The Metropolitan Police have been accused of allowing Central London to become a ‘no-go zone’ for Jews after thousands of people marched in support of Palestine with some seen carrying effigies of dead babies and chanting ‘globalise the Intifada.’
Yesterday’s demonstrations marked the third week in a row that the capital has been consumed by the Middle East protests and was marred by several shocking incidents.
In full view of police officers, protesters chanted for the massacre of Jews, bounced effigies of dead babies on flags and called for ‘global intifadas.’
Police made nine arrests in total following the protest, with authorities saying ‘a number’ of these were being treated as linked to hate crimes.
Anger had already erupted last night after a video emerged showing a woman taking part in the pro-Palestine march through London on Sunday holding an effigy of a dead baby and shouting ‘Slaughter the Jews’.
Thousands of people marched in support of Palestine with some seen carrying effigies of dead babies and chanting ‘globalise the Intifada’
Police officers are appealing for anyone who recognises the woman to come forward
Other footage appeared to show protesters ‘bouncing’ effigies of dead babies on a Palestinian flag
Other protesters chanted ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’
Police are appealing for information to identify her and a second woman, who both led the chant in full view of dozens of onlookers.
In other shocking videos posted online, protesters can be seen bouncing effigies of dead babies up and down on a Palestinian flag while chanting.
Another picture taken from the demonstrations yesterday showed a coffin being drawn along by a bike.
The coffin had a message on it that reads: ‘Warsaw Ghetto Genocide – 1943. Gaza Ghetto Genocide 2023.’
In another shocking clip, a collection of young people from the Socialist Workers Party can be seen chanting ‘From London to Gaza. Globalise the intifada.’
In reaction to yesterday’s shocking incidents, a spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said Londoners should not have to tolerate such extremism every weekend.
In other shocking videos posted online, protesters can be seen bouncing effigies of dead babies up and down on a Palestinian flag while chanting
Another picture taken from the demonstrations yesterday showed a coffin being drawn along by a bike
They said: ‘[Yesterday] saw yet another day of mass criminality on London’s streets.
‘Law-abiding Londoners, including London’s Jews, expect our police to enforce Britain’s laws and keep us safe.
‘Instead of imposing strict conditions under section 12 of the Public Order Act, the Met has opted for the most permissive conditions, limiting only the route of the march, yet again allowing central London to be transformed into a no-go zone.
‘Londoners cannot and will not tolerate a situation in which every weekend the streets become an exhibition of such extremism.
‘The Met is creating the conditions in which not only London’s Jews but all Londoners could be placed in serious danger.
‘Extremists rarely limit themselves to extreme language. We need action by the authorities responsible for keeping Britain safe.’
Meanwhile
David Hirsch, founder for the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism, described the unadulterated joy of the protesters as akin to football fans.
He said: ‘Some Londoners on the demo were thrilled by the 1,400 Hamas murders, like football fans are when their team wins.
‘The joy of their victory lit up their faces. They taunted Jews with a religious certainty that there would be more Jew-killing soon.’
The Met’s lack of action was also backed up by ex-Met detective Peter Bleksley who criticised his former force, telling the Sun: ‘This is sick behaviour. The Met said they would crackdown on this sort of thing and quite simply they haven’t. It’s appalling.’
Footage had emerged on social media of two women chanting in Arabic surrounded by a sea of protesters, some of whom looked bemused or confused as if they did not understand, while others actively smiled and even clapped along.
Children were seen just feet away from the two women, one of whom was carrying an object wrapped in a white shroud covered in fake blood which imitated the bodies of dead babies which have come out of Gaza in recent days.
The women appeared to be chanting ‘Khaibar Ya Yahud’, a chant telling Jews to remember an ancient massacre in Khaibar hundreds of years ago in which an entire Jewish settlement was slaughtered.
More than 100,000 people turned out to the largely peaceful march on Saturday
Meaning ‘Jews, remember Khaibar’, it is now generally seen as a call to kill Jewish people. The Met Police have previously arrested people for similar chants which they say can incite violence.
Releasing a photo of the two women on Saturday night, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: ‘Officers investigating a hate crime incident in Trafalgar Square would like to speak to these two women.
‘Anyone who can help us identify them should call 101, giving the reference 6576920/23.
‘Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.’
The Met Police said more than 1,000 officers policed protests in London on Saturday which saw more than 100,000 people throng the streets in solidarity with Palestinians trapped in Gaza.
The march was overwhelmingly peaceful, but several isolated incidents marred the nature of the protests, which were aimed at calling for a ceasefire between Israel and the terror group Hamas to protect civilian life.
More than 1,400 Israelis were killed and more than 200 kidnapped when Hamas launched a surprise incursion into Israeli territory on October 7.
Israel has launched a campaign of bombing in response which health officials in Gaza say has so far killed more than 7,700 people, with IDF forces ramping up activities with raids into northern Gaza over the past 24 hours.
Around half of those killed are said to be children, with distressing images of severely injured and deceased young children and even babies flooding out of the Gaza Strip in recent days.
While most attending marches around the UK on Saturday protested peacefully, the women’s call for ‘slaughter’, and the lack of response from the crowd around them, caused outrage.
Met
Elsewhere, other protesters were seen carrying fake baby shrouds, with one clip appearing to show them being ‘bounced’ around on top of a Palestinian flag.
In total police arrested nine people, seven for public order related offences and two for assaults on police officers.
The Met said that ‘a number’ of those arrests were being treated as linked to hate crimes.
One police officer was rushed to hospital on Saturday after a protester allegedly hit him on the head with a megaphone.
The officer was left with a head laceration and required hospital treatment, but they have now been discharged.
Among the other arrests was a man who was detained at Waterloo station after allegedly saying racist insults. He was arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred.