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

The Met Police, after much prevarication, said this "Being Jewish is not a provocation" part of a grovelling apology but imo such a loaded statement. Take tbe Jewish out and substitute another demographic. To actually have to issue those stark words in the first place are shocking. Umpteen groups of people are provocative, Just Stop Oil, Unruly football supporters, drunken stags and hens, a few examples, before we even get on to religious firebrands, try telling all of them they're provocative and maybe they should disappear off the streets and then try and gage the various reactions.

That was I believe exactly what he was hoping to do, in furtherance of his cause.

By threatening to arrest him for possibly causing a breach of the peace?

Oh, please!

That was to Callistemon 21.53.

Of course they are. But by placing himself there with whoever was filming, wanting to cross the road amidst the marchers, he was seeking to invite trouble. The policeman was doing his best to prevent that happening.

maddyone

But the thousands of people on the march are not antagonistic?

The way I see it he was not being antagonistic. He was there and was told to leave or risk being arrested because he was openly Jewish. I expect many on the march were openly Muslim. Does that mean they shouldn’t be there? Or they risked being arrested?

He had every right to be there, just as much as everyone else had a right to be there. The police offered him no protection, they told him to leave because he was openly Jewish. In fact then, he was threatened by the police. They threatened to arrest him. I’m not surprised the Met have offered an apology. In my opinion, the behaviour and words of this policeman were unacceptable.

We are told by some posters that many marchers are in fact Jewish.

Are they openly Jewish or hiding this?

Germanshepherdsmum

I fail to understand why so few are willing to acknowledge the Jewish man’s appearance at this march, accompanied by someone filming him, as deliberately provocative especially given who he is.

But protest marches aren't?

TerriBull

He is a leader for the Campaign Against Anti Semetism, agitator or not, it kind of proves the point, that if wearing anything that symbolises his religion is an arrestable offence, then that body is very much needed. So what if he was trying to provoke a reaction, Those who are so offended by a visibly Jewish man out and about need to look to their own prejudices, get over them and stop conflating anyone they perceive to be Jewish with Israel's Government.

Try issuing that directive to other religious denominations "don't go around in clothes that denote your religion /ethnicity" because you might inflame and annoy other citizens and if that's the case, we'll then have to arrest you", see how that goes down! kind of smacks of Police state I'd say. We are still a free democratic country, although it seems to be becoming far less egalitarian in the selective way we are treating some demographics these days..

He is a leader for the Campaign Against Anti Semetism, agitator or not, it kind of proves the point, that if wearing anything that symbolises his religion is an arrestable offence, then that body is very much needed. So what if he was trying to provoke a reaction, Those who are so offended by a visibly Jewish man out and about need to look to their own prejudices, get over them and stop conflating anyone they perceive to be Jewish with Israel's Government.

This.
Anyone who is posting that he should not be walking about in London wearing items that are an outward sign of his religion should look to themselves and examine their prejudices.

These three men should be an example to us all.

But the thousands of people on the march are not antagonistic?

The way I see it he was not being antagonistic. He was there and was told to leave or risk being arrested because he was openly Jewish. I expect many on the march were openly Muslim. Does that mean they shouldn’t be there? Or they risked being arrested?

He had every right to be there, just as much as everyone else had a right to be there. The police offered him no protection, they told him to leave because he was openly Jewish. In fact then, he was threatened by the police. They threatened to arrest him. I’m not surprised the Met have offered an apology. In my opinion, the behaviour and words of this policeman were unacceptable.

Wearing a kippah Is not provocative

I fail to understand why so few are willing to acknowledge the Jewish man’s appearance at this march, accompanied by someone filming him, as deliberately provocative especially given who he is.

I don’t understand how a poster can say they don’t believe it - it was filmed and I’ve seen it.

The Met have now apologised so is that unbelievable too?

AGAA4

His presence could be antagonistic to some and that's the whole point eazybee

.......and those who he antagonises, could they the antagonised, God forbid, not in turn antagonise other intolerants, where does it all end, down a bloody rabbit hole I imagine. Or they could simply get over it, they don't own the streets, or the right not to be offended!

His presence could be antagonistic to some and that's the whole point eazybee

The police have now issued an apology followed by another apology apologising for the apology.

It is very complicated.

BBC News - Met Police apologises for 'openly Jewish' comment
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68856360

Wyllow3

In terms of our democratic history of social change the right to protest has always played a role - thank you suffragettes etc etc.

Yes, the right to protest peacefully. Not the right to act so that police officers want to stop people going about their business lawfully in case they get attacked.

Wyllow3

If you stop the marches you are denying huge numbers who wish to peacefully protest including Jewish people who are demonstrating against the current regime - including peace groups like the Quakers.

On the other hand, the marches are achieving nothing and are wasting a lot of police time and money.

Plus, haven’t there been enough of them by now?

The Police Officer chose his own words, irresponsibly, accusing the man of being 'openly Jewish' which as far as I am aware, is not an offence. He then said his presence was 'openly antagonistic'to a 'large group of people.' and that he would arrest him if he remained.
An extremely poor response to an event; he should have offered to escort the man across the road, and if he genuinely felt that was too dangerous, that says something about the hostility emanating from these pointless marches, and they should not be allowed to continue.
The Jewish man may be the CEO of an anti-semitism movement but that does not mean he should be banned from a street as a Palestinian march passes by. I watched the video and do not consider his behaviour to have been antagonistic or provocative either to the police or the marchers. It is serious if people think his presence is antagonistic because he is 'openly Jewish.'

Anniebach

Couldn’t be stopped, it would cause violent demonstrations

It probably would and wouldn’t be practical.

But this does mean giving in to bullying.

To keep him and others safe. How do you know that policeman wasn't Jewish himself? You don't. You just assume.

The man was threatened with arrest if he crossed a road. He was stopped by the police for wearing a kippah

In this situation "Anniebach" yes.

People don't get arrested for what they wear. He wasn't arrested but he may have inflamed a situation that could have resulted in violence. Have you not heard that Jewish people have been targeted because of the war? Some of those dangerous people may be on the marches
The policeman was trying to make sure that there wasn't a flare up. He would have been damned if he had allowed that to happen.0

Indeed TerriBull
"stop conflating anyone they perceive to be Jewish with Israel's Government."

I'm not sure how many people are well informed enough to know this is a problem.

Ditto - if you are perceive someone to be muslim then you are a terrorist....

TerriBull 👏👏👏