Is "openly Jewish" a hate crime under the April Fools Scottish hate crime law?

[lechiffre55]

A Metropolitan police officer threatened to arrest a man for being "Openly Jewish" in London. Is this a hate crime in Scotland under the new hate crime laws?

I think it is. Could someone report it for me please I find it incredibly offensive and racist. I want to see what happens when Scottish Police try to get involved with racist actions taken by the Metropolitan Police.

https://twitter.com/Jebadoo2/status/1781393179683483960

He is a well known activist. He was in a potentially dangerous situation. The language used was totally inappropriate but he wasn't coincidentally trying to cross the road.....

As for the situation in France, yes, Jewish signs like the kippa are generally accepted , whereas any sign of Muslim dress is absolutely and totally disallowed.

That’s not correct, @MarieDeGournay has described the situation in state schools, outside of that various forms of identifiable Muslim dress are allowed and are seen but full face veils are not.

Whether it was a set-up or not, the point is that the Met police believed that he - a Jew, NOT an Israeli, not waving an Israeli flag or shouting anti-Palestinian slogans - would be in danger, although these demonstrations are constantly presented as anti-Israeli and not anti-Jewish.
If a Jewish person is, in the opinion of the Met, not safe in proximity to these regular and large demos, that's a major restriction to freedom of movement.

In the days when the rule of law in the UK seemed to be 'Innocent until proven Irish', and innocent Irish people were being rounded up and imprisoned - and worse - demonstrations relating to Ireland were not allowed in the centre of London. They tended to be very small annual marches commemorating Bloody Sunday or supporting the Birmingham 6 and Guildford 4, but they were rigorously corralled by the Met along minor routes in the north of the city to keep the centre free from disruption, even if it was just once a year.

They obviously have a different approach to balancing the right to peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of movement these days.

It really doesn't matter if he was, or wasn't though. He has a right to walk where he wants and to be kept safe in the face of an angry bigoted mob who might wish to attack him, for nothing more than just being Jewish and daring to be there.

It's not for the police to decide that their jobs would be easier if he could just stop looking so openly Jewish in front of a crowd of people who openly support an organisation that would like to see him dead.

I have some sympathy with the police dilemma here, but there is only one ethical choice to be made and that is to protect the person or persons at risk. Not to tiptoe around the protesters for fear that they might feel antagonised into committing an act of violence. It's really not that difficult to understand. If you struggle with it, try to imagine Mr Falter was an 'openly Muslim' Afghan man wishing to cross the road in front of an anti-immigration march by the EDL. And imagine that he faced arrest rather than the EDL thugs who might want to beat him up.

Rowley needs to go, as does the officer. Met is a stinking pile of shit.

He was travelling across London after worshipping at a synagogue.

Nice bit of victim shaming there - Walkwhileyoutalk. I guess Jews should avoid Central London?

You don't (well, shouldn't) threaten to arrest people on the basis of they'd be slightly safer if they would only look a little less Jewish/female/attractive/Muslim, though.

'That dress you're wearing, and that makeup, it's provocative and the men over there might take it as an invitation, so I'm going to arrest you if you don't put a cardigan on and go home.

'If you'd just take your Hijab off, you wouldn't have the problem, so I'm going to arrest you for deliberately antagonising a bunch of EDL thugs who are just dying to pull it off you'.

'You're near a group who think that women not wearing full Niqab should be stoned. Put one on right now or I'll arrest you for inflaming their manly passions'.

'You're wearing a turban near a group protesting about Kashmir. Take it off so they don't see you being openly Sikh or I'll arrest you for provoking their racism'.

Theory versus practice.

Watched the man being intervieved again, NO kippa. Why?

Probably because he was wearing on the day of the march for synagogue, exactly as he said. Perhaps he doesn't routinely wear it day in, day out.

Why does it matter?

Do you think he is not Jewish or not Jewish enough?
Not Orthodox Jews wear head coverings only on particular occasions. Interview is not one. Is this a sufficient explanation?

Why does this require an explanation? Why can he not wear it whenever he wants? Are you trying to imply something? If you are trying to imply something perhaps you could just spell it out more clearly please?

It really doesn't matter if he was, or wasn't though. He has a right to walk where he wants and to be kept safe in the face of an angry bigoted mob who might wish to attack him, for nothing more than just being Jewish and daring to be there.

This. ⬆

These demonstrations are not peaceful protests. They have become "demonstrations". There are violent elements there who are trying to whip up racial hatred. The trouble is that they have been allowed to become increasingly unruly, and increasingly large and now the police have no control over the way they behave.

It should never have got to this stage in the first place. The anti-Jewish elements should have been stopped as soon as they tried to start.

The police have lost control. They are afraid of the pro-Palestinians who threaten violence (and sometimes are violent) against Jews, they are afraid of trans-activists who threaten violence (and sometimes are violent) against women, they don't even attempt to apprehend criminals any more - they aren't for for purpose.

No-one in this country should have to worry about being targeted for any reason.

I would have thought it was obvious. Provocation.

Even if he was returning from Synagogue, he knew 100% that the march was taking place and where- and would have been wise to avoid the area. The Policeman was totally right ot have concerns for his safety, and for all the right reasons.

These marches are no anti-Jewish, but anti Netanyahu and the IDF and their genocide in Palestine. And this started a long long time before October 7th!

If I march against Trump, would that make me anti American?

If I marched against the extreme right in Germany, neo-fascists, would that make me anti German?

So what?

He may or may not have been being deliberately provocative, but so what?

He is entitled to be safe. He is entitled to wear what he likes. He is entitled to be a one-man counter protest with banners and placards if he chooses to do so.

He isn't breaking the law - the people who are threatening him are breaking the law. THEY are the ones who should be arrested.

So if a Muslim man or group, in arab Islamic clothes go and go and stand outside a Synagogue to denounce Israel's current genocide in Palestine, the police would happily ignore them? Really?

Are you sure?

yes
2023
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/11/protesters-extreme-anti-semitic-signs-pro-palestinian-march/

Then it is pointless intimidating Jews in the UK.

If these people feel so strongly about this situation (which is bliddy horrible, admittedly), then let them do what so many British people did during the Spanish Civil War - go over there, join the Palestinian forces and fight for what they believe is right.

But they don't do that, because it is easier to virtue-signal by behaving as bullies and threatening people..

These marches are no anti-Jewish

And YET in your immediate post above you claim wearing a kippah is provocation:

"I would have thought it was obvious. Provocation".

A kippah signifies someone is Jewish (not pro or whatever Israeli), and you're suggesting wearing one is provocative. But you're also saying the marches aren't anti-Jewish! Which is it? You can't have it both ways.

@fungipie
These marches are no anti-Jewish, but anti Netanyahu and the IDF and their genocide in Palestine. And this started a long long time before October 7th!

Then why do you think a Jewish man is unsafe?

The Policeman was totally right ot have concerns for his safety, and for all the right reasons.

Why do you think an openly Jewish man unsafe at the protests if "These marches are no anti-Jewish"

No-one is doubting that the officer was right to have concerns for his safety. That is just wilfully missing the point.

@Hélène79
Exactly my point. He's not at risk because the protesters aren't anti Jewish, but also he is at risk from the protesters at the same time. Which is it?

In today's modern times I find the inability to make a consitent argument particularly telling about a person.

He was t being ‘provocative’
He had the right to move about London as a Jew.
All the racists are coming out of the closet