Minister backs Met chief after calls for him to quit over protest row
search

The latest Jewish News

Read this week’s digital edition

Click Here

Minister backs Met chief after calls for him to quit over protest row

Campaign Against Antisemitism and former home secretary Suella Braverman have called for the police chief to resign or be sacked, accusing him of having 'emboldened' antisemites

The head of the Metropolitan Police should not resign over the force’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests, a Cabinet minister has said, amid calls for Sir Mark Rowley to go.

Both the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) and former home secretary Suella Braverman have called for the police chief to resign or be sacked, accusing him of having “emboldened” antisemites.

But energy security secretary Claire Coutinho declined to join them, telling the BBC: “I personally wouldn’t go that far because I haven’t had the conversations with him.”

Earlier, she told Sky News that Sir Mark’s future is a matter for London Mayor Sadiq Khan “who has the responsibility to hold the Met to account”.

Khan does have the power to effectively sack the Commissioner, but can only do so with the permission of the home secretary, who can also require the Mayor to dismiss the head of the Met.

Coutinho’s comments follow calls for Sir Mark to quit after CAA chief executive Gideon Falter was threatened with arrest near a pro-Palestine protest on 13 April, with one police officer describing him as “openly Jewish”.

Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho appearing on the BBC 1 current affairs programme, Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg.

Another officer told Falter he would be arrested if he did not leave the area because he was “causing a breach of peace with all these other people” and his presence was “antagonising”.

A spokesman for Khan said the Met’s handling of the incident was “concerning” and that the force “must have the confidence of the communities they serve”.

In a statement, Falter said: “Racists, extremists and terrorist sympathisers have watched the excuses and inertia of the Met under his (Sir Mark’s) command and been emboldened by his inaction at precisely the moment when he should be signalling a renewed determination to crack down on this criminality.

“What the Met under Sir Mark has done to the Jewish community over the course of six months is utterly unforgivable and it is time for him to go. Enough is enough.”

Ms Braverman used an opinion piece in the Sunday Telegraph to demand Sir Mark’s resignation, saying people who are “flagrantly antisemitic” are being “waved on by the police”.

She said: “Either this is gross incompetence, or it’s a culture coming from the top, where thugs are free to intimidate and harass while the rest of us have to keep our mouths shut and stay out of the way.”

Other figures, including Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, have been highly critical of the Met but stopped short of saying Sir Mark should go.

Policing minister Chris Philp has said he will meet the Commissioner to discuss the matter, and the Board of Deputies of British Jews has also written to Sir Mark asking for an “urgent meeting to reinforce the gravity of the situation” and start repairing a “grievous loss of confidence” in the Met.

Home secretary James Cleverly has also written to the force and Khan about the incident.

Shadow justice secretary Shabana Mahmood said she does not think getting rid of Sir Mark is “the way forward”.

She told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “I think the police should take all steps to maintain community confidence from all communities in the way that they go about their business on the streets of London and elsewhere.”

Sir Mark said: “Every member of the Met is determined to ensure that London is a city in which everyone feels safe.

“We absolutely understand how vulnerable Jewish and Muslim Londoners feel since the terrorist attacks on Israel.

“Some of our actions have increased this concern. I personally reiterate our apology from earlier this week.

“Today, as with every other day, our officers will continue to police with courage, empathy and impartiality.”

The Met apologised on Friday for the incident involving Falter, suggesting opponents of pro-Palestinian marches “must know that their presence is provocative” and they are “increasing the likelihood of an altercation” by lining the route to object.

But the force subsequently issued another statement apologising for the “further offence” caused by its first apology.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We welcome the Met Police’s apology, and recognise the complexities of policing fast-moving public protests, but simply being Jewish – or of any other race or religion – should never be seen as provocative.

“Anyone of any religion should be free to go about their lives and feel safe doing so.”

Support your Jewish community. Support your Jewish News

Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.

For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.

Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.

You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.

100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...

Engaging

Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.

Celebrating

There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.

Pioneering

In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.

Campaigning

Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.

Easy access

In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.

Voice of our community to wider society

The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.

We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.

read more: