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

I would also presume[perhpas wrongly] that the police office concerned, would have been aware of that.

The officer did offer several times to escort him.

Germanshepherdsmum

If only they could be stopped - but you can imagine the uproar. I hope that, as often happens, police review cctv footage of the march and identify those using hate speech. But the police are too hopelessly outnumbered on the ground to be able to make arrests at the time.

Which posters are ‘hate mongering’, Wyllow?

I was referring to any overtly anti semitic placards or chants, GSM - ie hate crimes.

"What's Sadiq Khan's agenda? And could you please give evidence?" I'd like an answer to this too.

One reason the marches continue is because hundreds of thousands of Palestinian people have little food, nowhere to live, and its clear that only the international community stepping in might help to resolve what is a truly desperate situation - and has few answers. I don't have any easy ones!

Pantglas2

Exactly Janestheone! If a swastika is not deemed provocative why would a kippah be?

It wasn't the kippah which the police thought provocative. It was Mr Falter's behaviour. First he was filmed on one side of Aldwych, then on the other. He had already crossed the road at some point. He was then filmed walking in the road against the flow of the march along Aldwych. He was accompanied by people who were filming him.

If people are intimidated by these aggressive marches (and I would hesitate to visit London these days, quite honestly) then perhaps there is a case for banning them as so many other European countries have. The right to protest does not trump the right of citizens to go about their lawful business without fear. This has been going on for six months now. It has made no difference to Israel’s policies and the hostages are still being held by the proscribed terrorist organisation, Hamas. We are being held to ransom over a war in which we obviously have no influence, the police are ineffective, poorly led and out of their depth completely. About time somebody stood up for rights of the ordinary majority. Sadly with our ineffective political classes, I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

sassysaysso

No, London does not belong to any one demographic and neither does it. However had the man's presence provoked a hostile, possibly violent response from the marchers, considerable blame would have been attached to the police. It is their job to keep the peace.

Yes, the police should keep the peace, and had the policeman in question here, ADVISED the Jewish gentleman to walk down a different street or remove his kippah for his own safety, you would have heard no protests from me.

But apparently, he threatened the solitary Jew with arrest for behaviour liable to cause a breach of the peace - which sounds like rabid anti-Semitism to me!

No blame could reasonably have been attached to the police, had the Jew been attacked, unless of course they just stood with folded hands and watched.

AGAA4 Mon 22-Apr-24 12:18:21
I applaud GF in fighting antisemitism but can't condone his actions at the marches.
That police officer showed huge amounts of patience with GF who had been walking towards the marchers filming them. I can understand some people taking exception to being filmed and a situation could have arisen.
The police put their lives on the line and have to react if fighting breaks out.
A friend of ours, a young police officer, was badly injured in a riot. He died aged 25 a few weeks later. He left a wife and baby son.

My husband, on CID died age 30 whilst on a drugs raid, he left
.2 daughters age 5 and 7, he hated racism, homophobia, had visited Auschwitz which certainly strengthened his views on these

Quote growstuff Mon 22-Apr-24 12:40:13
Pantglas2
Exactly Janestheone! If a swastika is not deemed provocative why would a kippah be?
It wasn't the kippah which the police thought provocative. It was Mr Falter's behaviour. First he was filmed on one side of Aldwych, then on the other. He had already crossed the road at some point. He was then filmed walking in the road against the flow of the march along Aldwych. He was accompanied by people who were filming him.

If not the kippah why did the officer say ‘your openly Jewish’
crossing the street, filming a march ? Why say ‘if you took it off
you could put it back on again ?

Wyllow3

Germanshepherdsmum

If only they could be stopped - but you can imagine the uproar. I hope that, as often happens, police review cctv footage of the march and identify those using hate speech. But the police are too hopelessly outnumbered on the ground to be able to make arrests at the time.

Which posters are ‘hate mongering’, Wyllow?

I was referring to any overtly anti semitic placards or chants, GSM - ie hate crimes.

"What's Sadiq Khan's agenda? And could you please give evidence?" I'd like an answer to this too.

One reason the marches continue is because hundreds of thousands of Palestinian people have little food, nowhere to live, and its clear that only the international community stepping in might help to resolve what is a truly desperate situation - and has few answers. I don't have any easy ones!

Sorry, I thought you meant posters on here.

I don’t know what Sadiq Khan’s agenda is - Google may assist.

The marches won’t achieve anything but more hatred. I wish they could be stopped.

AGAA4

The officer did offer several times to escort him.

Not where he wanted to go though?

Anniebach

AGAA4 Mon 22-Apr-24 12:18:21
I applaud GF in fighting antisemitism but can't condone his actions at the marches.
That police officer showed huge amounts of patience with GF who had been walking towards the marchers filming them. I can understand some people taking exception to being filmed and a situation could have arisen.
The police put their lives on the line and have to react if fighting breaks out.
A friend of ours, a young police officer, was badly injured in a riot. He died aged 25 a few weeks later. He left a wife and baby son.

