Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley bizarrely grabs journalist's microphone after being quizzed on 'two-tier policing'

5 August 2024, 14:27 | Updated: 5 August 2024, 14:32

Britain’s top cop Sir Mark Rowley has been filmed grabbing a microphone out of a journalist’s hand after the emergency Cobra meeting held on Monday.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner attended the meeting alongside Sir Keir Starmer as the Government looks to end violent riots across the country.

The incident occurred when a Sky News journalist asked Sir Mark if the Met would “end two-tier policing.”

This refers to the notion that the police treat right-wing protesters more harshly than their left-wing counterparts.

The clip shows The Met chief reaching toward the microphone, grabbing it and throwing part of it to the ground, without responding to the journalist’s question.

Read more: Keir Starmer slams Elon Musk's claim 'civil war is inevitable' following UK riots

Read more: Home Secretary warns rioters should prepare to swap summer holidays for 'a knock on the door and a police cell'

A Met Police spokesperson said: "The Commissioner had a positive and constructive meeting with the Prime Minister and partners across Government and policing.

"He was in a hurry to return to New Scotland Yard to take action on the agreed next steps."

Yesterday marked the sixth day of violent disorder in England, as far-right attacks on hotels housing asylum seekers erupted in at least two towns.

During the Cobra meeting, Starmer said police working with the National Crime Agency to tackle criminality and bot activity online over fears state actors are involved.

Downing Street concluded that social media firms needed an immediate response to disinformation and the government will consider a wider framework in due course.

"Anyone who is whipping up violence online will face the full force of the law," Starmer's spokesperson said, adding: "online platforms have a responsibility."

The prime minister added: “The first is we will have a standing army of specialist public duty officers so that we will have enough officers to deal with this where we need them.

“The second is we will ramp up criminal justice. There have already been hundreds of arrests, some have appeared in court this morning.

Sir Keir added during the meeting that "the law applies online."

“I’l have asked for early consideration of the earliest naming and identification of those involved in the process who will feel the full force of the law.”

The PM also hit out at X owner Elon Musk for claiming a civil war is “inevitable” in the UK.

Musk's comments came in response to a video posted to X with the caption "The effects of mass migration and open borders is what’s going on."

Speaking on the post, the Prime Minister's spokesperson added there was "no justification for comments like that".