A Jewish campaign group has “reluctantly” called off its “Walk Together” demonstration in central London amid safety concerns.
Thousands had been expected to attend the walk in the capital on Saturday, which would have coincided with the pro-Palestinian marches.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said it cancelled the event, where people would have walked “where they please”, after receiving threats and identifying “hostile actors” who posed a risk to the safety of Jews.
The CAA had announced the walk after its chief executive, Gideon Falter, was prevented from crossing a road near a pro-Palestinian protest by a police officer last week because he was “openly Jewish”.
Footage showed a tense, lengthy stand-off between police and Mr Falter as one Met officer described his presence as “antagonising”.
The campaigner then spoke to another officer who said if he remained in the area, he would be arrested.
After the incident, Mr Falter was critical of the Met and said there were “no-go zones for Jews”, while Scotland Yard apologised twice for the officer’s words of choice.
The CAA released a statement announcing the walk was not going ahead, saying: “We have received numerous threats and our monitoring has identified hostile actors who seem to have intended to come to any meeting locations that we announced.
“The risk to the safety of those who wished to walk openly as Jews in London tomorrow as part of this initiative has therefore become too great.
“We are no less angry about these marches than our Jewish community and its allies. We want to walk.”
The group said it wanted the Metropolitan Police to not only “manage” the marches but “police” them too.
It urged anyone walking on Saturday to “stay safe”.
Gideon Falter was critical of the Met after the incident
‘A double standard’
The CAA also said it had held discussions with the government to “propose concrete measures” to change how the police approach the pro-Palestinian protests.
The CAA’s statement added: “Tomorrow’s march by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) meanders for two-and-a-half miles. When we organised our peaceful March Against Antisemitism a few months ago, we were told that there was no way that Royal Parks could be used.
“Yet again, it seems that there is a double standard. For the hours that this march drags on, central London will be snarled up yet again.
“Police have told us that they intend to handle the march no differently from the passive way that they have become accustomed to over the course of more than six months.”
Thousands turn up every week to the pro-Palestine protests in central London
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The organisation highlighted concerns over antisemitic chants, inflammatory placards, and instances of glorifying terrorism, as well as incidents of violence, including attacks on police officers.
The statement added: “Tomorrow, we will watch to see whether anything is different about the way that the Met handles the march, and in the coming week we will progress our discussions with the government.
“We cannot allow the current situation to become the new normal.”
The Metropolitan Police said 450 arrests have been made since the pro-Palestine marches began, with 193 of those being for antisemitic offences, the majority involving placards, chanting or expressions of hate speech.
The cost of policing the protests stands at approximately £38.5m, the Met added.
Standoff between protesters in London
‘Fear and uncertainty’
Assistant commissioner Matt Twist said the impact of the protests which take place weekly in London was “felt widely” but has been a “particular cause of fear and uncertainty in Jewish communities”.
Mr Twist added that pro-Palestinian protests have “never” reached the threshold where it was a “risk of serious public disorder”.
He said: “The only legal route to ban a march is if there is a risk of serious public disorder – that is rioting or serious violence that could not be dealt with by other restrictions or conditions.
“We have never got close to that threshold on these Palestinian Solidarity Campaign marches to date.”
The protests began in October last year. Pic: PA
A protest organised by the PSC will take place on 27 April in central London proceeding on a pre-agreed route.
Simultaneously, a separate demonstration arranged by the pro-Israel Enough is Enough group will go ahead following a route parallel to the PSC march.
Source Agencies
