Anti-Israel protest at Jewish centre sparks ‘two-tier’ policing accusations

28 October 2024, 07:20 | Updated: 28 October 2024, 09:27

Watch: Anti-Israel protest shows ‘two-tier’ policing at Jewish centre Video 1

The Metropolitan police have been accused of two-tier policing after a video showed police officers standing by as protestors swore at people entering a Jewish community centre before arresting a dog walker for swearing back.

Footage shows a man standing with a group of pro-Palestine supporters and putting his middle finger up at a group of Jewish people standing by a community centre in North London while a police officer stands by.

Later footage shows a dog walker making the same gesture as he passes the protestors but is stopped by police.

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Watch: Anti-Israel protest shows ‘two-tier’ policing at Jewish centre Video 2

An officer then appears to tell the man to leave and places a hand on his shoulder.

Another policeman then takes over, leading the man away.

Jewish Chronicle journalist Nicole Lampert posted the videos to X and said: “If you want to see two-tier policing in action, compare and contrast these two clips.”

She added: “I am disgusted to see this happening on the streets of my home town but not surprised.”

The Board of Deputies of British Jews called the incident an "attempt to intimidate British Jews."

In a statement it said: “This is part of an ongoing effort, carried out under the guise of humanitarian concern, to intimidate British Jews... this should act as a wake up call to encourage allies to make their voices heard.”

Jonathan Cohen KC, who acted as a legal observer at the demonstration, told the Telegraph that the police did “absolutely nothing”.

He said: “For the first hour and a half a group of deeply unpleasant anti-Semites were allowed to effectively blockade both entrances to a Jewish community centre.

“I saw them shouting at people who were trying to enter and obstructing their ability to do so. The police did absolutely nothing until I remonstrated with them to impose some kind of conditions.

“I absolutely would say that [it is two-tier policing]. I can imagine no world in which supporters of the far Right would be allowed to engage in a deeply hostile demonstration outside a mosque or other Islamic communal institution.

“Look at the rapidity and severity of the conviction and sentencing of the far-Right demonstrators that we have seen over the last couple of months.

“Yet, a demonstration outside a Jewish communal institution which calls for the destruction of the Jewish homeland is seen to be effectively untouchable.”