Elham Buaras and Abu Yusra Chowdhury
Questions are being raised about the Metropolitan Police’s approach to community engagement following Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s address to the Board of Deputies, where he defended his force’s handling of pro-Palestine protests.
Speaking at their event on January 19, Sir Rowley reportedly told the Jewish News that the Met had spent the past 15 months “steering our way through complicated sets of laws, trying to balance the different rights.” He also noted that “the powers to condition protests are quite limited,” while defending the force’s increased use of conditions on “times, constraints, routes.” Rowley singled out the Campaign Against Antisemitism and the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) for their criticisms of the Met’s approach, arguing that both groups were “ignoring the reality of the law.”
The policing of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli marches has sparked controversy over the past 18 months, notably with the failed prosecution of Marieha Hussain over a placard and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s calls to ban the marches despite their peaceful nature.
Pro-Palestinian protests have faced tougher policing recently, with over 70 arrests on January 18. The demonstration, estimated by organisers to have drawn over 100,000 people, marked the first arrests of protest organisers since October 2023.
In November, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) wrote to the Met “expressing serious concerns about arrests at pro-Palestinian demonstrations and seeking clarity on what constitutes lawful protest discourse,” according to a spokesperson. In a statement, the MCB said, “The MCB remains deeply concerned about the approach to policing peaceful protests, particularly when individuals are detained only to be released without charge. We appreciate that the Met Police face a difficult task and are under pressure to ban lawful and peaceful protests that are calling out the ongoing genocide.”
Questions persist about the Met’s approach to community representation. While Sir Mark’s appearance at an event organised by the representative body of British Jews signals engagement with the Jewish community, similar relationships seem to be lacking with grassroots Muslim organisations like the MCB, which represents mosques and Muslim groups across London.
The MCB confirmed to The Muslim News that while they received a written response to their concerns, their request for a meeting was not addressed. The MCB stated, “We firmly believe that just as there should be no ‘two-tiered policing,’ there should equally be no two-tiered approach to community engagement.”
Commander Adam Slonecki said to The Muslim News: “We approached discussions in good faith, meeting regularly with the PSC (Palestine Solidarity Committee) and with partners and community representatives. This does not just mean Jewish community representatives. We have weekly meetings with Muslim community representatives from across London to inform our understanding and our decision making. Our role is not to take sides. We police without fear or favour.”
The Met Police did not directly address questions about what restrictions, if any, were placed on marches organised by supporters of Israel, or about measures taken against provocations at peaceful marches against Israel and hateful conduct at pro-Israeli marches. Responding to Sir Rowley’s criticism of the group’s approach, MAB said in a statement that they were frustrated “with the Metropolitan Police’s systemic bias in its treatment of pro-Palestine demonstrations and Muslim organisations. The celebration of unprecedented restrictions on lawful protests, coupled with a persistent refusal to engage with those advocating for Palestinian rights, reveals a deeply troubling failure of leadership.”
Photo: Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley faces scrutiny over alleged bias in handling pro-Palestinian protests, sparking concerns about community engagement and leadership. (Credit: Katie Chan/Wiki Commons)
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