In her upcoming meeting with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, Home Secretary Suella Braverman seeks to discuss the response of the authorities to a pro-Palestinian protest which transpired in London over the last weekend. The rally, which witnessed a considerable influx of attendees, also experienced an incident of pronounced concern. A video rendered online showcased a man vociferously voicing “jihad” amidst the ongoing march by an Islamist group.
Although the Metropolitan police categorically stated that the aforementioned incident did not constitute any clear legal offences, Ms. Braverman seeks clarification from Sir Mark Rowley on the matter. This meeting, initially scheduled to discuss the prevalent protests and ways to combat anti-Semitism, would aid her in understating the police’s standpoint on the incident that occurred on Saturday.
Believing firmly that there should be no place for any form of violence or hatred-inciting activities on the streets of Britain, Ms. Braverman strongly demanded effective police action against any breaches of law. During the protest, which brought together an estimated 100,000 participants all united in their support for Palestinian civilians, ten arrests were made by the deployed contingency of over 1,000 officers.
In the smaller rally, alongside the principal march in which the alleged ‘jihad’ shouting incident happened, the Metropolitan Police affirmed that no further action would be taken. A statement from the police confirmed that no offences could be identified from the specific video clip, attributing it to the various interpretations of the word ‘jihad’. They also declared that no additional action will follow upon an inspection of photos that display protesters bearing banners mentioning ‘Muslim armies’.
Meanwhile, Home Office Minister Robert Jenrick categorically identified the chanting of ‘jihad’ as an act of “inciting terrorist violence”. Asserting it should be dealt with by utilizing the full force of the law, he clarified that it was predominantly an “operational matter” for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to decide whether charges should be applied.
