To think that London, or anywhere else for that matter, does not belong to any one demographic

At every pro-women's rights event there are masked men and women making lots of noise, threats, holding aggressive signs etc and yet I never hear that any are arrested, or even threatened with arrest, for breach of the peace. I wonder why?
This was one man who wasn't chanting, carrying a flag or a placard, not trying to conceal his identity and yet he was deemed a huge risk to the peace.

MissAdventure

So people can protest and take over public spaces, thus preventing other members of the public from accessing them?
Skewed logic.

Yes, I find it very strange logic.

How far could this go?
Should we all be wary of going out in case we look as if we might be about to cause a breach of the peace?
Could I risk being arrested if I show my passport as ID because I certainly look like a criminal in the photo?
Oh, wait a minute, perhaps that's why I'm always the one picked on at the airport.

The police must have considered the marchers to be aggressive
why else the claim they were protecting the man

I’d suggest that if the peace had been breached it would have been breached by the protesters, of which there were many. They could have caused a breach of the peace apparently if the man tried to cross the road. I’m just struggling here with the concept of one man breaching the peace when the thousands of protesters could more likely have been the ones to breach the peace. Clearly they would have had to attack, hassle, or in some way cause a problem to him in order to breach the peace. I very much doubt he would have attacked or hassled any of them since he was alone. I don’t think he was trying to cause a breach of the peace at all. He may have been testing the reaction of the police following other antisemitic comments and actions by the police in previous weeks. He committed no crime and seemed unlikely to commit any crime but was threatened with arrest.

When the road is full of pro-Palestine marchers which you, obviously Jewish, would have to go through with your camera-toting friend, is that not provocative Annie? What if the policeman had done nothing and the Jewish man was set upon by some marchers - would that have been a better outcome?

Anniebach

The police must have considered the marchers to be aggressive
why else the claim they were protecting the man

That’s quite likely Annie. We all know that ‘peaceful’ protests can become anything but.

Germanshepherdsmum

When the road is full of pro-Palestine marchers which you, obviously Jewish, would have to go through with your camera-toting friend, is that not provocative Annie? What if the policeman had done nothing and the Jewish man was set upon by some marchers - would that have been a better outcome?

Why?

As other posters keep telling us, their Jewish friends take part in these protest marches.

Callistemon you should see my husband’s new passport photo. He looks like an underworld criminal. I’m surprised they let him into other countries. He’s so embarrassed about it he wouldn’t show it to his son or grandson. I very heartlessly roared with laughter when I saw it. That didn’t go down well.

We may as well all stay home then. People don't like "hoodies".

Its fashionable round these parts, so I had better keep my grandson home in case people
want to attack him.

As for people,who play loud music in their "show off", cars...

Hug a hoodie!

Well, I wouldn't go that far, but I do worry that someone might take offence at the sight of him.

There are two marches in London today. One pro Palestinian, the other pro Jewish/Israel.
I hope the same policeman isn’t on duty.

Hopefully he is on leave.

I’ve been on many marches over the years. Counter demonstrators or people looking to disrupt, hurl abuse etc is not unusual. if the march is pro women, abuse is expected.

I’m puzzled that being openly Jewish was given as a reason to stop this man crossing the street. Surely the expectation should be that marchers won’t riot if the see someone who might not share their purpose
The justification of avoiding a breach of the peace doesn't sit well with me
I recognise the difficulties the Met are facing in policing these pro Palestinian marches but this officer handled it very badly, then the ACCs apology compounded the mistake

The police officer is anti semetic , his description of the man
‘Obviously Jewish’

That’s a nasty slur Annie. He made a statement of fact that you need to see in the context of what people on the march might have done when the man walked through them (especially if accompanied by the person doing the filming, which the man’s organisation has done before),

I am not antisemitic but the man was obviously Jewish - you can’t deny that. You would have to be blind not to realise he was a Jew, Nor can you deny the danger which he might face from antisemites on the march. Or would you rather the policeman had not tried to protect him and he took his chances with the pro-Palestinians on the march?

