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A Metropolitan Police officer has sparked fury after telling a Jewish lady that swastikas “need to be taken in context” at a pro-Palestine rally.
In footage from Saturday’s Stop the Genocide in Gaza march, a counter-protester confronted officers citing considerations that an individual carrying a swastika banner had not been arrested.
After a heated dialogue the place the officer admitted to not having “in-depth knowledge” about indicators and symbols, the girl was requested to alert an officer elsewhere to the prevalence of the image.
More than 200,000 individuals took half in the demonstration on Saturday calling for a right away ceasefire in Gaza, in accordance to estimates by organisers, the place crowds marched from Russell Square to Trafalgar Square.
The counter-protester mentioned in the video: “I was told when I asked that a swastika was not necessarily antisemitic or a disruption of public order, that doesn’t seem right to me.”
Impassioned voices in the background can be heard saying “it is” as the girl begs, “Please for the love of god film this.”
The officer began telling the girl in regards to the Public Order Act, to which she requested how the image was not disrupting public order.
The officer responded: “I haven’t said anything about it, that is is or it isn’t. Everything needs to be taken in context doesn’t it?”
After extra pleading from the girl to acknowledge the signal is antisemitic, the officer mentioned he didn’t have an “in-depth knowledge of signs and symbols” however admitted he knew the image was used throughout Nazi Germany.
He mentioned: “I don’t know how everyone would feel about that sign. If you came up to me and said you feel mass alarm and distressed about a symbol that someone was using.”
The lady interjected and mentioned: “I’m extremely distressed, I’m very alarmed.”
The officer mentioned he couldn’t depart the realm for which he was accountable, however suggested the girl to go to one other police officer. She claimed she had already been despatched to his station by one other officer after she reported the image.
The footage was posted on-line and obtained important backlash on social media platform X.
The Metropolitan Police mentioned in an announcement: “This video clip is a short excerpt of what was a 10-minute conversation with an officer.
“During the full conversation, the officer establishes that the person the woman was concerned about had already been arrested for a public order offence in relation to a placard.
“The officer then offered to arrange for other officers to attend and accompany the woman to identify any other persons she was concerned about amongst the protesters, but after turning to speak to his supervisor, she had unfortunately left.”
The Met mentioned officers arrested a person on the Strand in relation to inviting assist for a proscribed organisation.
Three additional arrests had been made at the march – one particular person was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and two others had been arrested on suspicion of inflicting harassment, alarm and misery.
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