Police looking at legal action over website advertising Golders Green hate rally

The Met Police are planning on taking legal advice over a website promoting a neo-Nazi hate rally in Golders Green, after former MP Andrew Dismore pressed both the Police commissioner and Mayor on the issue.

Dismore, the member for Barnet and Camden at the London Assembly, claimed at the body’s plenary session on Wednesday, that a site is an advertisement for the event, and was “clearly designed to incite race hatred”.

It “reads like the Nazis’ Der Sturmer newspaper”, he said, adding that it was full of ‘cartoons caricatures and and anti-Semitic libels’ – and that was nothing to do with free speech.

Dismore asked Met Police Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan Howe, “What action will you be taking to prosecute those behind this website?”

Sir Bernard Hogan Howe, responded by saying the Met Police were examining “taking legal advice over what potential offences may or may have been committed”, which meant he could not disclose any more information. 

Speaking at Wednesday’s plenary session of the Assembly, Dismore also pressed London Mayor, Boris Johnson over the possible action that could be taken over the event.

He asked: “what have you done over the last 2 weeks about stopping this event, which poses a clear public order threat to the Jewish community in my constituency?’

“Will you ban them from using public transport to get there? Will you stop them congregating on the tube station and TfL land?”

Barnet borough police commander Adrian Usher has said that proof that the rally was “motivated by antisemitism” was needed for the police to “take robust action”.

After the questions in the Assembly, Dismore gave cautious welcome to Commissioner Hogan Howe’s “encouraging” response, but also criticised what he saw as inertia on the Mayor’s part.

Dismore, who was defeated in his attempt to regain his old Hendon constituency at last month’s general election, also commented on the Mayor, Boris Johnson’s position in stopping the rally. 

He said: “Whilst the Mayor was concerned over the rally and he said he had referred this to the police, he was reluctant to take action that would deal with it. He will consider stopping them congregating on TfL premises, but I first raised this with him over 2 weeks ago and he still hasn’t made his mind up about it”.

“I will continue to press the Mayor for action, as this rally must not be allowed to intimidate and threaten local residents and business in Golders Green as it is clearly intended to do”.