London police under fire after officer threatens to arrest Jewish man

London's Metropolitan Police Department is under fire after a video surfaced featuring an officer threatening to arrest a Jewish man because he was wearing a traditional Jewish head covering known as a kippah, or yarmulke, needed to cross a path of a pro-Palestine march to get home.

The department apologized twice, since the first apology, which decried the officer's comments but still maintained that people opposing pro-Palestine protests needed to be aware "that their presence is provocative" – was removed, The Associated Press reported Saturday.

"The use of the term 'openly Jewish' by one of our officers is hugely regrettable. We know it will have caused offence to many. We reiterate our apology," the department said in the second statement, issued Friday. The agency apologized for the offense caused by the first statement, and said: "Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in this city."

The incident occurred earlier this month when Gideon Falter, the CEO of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, was walking home from his synagogue services and he was told to not cross the street due to a pro-Palestinian march that was going on at the time.

"You are quite openly Jewish," the police officer told him, video shows. "I'm not accusing you of anything, but I am worried about the reaction to your presence."  

Another officer then threatened Falter with arrest because his "presence is antagonizing" the pro-Palestine demonstrators. 

Video shows Falter was only wearing a kippah, and he was not displaying any pro-Israel iconography. 

In response to the incident, the Campaign Against Antisemitism organized a walk to coincide during the next scheduled pro-Palestine march.

"On Saturday 27th April — the next anti-Israel march — we are asking you, Jewish or not, to stand up for the tolerance and decency of which this country is so rightly proud, simply by going for a walk," the campaign said.

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