A campaigner who was threatened with arrest for being 'openly Jewish' near a pro-Palestine protest has warned London is becoming a 'police-enforced Jew-free zone'.
Gideon Falter has called for Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to resign over his handling of six months of protests which has 'dented the confidence of Jewish Londoners'.
Mr Falter, who is the head of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said he was 'treated like a criminal' by police as he walked past the march in Aldwych on Saturday, April 13.
The Met had issued an apology to Mr Falter for the way he was treated, describing the officer's choice to use the phrase 'openly Jewish' as 'hugely regrettable'.
However, it then issued a second apology after being accused of 'victim blaming' when it claimed in its previous statement that campaigners filming themselves being abused are being 'provocative'.
Gideon Falter demanded action after he was stopped by police after trying to cross the road near a pro-Palestine march
The Met had issued an apology to Mr Falter for the way he was treated, describing the officer's choice to use the phrase 'openly Jewish' as 'hugely regrettable' but was later accused of 'victim blaming' after saying the campaigners filming themselves was 'provocative'
Writing in The Sunday Times, Mr Falter questioned why police officers allowed protesters to call him and his friends, 'scum', disgusting' and 'Nazis' as well as shouting 'lock them up'.
'I didn't have a flag or a placard or anything that would in any way mark me out from any other normal Londoner except for the fact that I was wearing a skullcap,' he said.
'How dare he pick me out because I'm Jewish — and tell me where I'm allowed to walk?,' he added.
'By the actions of the Metropolitan Police, it's not just that central London is a 'no-go zone' for Jews, as has been said previously, but a police-enforced Jew-free zone.'
Mr Fatler went on to call for Sir Mark Rowley to resign claiming he had 'lost control of the streets' and needs to 'either resign or be removed' for 'change' to occur.
It comes as former home secretary Suella Braverman called for Sir Mark Rowley to resign or be sacked, accusing him of having 'emboldened' antisemites.
Ms Braverman used an op-ed in The Sunday Telegraph to demand Sir Mark's resignation, saying people who were 'flagrantly antisemitic' were being 'waved on by the police'.
She said: 'Either this is gross incompetence, or it's a culture coming from the top, where thugs are free to intimidate and harass while the rest of us have to keep our mouths shut and stay out of the way.'
Mr Falter, as well as former home secretary Suella Braverman, has called on Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to step down
Mr Falter, who is the head of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said he was 'treated like a criminal' by police as he walked past the march in Aldwych on Saturday, April 13
Mr Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: 'The time has come for Sir Mark Rowley to go'
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has also been highly critical of the Met - but stopped short of saying Sir Mark should go.
Mr Dowden told The Sunday Telegraph that the force had been 'disrespecting' Jews while Lord Walney, the Government's adviser on political violence, accused the Met of displaying 'institutional antisemitism'.
This morning on Sky News, Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho declined to call for the Met chief to resign - saying it was a matter for Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
Asked on Sky News whether Sir Mark Rowley should stand down, Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho did not answer either way, saying: 'I think what happened was completely wrong.
'It's not right that one group of people in society should be told they can't go around their daily lives because it might be a provocation to someone else. That's not how equality works in this country.
'So I do think they've got it wrong. I think it's right that they've apologised, and ultimately, what happens next is a matter for the Labour London Mayor who has the responsibility to hold the Met to account.'
The Mayor of London does have the power to effectively sack the Commissioner, but can only do so with the permission of the Home Secretary, who can also require the Mayor to dismiss the head of the Met.
Labour's shadow justice secretary Shabana Mahmood said Sir Mark should not resign over the force's handling of the pro-Palestinian protests.
'I can understand the strength of feeling and as I say that footage was very concerning, and I can understand where Mr Falter is coming from,' she told Sky.
'But I don't think that the resignation of the Met's Commissioner is the way forward. I think the police should take all steps to maintain community confidence from all communities in the way that they go about their business on the streets of London and elsewhere.
'They have got to make sure they police the protests in line with the laws of our land, and enforce the laws of our land.'
Suella Braverman called for Sir Mark Rowley to resign or be sacked, accusing him of having 'emboldened' antisemites.
This morning on Sky News, Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho declined to call for the Met chief to resign - saying it was a matter for Mayor of London Sadiq Khan
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has also been highly critical of the Met - but stopped short of saying Sir Mark should go
A spokesperson for Mr Khan said: 'Everybody must feel safe going about in London wherever they please.