My husband, on CID died age 30 whilst on a drugs raid, he left
.2 daughters age 5 and 7, he hated racism, homophobia, had visited Auschwitz which certainly strengthened his views on these

Very well put Anniebach and I’m so sorry for the appalling events you and your friend have been through.

Anniebach

Quote growstuff Mon 22-Apr-24 12:40:13
Pantglas2
Exactly Janestheone! If a swastika is not deemed provocative why would a kippah be?
It wasn't the kippah which the police thought provocative. It was Mr Falter's behaviour. First he was filmed on one side of Aldwych, then on the other. He had already crossed the road at some point. He was then filmed walking in the road against the flow of the march along Aldwych. He was accompanied by people who were filming him.

If not the kippah why did the officer say ‘your openly Jewish’
crossing the street, filming a march ? Why say ‘if you took it off
you could put it back on again ?

Your mind is totally closed, Annie. You just keep saying the same things despite what has been shown of what really happened. You made your mind up at the outset and refuse to budge.

Callistemon21

Some people are missing the point.

Why was there a group of Jews, including Mr Falter, at the scene of the protest?
Why were they filming it?

They were not there to be provocative, they were there to get proof of the vile, anti-semitic slogans and hatred being spewed by people whose aim is to exterminate the Jewish people, all this being perpetrated and enabled by the police on the streets of the UK.

A protest march against war is one thing and many people are there because they feel strongly about that. Most of us would want the war to end quickly and a settlement reached.
However, some of those marching have a different agenda and it is chilling.

Perhaps, like France, we should think about stopping these marches.

👏🏻👏🏻

I think some people are not looking at the incident in its context - Jew-hatred openly expressed on the streets of London for months - including swastikas! - and Jewish people being afraid to go into London on those days.

Exposing these facts is not causing trouble for the sake of it.

The facts could have been exposed by filming from the pavement.

Germanshepherdsmum

*GG*, I have said all along that GF was seeking to cause an incident and the Sky video is proof of that. The video posted by GF was deliberately misleading. Carefully edited, as we can see from the Sky film - his friend was filming throughout, but only a small clip was chosen for dissemination to the media. But it seems one cannot criticise his motives without veiled, but obvious, hints of antisemitism. I am not, and never have been, antisemitic but I know a set-up when I see one.

I completely agree with you GSM

Other posters please do accuse me, or anyone else on here who can clearly see what happened on both sides, of being antisemitic, because we are not.

Ok I am now going to come at this incident from a different angle.

Several posters on various Palestine/Israel threads, who have been on pro Palestinian marches have informed us that there were Jewish people on said marches.

If it’s safe enough for a a Jew to march it should also be safe enough for a Jew to be in the vicinity and of a march?

growstuff (12:40)

It wasn't the kippah which the police thought provocative. It was Mr Falter's behaviour

But the same behaviour carried out by someone not wearing a kippah would not have been viewed as provocative in the same way.

Germanshepherdsmum

The facts could have been exposed by filming from the pavement.

But not the fact that Jewish citizens are unable to walk freely in their own capital city (whereas others are able to freely abuse them in the presence of the police with no action being taken).

You do realise that this man, as a journalist and CEO of an antisemitism charity, is perfectly capable of exposing the situation? It’s what he does. The police may well bring charges against some marchers after reviewing cctv footage. It would be impossible for them to arrest marchers at the time - there were too many of them and a riot could have ensued.

Did you see the whole of the video? If not then do so and then decide what the police officer said was offensive.

Exactly.

GrannyGravy13

Ok I am now going to come at this incident from a different angle.

Several posters on various Palestine/Israel threads, who have been on pro Palestinian marches have informed us that there were Jewish people on said marches.

If it’s safe enough for a a Jew to march it should also be safe enough for a Jew to be in the vicinity and of a march?

I was one - I posted web references and pictures earlier on this thread.

""Max Hammer, 22, is a member of Na’amod, a Jewish group opposing the occupation of Palestinian lands. He is one of the hundreds who have formed a Jewish bloc” – a coalition of Jewish groups that are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza – who attend the marches. He said: “Despite the fact that these marches are often sort of labelled as ‘dangerous for Jews’, one of the things that I found really empowering is to be part of the ‘Jewish bloc’ and see how many Jews are actually out on the streets declaring loudly their solidarity with Palestinians. We are always welcomed very, very heartily.”
www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/13/weve-built-something-extraordinary-six-months-of-uk-pro-palestine-marches"

Sorry - can't make the link work. Did when I posted it on page 1!

Sky news: (plus photo etc)
news.sky.com/video/thousands-attend-pro-palestinian-protests-in-london-to-show-their-support-12984378

You do realise that this man, as a journalist and CEO of an antisemitism charity, is perfectly capable of exposing the situation? It’s what he does

He was not allowed to cross the street. Did we all know that previously?

And there does not seem to be a Uk law that says he couldnt.

So the policeman acted illegally?