Met police chief pledges to arrest protesters using swastikas at Gaza protests

1 May 2024, 09:48 | Updated: 1 May 2024, 09:49

Watch Again: Nick Ferrari speaks to Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley 01/05

The Met Chief has said ‘any Nazi comparisons’ made in the context of protests about the 'Middle East crisis' will lead to an arrest, but not at pro-Ukrainian protests because ‘it’s a different context’.

Speaking to LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, the Met Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley warned that anyone making Nazi comparisons within that context would be arrested.

He said: “Some of this stuff is offensive and some of it is completely illegal, if you’re using a swastika or any other Nazi comparisons in the context of these protests about the Middle East crisis, that is going to be an offence and you’re going to be arrested. And we’ve done that in every single occasion.”

It comes after the Met faced controversy last month when an officer told a Jewish woman that swastikas shown at a pro-Palestinian march needed to be “taken in context”.

Jocelin Weiss told police that she saw the Nazi symbol being displayed on banners during a march through London.

But she was told that displaying a swastika was "not necessarily anti-Semitic" nor "a disruption of public order".

Asked about the officer’s reply, Sir Mark said: “The officer was trying to give a rounded answer, which in hindsight might not have been the best thing when it’s clipped on social media.”

The Met chief continued: “We have seen on protests that are pro-Ukrainian people comparing Putin’s regime to the Nazis, now we’re probably not going to arrest people for that because it’s a different context.

Read more: Filming police at protests is 'physically intrusive' and 'escalates situations', says Met Commissioner

Read more: Met chief says officers 'were on the ground in 12 minutes' then suffered ‘horrific injuries’ in Hainault attacks

“The context that you’re thinking about in terms of people protesting about what’s going on in the Middle East, any sort of Nazi comparison’s going to be illegal and  we’re going to make an arrest.”

During the incident between Ms Weiss and the Met last month, which was filmed, she asked the police officer in what context a swastika could not be seen as anti-Semitic.

One officer replied: "I didn't say it was or it wasn't."

A Met Police Chief Inspector then interrupted and said: "A swastika on its own, I don't think is..."

The force later confirmed that the man who was carrying the placard was arrested.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said at the time: “This clip is a short excerpt of what was a 10-minute conversation with an officer.

“During the full conversation, the officer establishes that the woman the person 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.”