London Jew accused of "breach of the peace" by looking "openly Jewish"

[everydaywonderful]

I'm gobsmacked by this

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68856360

The term "openly Jewish" was still used, and the issue was that, rather than anything else, which needs to be addressed by the Met.

Mr Falter was 'going about his business' with a bodyguard and a camera crew in an attempt to deliberately provoke a reaction. The media is choosing to show a tiny part of the incident rather than the full version. The police officer's choice of words was wrong but his intention was to protect rather than insult Mr Falter.

So why would him being Jewish provoke a reaction?

Mr Falter proved his point.

Mr Falter was 'going about his business' with a bodyguard and a camera crew in an attempt to deliberately provoke a reaction.

There should have been no way that his presence as a visibly Jewish person, however deliberate, provoked any sort of reaction.
The police and the protesters proved his point, very thoroughly.

While [former Scotland Yard chief superintendent Dal] Babu said the “openly Jewish” comment was “not acceptable”, he told BBC Breakfast that the longer clip showed Falter “attempting to go against the march,

That's not accurate - the Met officer says he saw Mr Falter attempting to go against the march earlier and points up the road - the longer clip doesn't actually show Mr Falter doing this.

Babu added: “They offered to take him to a crossing point, they offered to help him and the group he was with the opportunity to cross at a more appropriate place.

The officer says Mr Falter will have to go out 'the long way' - Mr Babu is suggesting there was a convenient crossing point - which would also appear to be inaccurate.

trying to push past the officers

Sky News point out accurately that Mr Falter wasn't using much force.

I don't think you can have people with an entourage walking the wrong way up through a march. There's an allocated time for marches, and it would take all day if different groups were allowed to disrupt them. If Mr Falter's group were allowed to push through then any other group would have to be allowed to push in, walk the wrong way, or just cross through the middle. That sounds pretty chaotic, especially if counter protestors joined in. The 13 minute video from sky is unedited and makes the situation clearer. Frankly, if an officer asks you to walk another way, I recommend you co-operate. It was really painful to see the time and resources allocated to one person when the police have many other people and situations they need to monitor.

Lots of celebrities walk around with bodyguards, with people with cameras following them

Do they get arrested too for provoking a reaction?

It still comes back to the idea that being openly Jewish is an issue. Otherwise any film and media student with a camera, or random skinny guy walking around with a bigger tougher looking friend would be in trouble

People seem very cross at Mr Falter for provoking a reaction by wanting to walk across the march while looking Jewish and yet not at all cross with the people who shouted scum and nazi at him.

It comes across as 'I'm annoyed at you for making us look bad'.

It was really painful to see the time and resources allocated to one person

The marches are every Saturday. I'm sure that whatever time and resources were used in this incident, pale into insignificance compared to the overall costs.

So it looks like the 'openly Jewish' comment was taken out of context.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/22/met-officer-antisemitism-campaigner-gideon-falter-longer-video-sky-news

Have to say that article makes things look even worse.

"Demonstrators begin chanting “shame on you” and “Zionist scum”."

I'd not heard that bit before. Pretty shocking.

It is horrible

Check the longer video. At about 1:48 the Police officer offers to escort Mr Falter down the road to cross, where all the Israeli flags are (about a 100m detour max).

I assume most posters here have never been to a demonstration. The police do not allow people to just randomly cross the road by walking against the direction of the march.

https://news.sky.com/story/amp/sky-news-footage-reveals-new-details-of-exchange-between-police-and-antisemitism-campaigner-called-openly-jewish-13120104

We live in a democracy, so we commit to spending time and resources on marches. I can't understand people who think it's reasonable to argue with police when they direct you to a different route. It has happened to me during protests, events etc . and I would never dream of arguing that I want to walk only in one area. Would you think it fair to take up an officer's time arguing about a route?

Would you think it fair to take up an officer's time arguing about a route?

If the route makes it a no-go zone to sections of the population on a weekly basis, then absolutely.

As you say, it's a democracy. Everyone's voice deserves to be heard.

@LordPercyPercy You could complain about the route, or suggest better ways of organising it, but I'd suggest there are better channels to use than being argumentative and uncooperative with an officer on the street.

You could complain about the route, or suggest better ways of organising it, but I'd suggest there are better channels to use than being argumentative and uncooperative with an officer on the street.

Not at all, the issue has now received a great deal of publicity and sunlight.

@LordPercyPercy Indeed

One of the fun facts about living in a democracy is that, alongside spending time and resources on marches we also get to argue with the police, and not get hauled off to a re education camp

@dimllaishebiaith If I'm ever in a disaster, I sincerely hope there aren't too many people eager to argue their preferred route with the emergency services.

I've been on loads of demonstrations in my life. During demonstrations I've cut across them to go to shops and back, I've walked back against the direction of the flow to find friends, I've gone every which way within them so it's bollocks you can't just walk across. Maybe he had a lot of people with him? I can see that might be difficult to go against the flow if that was the case. Just him though, why would the police even notice him? He could just cut across with a few 'excuse mes' and go on his way.

I'm confused, where was the disaster which meant it was a problem in this instance?

I, like @Kendodd have been on marches where I have crossed from one side to another numerous times without any issue, it's completely normal

I've been on many demonstrations. I have never seen a situation where people are not allowed to walk across, walk back, or anything similar. The police prevent traffic crossing a demonstration, not pedestrians