The President of the Board of Deputies, Phil Rosenberg, extended his thanks to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley for the force's efforts in ensuring community safety during
Saturday's pro-Palestinian protest in London.
Plans for demonstrators to gather near the BBC headquarters were altered following police intervention to prevent proximity to Central Synagogue during Shabbat. The rally was redirected to Whitehall instead.
During a Board meeting on Sunday, attended by Sir Mark Rowley, Rosenberg praised the collaboration between the Met, the Board of Deputies, the London Jewish Forum, and the Community Security Trust (CST).
Appreciation for collaborative efforts
“I think, working together, we’ve seen improvements on issues that previously fell short,” Rosenberg said, highlighting Saturday’s protest as a significant example.
“We were deeply concerned about the march disrupting Sabbath services at a nearby synagogue. The meticulous and thoughtful approach taken by you and the Met ensured freedom of expression while safeguarding our community and minimizing disruption. For this, we owe you a huge debt of gratitude,” he added.
Rowley explained that the police had employed their powers under the Public Order Act “more than ever before” to manage the situation. Seventy-seven arrests were made during the protest, which saw attempts to breach protest conditions and cause disruption.
Navigating legal complexities
Rowley acknowledged the challenges of balancing competing rights under the law. Responding to criticism from the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) and the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), he emphasized the Met’s adherence to legal frameworks.
The MAB condemned restrictions on the protest route as “an outrageous assault on democracy,” a claim Rowley rebuffed, asserting that protests must respect public impact. Similarly, the CAA's call for banning marches was met with the clarification that police lack such legal authority.
“We don’t authorize protests; the law doesn’t give us that power,” Rowley reiterated, adding that the Met had worked diligently to maintain public safety while upholding legal rights.
Addressing hate crime and antisemitism
Rowley also tackled the limitations of hate crime laws, noting that offensive chants, such as "From the river to the sea," while deeply upsetting to many, did not meet the legal threshold for prosecution. He emphasized that stirring racial or religious hatred is lawful in the UK unless it is done in a threatening or abusive manner.
Despite these constraints, the Met had made significant strides in combating antisemitism, with over 300 prosecutions for antisemitic crimes in the past year. Additionally, the force had made numerous terrorism-related arrests linked to protests over the last 15 months.
Recognition amidst challenges
While acknowledging the frustrations within the community, Rowley expressed hope for continued dialogue and improvement. “I’m sure some of our actions over the last year may have been viewed as both right and wrong by different members of the community,” he said.
The Board of Deputies expressed their appreciation for the Met’s ongoing efforts, emphasizing the importance of balancing freedom of expression with community safety. Photo by Julian Stallabrass from London, UK, Wikimedia commons.
