The Metropolitan Police has denied arresting a Jewish lawyer for wearing a star of David necklace at a pro-Palestine demonstration. The force said the man was detained for repeatedly breaching laws designed to keep opposing protest groups apart.
The man, aged in his 40s, was arrested at a pro-Palestine protest outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington on 29 August, according to The Telegraph. Police interview footage reportedly shows a detective telling the suspect he had worn the star of David on a chain to cause "offence".
The detained man told The Telegraph he had been acting as an "independent legal observer" to monitor the event for unlawful behaviour. He was held for nearly ten hours before being released.
Man's response to arrest
"It is outrageous that police should claim wearing a star of David somehow antagonises people," the man told The Telegraph. "When it was first raised in the police interview, it rang alarm bells for me immediately. Police crossed the line."
He added: "They are trying to criminalise the wearing of a star of David. They said I was antagonising and agitating pro-Palestine protesters with my star of David. In an environment of antisemitism, I will not be cowed by this. I will carry on wearing it."
Police explanation
The Met said the arrest was for allegedly repeatedly breaching Public Order Act conditions set to keep opposing groups apart. Posting on X, the force stated: "We understand the concerns raised, but the claim this man was arrested for wearing a star of David necklace is not true."
The conditions required protesters from the pro-Israel group Stop The Hate to remain in one area, with pro-Palestinian group Ijan protesters in a separate area. Police said the man "continuously approached the area allocated to Ijan, getting very close to protesters to film them and provoking a reaction" over the course of an hour.
Officers intervened at least four times to ask the man to return to the Stop the Hate area before arresting him. The Met said his actions went "beyond observing in an independent and neutral way to provoking and, as such, actively participating as a protester".
Investigation continues
The man was released on bail and the investigation continues. The Met acknowledged that a six-minute clip from an hour-long interview "in isolation causes concern" and said they are reviewing the case while working with communities to understand their concerns.
Sources used: "The Telegraph", "Met Police" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
