Scotland Yard have insisted they arrested a Jewish lawyer because of his repeated breaching of protest restrictions – not because he was wearing a religious necklace.
The suspect, who was questioned by police for almost ten hours after being arrested at a protest in central London told The Telegraph the Metropolitan Police were trying to ‘criminalise the wearing of a Star of David’.
The Star of David was being worn on a silver chain by the lawyer as he filmed pro-Palestine crowds.
According to video of the interrogation released by The Telegraph police asked the arrested man if he was ‘stoking the fire with these pro-Palestine protesters’, adding: ‘What necklace are you wearing?’
The man in his 40s showed officers his Star of David – bought by his girlfriend while on holiday in Ibiza.
He told the paper after being released on bail: ‘It is outrageous that police should claim wearing a Star of David somehow antagonises people. When it was first raised in the police interview, it rang alarm bells for me immediately. Police crossed the line.
‘They [the police] are trying to criminalise the wearing of a Star of David. They said I was antagonising and agitating pro-Palestine protesters with my Star of David. In an environment of anti-Semitism, I will not be cowed by this. I will carry on wearing it.’
The man, who is in his 40s, was arrested at 7pm on August 29 at a pro-Palestine protest outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington in central London.
He claimed he was handcuffed behind his back thrown into a police van and then held for questioning at Hammersmith police station.
He was finally released at 4.30am the next morning.
A Met statement released on Sunday said: ‘We understand the concerns raised, but the claim this man was arrested for wearing a Star of David necklace is not true.
‘He was arrested for allegedly repeatedly breaching Public Order Act conditions that were in place to keep opposing protest groups apart.
‘The conditions required protesters from the pro-Israel group Stop the Hate to remain in one area with protesters from the pro-Palestinian group IJAN required to remain in a separate area.
‘The man told officers he was acting as an independent legal observer but his actions are alleged to have breached the conditions in place, and to have gone beyond observing in an independent and neutral way to provoking and, as such, actively participating as a protester.’
‘Over the course of an hour, the man is alleged to have continuously approached the area allocated to IJAN, getting very close to protesters to film them and provoking a reaction. Officers had to intervene at least four times to ask the man to return to the Stop the Hate area as required by the conditions.
‘When he failed to do so after multiple warnings, he was arrested. He was released on bail and the investigation continues.
‘The clipped footage released, in which officers question the man’s status and actions as an independent legal observer, is six minutes of an hour-long interview.
‘We can fully appreciate why this clip in isolation causes concern and we are continuing to review and work with communities to understand the concerns they have voiced.’
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It comes as a fragile ceasefire in Gaza faced its first major test after an Israeli security official said the transfer of aid into the territory was halted after Hamas militants killed two soldiers, and Israeli forces launched a wave of deadly strikes.
The military later said it resumed enforcing the ceasefire, and the official confirmed that aid deliveries would resume Monday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he’s not authorized to discuss the issue with the media.
A little over a week has passed since the start of the U.S.-proposed ceasefire aimed at ending two years of war. There was no immediate U.S. comment.
Health officials said at least 36 Palestinians were killed across Gaza, including children. Israel’s military said it struck dozens of Hamas targets after its troops came under fire from Hamas in southern Gaza.