'The way the original incident was dealt with by the Met was concerning and the original response put out by them was insensitive and wrong.
'The Met have an extremely difficult job - particularly so when it comes to operational decisions taken while policing marches - but in the end the Met must have the confidence of the communities they serve and it is right that they have apologised for the way the incident was handled and their original public response.'
Policing minister Chris Philp said on Saturday he was 'deeply concerned' and would meet Sir Mark the following week to discuss the incident.
He said: 'No-one should be told their religion is provocative, nor an innocent person threatened with arrest solely because of someone else's anticipated unreasonable reaction.'
Home Secretary James Cleverly has also written to the Met and London Mayor Sadiq Khan about the incident.
A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We welcome the Met Police's apology, and recognise the complexities of policing fast-moving public protests, but simply being Jewish - or of any other race or religion - should never be seen as provocative.
'Anyone of any religion should be free to go about their lives and feel safe doing so.'
Met Police assistant commissioner Matt Twist (above) accused counter-protesters at pro-Palestine marches of being 'provocative' in an earlier statement
The Met Police has apologised (above) for an earlier statement in which it suggested counter-protesters at pro-Palestine marches were being deliberately 'provocative'
The CAA labelled the earlier statement 'atrocious' and claimed the Met was not outlining how it would protect Jewish people in London
On Friday night the London fore had to apologise and retracted its initial statement on the incident after it was slammed as 'appalling victim blaming'.
The Met's initial statement accused counter-protesters at the regular rallies of being 'provocative' by filming themselves as they turned up on the routes to express their views. Mr Falter maintains he was 'going for a walk' after attending synagogue.
It sparked a furious response from the Campaign Against Antisemitism - which is run by Mr Falter - was accused the force of 'abject victim blaming'.
The CAA labelled the earlier statement 'atrocious' and claimed the Met was not outlining how it would protect Jewish people in London.
Sharing the new statement, the Met said: 'Earlier we posted a statement about a video released on Thursday evening by the Campaign Against Antisemitism.
'That statement has now been removed. We apologise for the offence it caused.'
The statement read: 'The use of the term 'openly Jewish' by one of our officers is hugely regrettable. We know it will have caused offence to many. We reiterate our apology.
'We have reflected on the strength of the response to our previous statement. In an effort to make a point about the policing of protest we caused further offence.
People hold a variety of flags and placards at the protests in London on Saturday, including Palestine and Israel national flags
Pro-Israel protesters hold signs stating 'Hamas are terrorists' and 'release the hostages'
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in London today to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and urge the Government to stop all arms sales to Israel
'This was never our intention. We have removed that statement and we apologise.
'Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in this city.
'Our commitment to protecting the public extends to all communities across London. It's important that our public statements reflect that more clearly than they did today.'
Sir Mark added : 'Every member of the Met is determined to ensure that London is a city in which everyone feels safe. We absolutely understand how vulnerable Jewish and Muslim Londoners feel since the terrorist attacks on Israel.
'Some of our actions have increased this concern. I personally reiterate our apology from earlier this week. Today, as with every other day, our officers will continue to police with courage, empathy and impartiality.'
The campaign group is now calling on Jewish Londoners to go for a walk being 'quite openly Jewish' on Saturday April 27, the date of the next pro-Palestine march.
It insists the #WalkTogether event - which will have at least one predetermined meeting point - is not an organised protest.
Mr Falter said in an email to the Met Police shared on CAA's account on X, formerly Twitter: 'I am not planning a protest on 27th April. I am going for a walk as a private individual.
'I have not yet decided where I will walk, however it is likely that whilst walking I will be quite openly Jewish.
'Others might decide to join me. They might not. That is a matter for them. They might also be quite openly Jewish. They might not. That is also a matter for them.'
The row broke out after the campaign group published video footage of the officer describing Mr Falter as 'openly Jewish' during a protest in central London on April 13.
In the clip, another officer told Mr Falter he would be arrested if he did not leave the area because he was 'causing a breach of peace with all these other people' as his presence was 'antagonising'.
In a statement, the CAA's chief executive, Mr Falter, said: 'Racists, extremists and terrorist sympathisers have watched the excuses and inertia of the Met under his command and been emboldened by his inaction at precisely the moment when he should be signalling a renewed determination to crack down on this criminality.
'What the Met under Sir Mark has done to the Jewish community over the course of six months is utterly unforgivable and it is time for him to go. Enough is enough.'
