Police threaten to arrest ‘openly Jewish’ man for walking near pro-Palestine protest

Scotland Yard are allowing no-go zones for Jews in London, a man has claimed, after officers threatened to arrest him for “antagonising” pro-Palestinian marchers.

Gideon Falter, head of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, was wearing a kippah skull cap when he was stopped by officers last Saturday in the Aldwych area while on a walk with friends after attending synagogue. Mr Falter was walking along carrying a bag containing his prayer shawl when he came across a pro-Palestinian march.

In an exchange that was filmed and uploaded to social media, Mr Falter was told he would not be allowed to cross the road while the march was taking place because as a Jew his presence could create tensions among the marchers.

The police sergeant told him: “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.”

“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.”

Enough is enough. It is time for a major change.

On Saturday 27th April — the next anti-Israel march — we are asking you,… pic.twitter.com/lfJr7UZnif

— Campaign Against Antisemitism (@antisemitism) April 18, 2024

In another exchange a short time later he was told if he did not leave the area he would be arrested. The officer told him: “If you chose to remain here because you are causing a breach of the peace with all of these other people you will be arrested…because your presence here is antagonising a large group of people.”

Describing his reaction to the exchange, Mr Falter said: “I was identifiable as a Jew but was otherwise like any other Londoner. I was not part of any protest or counterprotest, 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…”