An openly Jewish man wearing a skull cap was trying to cross the road where a pro Palestine march was taking place. He was stopped by a Met Officer who threatened to arrest the man for breaching the peace because of his openly Jewish appearance. He was merely trying to cross the road. Yes tensions run high amongst these demonstrations, but this person is a citizen going about their daily life. Why should the onus be on him to disappear, surely that onus should be on the demonstrators not to target individuals to take out any grievances. Possibly the Officer was trying to head off any clashes, but I think there is something worryingly wrong and discriminatory in telling a demographic, any demographic, they are not free to move about on the streets of their own country.
Your thoughts on the matter.
Well said Callistemon
It’s hard not to compare the police response to one Jewish individual with the lack of response to singing from the river to the sea- or worse the swastika “ in context “. Where in any country do we need to minimise anti semitism by falsely claiming a swastika needs to be seen in context and accepted
Diversity training used to be seen as "woke" but it's clear how important it is. I'm wondering however if this area of diversity range has yet to properly help the police on this particular set of issues are.
The swastika (and similar) has no place or possible context neither has the words used by the policeman to the CAA leader.
However to be honest I'm still not clear just how the police should have acted with one individual.
Policy is to keep potential conflict between groups by keeping them apart - as in opposing demonstrations - and use "keep the peace" legislation.
How should the police have acted?
Could they not have just escorted him across the road?
I need to watch the video, if there is one.
Is there one?
Of course he wanted to walk through a crowd!
The issue is bigger than just walking through that particular crowd, surely?
The point is,that anyone should be safe to walk anywhere, without fear of their beliefs, religion, race or sex being potentially something that endangers them.
He said ‘I want to walk through the crowd ?’
In which case, MissA, should the marchers have been there?
Annie, you know why he wanted to walk through the crowd- and it wasn’t to get to the other side of the road. Have you read my link to what his organisation does? I think not.
Yes, we have the freedom to protest as a human right, (I think! I know I'm preaching to the wrong person here, but....)
Just as we have freedom to go about our business as a right too, I think.
This is a quote from the man concerned, Gideon Falter, in the Times.
//Someone said to me recently, is it really the end of the world if Jews just have to stay out of central London for a few months on weekends? Yes. It is the end of a world that has existed since the Battle of Cable Street in 1936, when British Jews and their allies saw off the British Union of Fascists, and ever since we have been able to live and thrive as equals in this city.
If we just accept that we are no longer welcome on the streets of London, it is the end of that world.//
apple.news/Ae1HxY_GfS7CRmcMleAZspg
How right he is.
Skye17
This is a quote from the man concerned, Gideon Falter, in the Times.
//Someone said to me recently, is it really the end of the world if Jews just have to stay out of central London for a few months on weekends? Yes. It is the end of a world that has existed since the Battle of Cable Street in 1936, when British Jews and their allies saw off the British Union of Fascists, and ever since we have been able to live and thrive as equals in this city.
If we just accept that we are no longer welcome on the streets of London, it is the end of that world.//
apple.news/Ae1HxY_GfS7CRmcMleAZspg
How right he is.
Thanks Skye17
Exactly this
Can you imagine if this had been said to any other group? Women, black, Asian, Muslim, Christian
It's a slippery slope, and some sections of society have only recently grappled their way to the precarious top of it.
And some keep getting kicked back down MissA
Not a disagreement MissA more an acknowledgement
Stop the marches! They are never going to achieve anything other than a self-righteous feeling on the part of the marchers. But then there will be complaints about stopping the right to peacefully (?) protest. A totally pointless waste of time and police resources.
Yes!
That's why it's important to give others a hand up, so we are all at the same vantage point.
Germanshepherdsmum Sat 20-Apr-24 19:13:33
In which case, MissA, should the marchers have been there?
Annie, you know why he wanted to walk through the crowd- and it wasn’t to get to the other side of the road. Have you read my link to what his organisation does? I think not.
GSM no one spoke of walking through the crowd, walking across the road yes
I'm glad the words of the policeman were highlighted - brought out important issues - and I'm glad
- just as through time we have heard things said against groups Iam64 mentions in the past that wouldn't now.
But to demand to walk through a crowd in this demonstration?
- the march was made up of different groups of people including Jewish people and peaceful interfaith groups and pro Palestinians who are against the particular regime in Israel not Jewish people as a whole.
No doubt, some anti semitic too.
If not again Jewish people as a whole why was the police officer
unwilling to allow the man to cross the road,
Why is antisemitism rising ?
Don’t you realise that he would have to walk through the marchers to get to the other side of the road Annie? And don’t you understand the possible consequences of his doing that?
The crowd wasn’t level with them , surprise surprise I can imagine the possible consequences, so I do not believe he wanted to walk through the crowd, what is listed in the good
CAA has done there is no mention of violence
He did want to walk through the marchers Annie, and to obtain evidence of antisemitism - that’s what he does.
If I wanted to obtain evidence of antisemitism I certainly would not choose violence. I definitely do not believe the crowd would have not touched the camera after assaulting/
murdering the men.
I would want photographs of the anti semetic placards etc
For some reason the news camera reports show little,
Well - they should. We need to see all sides - a great diversity of views.
How should the police have acted?
"Unfortunately, I realise your attire could cause some protestors to become antagonistic towards you, sir. I'm sorry about that, but they have been given permission to march so I have to let them do that. Safety and your welfare is my priority so can I help you to cross the street?"
MissAdventure
The issue is bigger than just walking through that particular crowd, surely?
The point is,that anyone should be safe to walk anywhere, without fear of their beliefs, religion, race or sex being potentially something that endangers them.
The issue is bigger than just walking through that particular crowd, surely?
Yes, it is.
But the police should be seen to be impartial and to be ensuring those who were not protest marchers could have safe passage.
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