This is the moment a Jewish solicitor was told by police that his Star of David necklace had ‘antagonised’ pro-Palestine protesters.
Leaked police interview footage obtained by the Daily Mail, shows officers telling a Jewish man that wearing his Star of David necklace ‘out and present’ risked causing pro-Palestine protesters ‘offence’.
The suspect, who had his hands handcuffed behind his back and was detained for almost 10 hours, told the Daily Mail he was ‘offended and deeply alarmed’ by the suggestion that his necklace was a ‘source of agitation’ to anti-Israel campaigners.
Clearly distressed by the encounter he added: ‘I should be free to walk around anywhere in this country wearing my Star of David necklace.
‘As a proud British, Jewish man, to be arrested for doing this by the Metropolitan police is frankly disgusting.’
The man, who is in his 40s and has asked not to be named, was arrested at 7pm on August 29 near a pro-Palestine protest and counter pro-Israel protest, outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington in Central London.
He told the Daily Mail he was acting as an independent, non-partisan legal observer, affiliated with the Society of Independent Legal Observers (SILO) – meaning he is allowed to move between cordoned areas.
But police claim the man was allegedly ‘repeatedly breaching’ conditions of the Public Order Act which were being used at this event to keep pro-Palestine protesters from the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network [IJAN] and pro-Israel protesters from Stop the Hate, apart.
Officers deny that his arrest was prompted by the Star of David necklace claiming that it was because he was ‘provoking and actively participating as a [pro-Israel] protester’.
But in a six-minute clip taken from Hammersmith police station at around 2am, the Jewish man is repeatedly questioned about his 2cm necklace – which was purchased in Ibiza as a gift from his girlfriend.
During the police interview the detective constable is heard insisting: ‘My line of questioning is not to offend. It’s not to discriminate. I want to have that on record.
‘However (…) the [other] officers [who attended the protests on the day] have noted in their statements that they believe because the Star of David was out and present to people which may take offence to the presence of it.
‘They felt that that was antagonizing the situation further.’
When the Jewish man’s lawyer retorted that ‘we shouldn’t be in a situation where people can’t walk around wearing a sign of their religion’ the detective responded, ‘we’re not talking about (…) walking around with a Star of David chain on his neck in an open forum in public, generally.
‘We’re talking about a very niche environment where tensions are high.
‘Where two sides are coming together – have adverse opinions, adverse views.
‘We’re talking about a hostile environment where pro-Palestinian protesters are obviously objecting to what is happening in Israel and Gaza.
‘That’s what I want to say and I don’t want this to come to a political debate.’
The Star of David or ‘shield of David’ is widely recognised as a symbol of Jewish identity.
The man who has been left horrified and confused by the situation also pointed out that the anti-Israel protest was organised by a supposedly Jewish organisation making it even more ridiculous that the Star of David symbol would be the source of any offence.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘When the detective brought up the Star of David necklace I realised instantly that this was problematic.
‘A symbol of one’s religion is a protected characteristic and this is discrimination.
‘But also this particular protest was apparently being organised by two different Jewish groups so why should anyone in this environment claim to be offended by the Jewish Star of David?
‘And frankly if someone told police officers they were being antagonized by a Jewish symbol, then maybe the person who has a problem with Jews should have been arrested and not me.’
This incident comes less than a year after the Metropolitan police was forced to apologise for threatening an ‘openly Jewish’ man with arrest for being near a pro-Palestine march.
Responding to the controversy, a metropolitan police spokesperson said: ‘We can fully appreciate why this clip in isolation causes concern and we are continuing to review and work with communities to understand the concerns they have voiced.’
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