Met Police officer sacked after claiming ‘Muslims are taking over’ London in on-duty rant

Nadine Osman

A Metropolitan Police officer has been dismissed without notice after making discriminatory remarks while on duty, including claiming that “Muslims are taking over” London, in a case that has raised renewed concerns about trust and standards within the force.

PC Brendan Jones, who served in the Metropolitan Police Service’s West Area Basic Command Unit covering Ealing, Hillingdon and Hounslow, was found to have committed gross misconduct following a public disciplinary hearing. The panel ruled that he had breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour relating to equality and diversity, as well as discreditable conduct.

The case centred on an incident in May 2024, when Jones was on foot patrol in Feltham alongside a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO). During a conversation about a television documentary on so-called “doomsday preppers” preparing for a potential Third World War, Jones told his colleague that the end of civilisation had already begun. He then stated:

“The Muslims are taking over, and people are blind to it.”

According to evidence presented at the hearing, Jones also alleged that London Mayor Sadiq Khan had “links to terrorism.” The remarks were made while he was on duty and in uniform, a factor the panel later highlighted in assessing their seriousness.

The PCSO reported feeling “very uncomfortable” following the exchange and, upon returning to Feltham Police Station, raised the matter with a supervising sergeant. The complaint triggered a formal investigation, which ultimately led to a misconduct hearing held in London between February 16 and 19.

While the panel found the allegations relating to the May 2024 incident proven, a separate claim—that Jones had made another racist remark to a trainer—was not upheld.

In his defence, Jones denied that his comments were racist, arguing instead that he had been referencing material already in the public domain. He cited a 2016 article in which former Prime Minister David Cameron apologised for suggesting that Sadiq Khan had shared a platform with an imam linked to extremist views. Jones maintained that his remarks were based on that reporting rather than prejudice.

He also claimed he had been unfairly treated during the disciplinary process, saying he felt targeted within the force as a white man “of a certain age.” The panel rejected this argument, concluding that the evidence demonstrated discriminatory attitudes.

In its findings, the panel chair said Jones appeared to hold “deep-seated and troubling beliefs” and noted that he harboured a “disproportionate grudge” against Sir Sadiq Khan. This was said to have developed after Jones received a penalty charge notice for driving within London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), prompting him to research the Mayor and form negative views.

The panel found that Jones’s remarks went beyond the expression of personal opinion and undermined the impartiality required of police officers. It warned that members of the public—particularly those from Muslim communities—would be “appalled” to learn that a serving officer held such views and would have little confidence in his ability to carry out investigations fairly, especially in cases involving discrimination or hate crime.

The decision notice further stressed that in diverse communities across west London, including areas such as Chiswick where Jones had previously served, attitudes of this nature risk eroding the trust essential for effective policing.

Having determined that the misconduct was proven, the panel concluded that dismissal without notice was the only appropriate sanction. Lesser measures, including a final written warning or demotion, were considered insufficient given the seriousness of the case.

Following his dismissal, Jones has been placed on the barred list maintained by the College of Policing, preventing him from working in policing or related organisations in the future, including the Independent Office for Police Conduct and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.

Responding to the outcome, the Metropolitan Police Service said the officer’s behaviour had fallen “well below” expected standards and reiterated its zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, stating there is no place for such views within policing.