place.”
A pro-Israel protester said it is ‘revolting’ that wearing yarmulke is considered to be ‘breaching the peace’
GB News
In a statement, the Met Police have 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. 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.”