After analyzing the online video, the Met said jihad had “multiple meanings”; and concluded that no offense had occurred. Photo: Twitter
Police must explain why they did not intervene when pro-Palestinian protesters chanted “jihad”, a Cabinet minister said on Monday.
Mark Harper, the Transport Minister, said he was among many people who were “dismayed” when supporters of the extremist Islamist group repeatedly chanted the term during a protest in London on Saturday.
Speaking ahead of a meeting between Suella Braverman and Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, to discuss the incident, Mr Harper said the Home Secretary would “make clear that the Government believes the full force of the law should be used”. /p>
He added: “The police are operationally independent, which I think is appropriate, and they will have to explain the reasons for the decisions they make.”
Sources close to the Home Secretary said she will tell Sir Mark that there is “no place for hate speech or violence” on the streets of Britain and that the police “must prosecute anyone who breaks the law.”
< p>After analyzing the online video, the Met said jihad had “multiple meanings” and concluded there was no wrongdoing.
Sir Mark is expected to defend his officers' decision, arguing that protesters could not be prosecuted under current law.
It will emphasize the operational independence of police and highlight that officers received advice from prosecutors “in real time” during Saturday's rally.
Pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets of London on Saturday Photo: Hannah Mackay/Reuters
Sir Mark two years ago with then-Sarah Khan tsar of the fight against extremism, has published a review which says extremists have been able to operate “with impunity” in the UK and incite hatred because of a “yawning chasm” in British law.
They argued that the law needed to be tightened, a view Sir Mark is said to have taken.
Writing in the Telegraph, Ms Khan warned that Hamas supporters could be glorifying terrorism because of Britain's weak laws. that allow “hateful extremism.”
She said the law allows it as long as supporters avoid directly encouraging a terrorist act and refrain from directly supporting a banned organization.
Police are disappointed the government has failed to implement its recommendations for new laws to combat hate extremism.
Suella Braverman quits at home on Monday morning ahead of a meeting with Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley. Photo: Jeremy Selwyn
Neil Basu, former head of counter-terrorism policing at the National Police Chiefs' Council, said: “The government and ministers' attacks on the Met are unjustified. The police need support during these difficult times. If the government doesn't like the law, it can change it, as it has been asked to.”
Thousands of people viewed the “jihad” chants on social media.
>Mr Harper told Times Radio : “I saw these clips of this singing over the weekend. I, like many others, would be concerned by that.”
He also said the video showing a tube driver chanting “free Palestine” on the London Underground was “disturbing.”
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He told Sky News: “I saw the clip and at first glance it worried me, but I know that British Transport Police and Transport for London are investigating it.”
“Because they are investigation, that it would be wrong for me to comment on the ongoing police investigation, but they took it very seriously and I thank them over the weekend for their vigilance in this matter.
“I want to make sure that people the whole country is safe, and things like this would be very worrying, especially for people in the Jewish community.”
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