The Metropolitan Police is facing fresh criticism after its apparent failure to stop a pro-Palestinian protest demonstrating outside a London synagogue yesterday evening.
Despite a police exclusion zone being put in place, protestors appeared to defy it by displaying a banner saying: “JEWS SAY: ANTI-ZIONISM ≠ ANTISEMITISM”, outside St John’s Wood United Synagogue.
In videos circulated online, onlookers described the huge police presence that was required to protect the religious building.
Gideon Falter, chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “They wanted to march up to the synagogue, a place where people come to pray, and they wanted to chant for the State of Israel to be extinguished.”
“Stolen land sold here” and “Jews for Palestine” could be seen projected onto the wall of the synagogue.
Itai Gal, co-founder of Stop the Hate, who also staged a demonstration on the evening, said that police had “lost control”.
Another counter-protester said: “The police won’t look after us. They don’t give us any protection.”
The Met acknowledged the protest, which had been planned in response to the synagogue hosting an Aliyah Day event, saying: “We understand why the group’s decision to protest at this location will cause concern to some communities.
The Metropolitan Police are facing fresh criticism after their apparent failure to stop a pro-Palestinian protest demonstrating outside a London synagogue on Sunday evening
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“There is no legal mechanism to ban the protest from taking place, however we have used Public Order Act conditions to prevent disorder and disruption.”
They added that protestors must not enter specific areas, which was clearly demonstrated by shaded areas on a map included in the post.
Despite this, demonstrations were held within the exclusion zone, with those inside the synagogue “placed behind a wall of police”.
Reform UK MP Richard Tice responded on social media to the scenes in north London: “Truly appalling. Antisemitic protests calling for destruction of Israel outside synagogue in central London.
Protesters took to the streets to demonstrate
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“Yet no outrage/mention from BBC …. Imagine uproar if such protests were outside a different place of worship, calling for their eradication.”
Meanwhile Alan Mendoza, Co-Founder of thinktank The Henry Jackson Society, said: “Hate comes to St John’s Wood. Having been forced away from protesting directly outside a local synagogue, anti-Israel haters are now spewing their rubbish on a residential street. The state of Britain today.”
The protestors were able to “march up to the gates” of the synagogue, remaining there for around 30 minutes before police intervened.
Groups Palestine Pulse, Jewish Anti-Zionist Action, Jewish Peaceniks UK, Jewish Bloc, released a joint statement on the protests: “As Jews we do not want to have to protest outside a synagogue, it is heartbreaking for us, but we cannot standby while our places of worship are used to promote and encourage our communities participation in the genocide and occupation of Palestine.”
‘Stolen lands sold here’ and ‘Jews for Palestine’ were projected onto the wall of the St John’s Wood United Synagogue
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On the Instagram post, they added that Aliyah Day, which was being celebrated at the synagogue, is “organised with the support of the Israeli Government to encourage British Jews to participate in the ongoing colonisation of Palestine.”
The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the protest was “absolutely unacceptable”, calling for police to stop proceedings immediately.
Phil Rosenberg, president of the group, said: “These incidents are a reminder that we face a fight for the soul of our nation.
“Our Jewish community is raising the alarm, but it will need every part of this country to wake up if we are to preserve and advance the cohesive and confident Britain we all love.”
Police confirmed two arrests were made; one on suspicion of failing to comply with the Public Order Act conditions and the other on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.