‘Donkey, dog, go back to Qatar’: Jewish Met Police officer filmed abusing Palestinian journalist in Golders Green

Nadine Osman

A Metropolitan Police officer has been identified as the man filmed hurling abuse at an Al Jazeera journalist during a volatile confrontation in Jewish neighbourhood in north London.

Special Constable David Soffer was caught on camera at the centre of a hostile crowd that surrounded an Al Jazeera crew in Golders Green on March 23, as they reported on an arson attack targeting emergency vehicles linked to a Jewish community charity.

Footage shared widely online shows a group of men chanting “Al Jazeera off our streets”, “go home”, and “terrorist” as tensions escalated rapidly. The atmosphere had already been highly charged following the earlier attack, in which four ambulances were set on fire in what police are treating as an antisemitic hate crime.

Soffer, who was off duty at the time, is seen in the footage wearing a grey hoodie and moving towards a Palestinian journalist, directing a string of insults at him in Arabic. He repeatedly calls the reporter a “dog” and a “donkey”, telling him to “go back to Qatar” and to “get out of here”.

In extended clips, Soffer appears to pursue the journalist rather than disengage, continuing the abuse even as others attempt to intervene. At one point, as a security worker steps in, he insists “I’m calm” while continuing to confront the reporter.

Reporting suggests Soffer was not merely part of the crowd but among those at the forefront, moving towards the centre of the confrontation and playing a leading role in the verbal intimidation.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that an off-duty officer had been involved and said the matter had been referred to its Directorate of Professional Standards. A spokesperson said: “We are aware that an off duty serving Met officer was involved in the altercation. The matter has been referred to the Department of Professional Standards for assessment.”

The force added that it is reviewing the footage to determine whether any criminal offences were committed by those involved. Soffer could face disciplinary action and has reportedly removed references to his police role from his LinkedIn profile.

While officers did eventually intervene, the Metropolitan Police acknowledged that the journalists were left in a “difficult situation” for an extended period. The crew were ultimately forced to leave the area amid safety concerns.

“Freedom of the press is important, and journalists must be able to do their job without being subject to intimidation or harassment,” the spokesperson said, adding that officers in the area had been instructed to remain alert to similar incidents.

The episode has also drawn attention to Soffer’s online activity. Social media posts attributed to him suggest he has previously expressed strong support for Israel. In one exchange in 2024, responding to a post by far-right figure Tommy Robinson, he wrote that Robinson was “telling the truth” and said Israel would “justly finish” the war in Gaza.