Major UK anti-antisemitism march canceled over threats, policing concerns

• Published date: 26 April 2024
• Author: DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The march would have seen large numbers of observant Jews walk for hours on Shabbat to demonstrate against antisemitism and the repeated scenes of pro-Hamas rhetoric during the weekly pro-Palestinian marches

CAA director and CEO Gideon Falter made headlines last week, when a Metropolitan Police officer threatened to arrest him for being "openly Jewish" near a pro-Palestinian march. The policeman claimed that Falter's presence may antagonize the protesters.

The charity has repeatedly claimed that London had become a no-go zone for British Jewry and the above incident instigated new accusations that the police employ double standards.

Now, adding to the accusation that the Met employ double standards against Jews, CAA claimed that the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign was granted access to an area to protest which police had denied Jewish demonstrators months ago.

The camapin claims that police told them there was no way that Hyde Park could be accessed during the peaceful March Against Antisemitism, but the PSC would be allowed to demonstrate there tomorrow.

"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," CAA said in a release. "…We have become all too used to seeing antisemitic chants and placards at these marches, glorification of terrorism, and even violence, including attacks on police which have hospitalised officers. Our volunteers and members of the public have exposed, week after week, how widely extremist views are held among participants on these marches."

Urging concrete measures be placed to protect British Jewry

On Thursday, CAA representatives met with the UK Home Secretary and the Minister for Policing where they proposed new measures the police could utilize to manage the protests.

After CAA Director of Investigations and Enforcement Stephen Silverman met with officials from the Metropolitan Police, the charity ultimately decided to cancel their event.

"Due to the thousands of people now intending to join and then walk where they please – something that we used to take for granted in London as Jewish people...