How long this man was supposed to wait before it was deemed safe for him to cross the road?
Why could the two police men not escort him across the road, through the marchers, if they felt he was a threat?
Why should he not be carrying his prayer shawl in a bag, a logical thing to do after attending worship in the synagogue?
Every incident on the news, particularly protests, has attendant photographers and public filming events using their phones, including the protesters.
If this man had not had the video evidence would he have been believed?

If No video evidence people would not have believed, one person’s word against another.
Wanting to make the man wait could be a power thing,

I completely understand why there was a need for CAA, they seek justice

The policemen did not attempt to protect him and one ordered him to leave otherwise he would be arrested.

A peaceful protest where the presence of a single Jewish man is deemed not to be safe, or alternatively, is deemed to be a threat?

I have always thought that calling the police 'institutionally racist'was a dangerously stupid statement to make and I do not believe it applies, generally, but that pair of policemen have done the Force's reputation no good at all.

No, Annie, not a power thing. A policeman trying to keep the peace and prevent someone from being attacked. In other words, doing his job without fear or favour. As the widow of a policeman I am very surprised at your lack of support for this policeman, doing his best in a difficult situation.

maddyone

There are two marches in London today. One pro Palestinian, the other pro Jewish/Israel.
I hope the same policeman isn’t on duty.

There is also a large gathering in Trafalgar Square to celebrate Eid estimates are 20,000 people expected to attend.

Germanshepherdsmum

When the road is full of pro-Palestine marchers which you, obviously Jewish, would have to go through with your camera-toting friend, is that not provocative Annie? What if the policeman had done nothing and the Jewish man was set upon by some marchers - would that have been a better outcome?

Just what I was thinking. The fellow is also an activist so he knew the score.

eazybee

The 'openly Jewish' man, Gideon Falter, had left his synagogue, which on the Jewish Sabbath seems a perfectly reasonably explanation for his presence.

'How do you know he was innocent?
Of what do you consider him to be guilty? .
Is appearing at the side of a public highway while a demonstration is passing, and being openly Jewish' to be considered to be a offence?

The Police were completely wrong in their handling of their situation, and they need to be sent for training, not for diversity but how to deal with all members of the public.

Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist also needs training to understand that stating 'being present when marches were taking place could be provocative.' is an unacceptable comment. An urgent review of how the police force are handling these protests should be undertaken.

I agree with you eazybee about the ongoing training need on how officers deal with all members of the public. I’m not wanting to disagree with your general point because I think we broadly agree
I do understand the phrase diversity training irritates many of not most people. I’ve been on the receiving end of it, as well as delivering diversity training. It’s the most difficult training I’ve been involved in either as a participant or a trainer. It’s hard not to feel defensive
Part of my role was joint training for police and social workers involved in joint investigations. I won’t bore details but I
Remember the complex issues we covered where clear knowledge about multi cultural work was essential
Different than policing matches but officers carry out a range of challenging tasks in the course of their day. Thet need the tools skillls and information to work effectively. I hope this officer isn’t singled out for Diversity training - guarantee he’d resent it and get little out if it . We need to do it well

Germanshepherdsmum

No, Annie, not a power thing. A policeman trying to keep the peace and prevent someone from being attacked. In other words, doing his job without fear or favour. As the widow of a policeman I am very surprised at your lack of support for this policeman, doing his best in a difficult situation.

No, he was putting the onus for a possible incident on the person who might have been the victim of an attack, not the possible perpetrators.

Why did he threaten to arrest him?
Why was there a need for an apology then a further apology if the police officer was doing this to protect him?

It's akin to saying there are no-go areas for certain sectors of society.

Yes my late husband was a police officer , I so remember a new
family moved into an adjoining police accommodation , the chap said‘when I am on duty I expect people to step out of my
way, not all ‘police are wonderful’
There was no reference to the man wanting to walk through a
crowd.