A Jewish lawyer was arrested in central London after police accused him of “antagonizing” pro-Palestinian Arab protesters by wearing a Star of David, The Telegraph reported.
The man, in his 40s, was detained on August 29 outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington, where a pro-Palestinian demonstration was taking place. He was acting as an independent legal observer, monitoring the protest for unlawful activity and police conduct. Instead, he was handcuffed, placed in a police van, and held at Hammersmith police station for nearly 10 hours before being released at 4:30 a.m.
Footage obtained by The Telegraph shows a detective accusing the man of wearing a Star of David “openly” in a way that could cause “offense.” The symbol was worn on a chain around his neck.
The lawyer told The Telegraph that the arrest appeared to be an attempt by the Metropolitan Police to “criminalize the wearing of a Star of David.” He remains on police bail more than six weeks later.
“It is outrageous that police should claim wearing a Star of David somehow antagonizes people,” he said. “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 criminalize the wearing of a Star of David. They said I was antagonizing and agitating pro-Palestine protesters with my Star of David. In an environment of antisemitism, I will not be cowed by this. I will carry on wearing it.”
The Metropolitan Police deny that the arrest was due to the Jewish symbol, claiming instead that the man repeatedly breached a police order to keep opposing protest groups apart. They allege he got “very close” to the protesters and moved “beyond observing to provoking,” thus becoming an active participant and subject to restrictions under the Public Order Act.
The lawyer, who has chosen to remain anonymous for security reasons, said he was baffled by the police response, especially since the protest was organized by anti-Zionist Jews. He also claims to have documented around 30 incidents of criminal behavior by pro-Palestinian Arab demonstrators, none of which have resulted in convictions. He said he has been personally targeted with slurs, including being called a “Zionist baby killer.”
“This is one of the clearest examples of two-tier policing you will ever see,” he said. “Police are arguing that wearing a Star of David is antagonizing to protesters while we have seen all manner of antisemitic slogans on placards and shouted at Jews that have gone unpunished.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the arrest, stating, “The Star of David is a symbol of Jewish identity, not provocation.”
“The fact that Jews are warned in central London not to display it publicly shows how rampant antisemitism spread through hateful ‘pro-Palestinian’ marches in Britain has poisoned the streets,” he added.
“This is a moral disgrace. The British authorities must act: ban anti-Semitic slogans and conduct a full institutional review.”
The incident comes amid mounting criticism of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for allowing anti-Israel marches to continue, even after two Jews were murdered on Yom Kippur at a synagogue in Manchester. Police have also been accused of ignoring chants that support terrorism or incite hatred against Jews.