The Metropolitan Police in London provoked controversy after officers were recorded ripping down posters of Israeli children kidnapped by Hamas militants on October 7th.
Two police officers were recorded ripping down leaflets for stolen Israeli children that were displayed outside the Cullimore Chemist in Edgware, North London, which has a substantial Jewish community.
The Met stated that it was done to “prevent issues from escalating” and “avoid community tension.”
According to the London police, the fliers were placed precisely at that site in reaction to comments made online by a member of the chemist’s staff, who allegedly referred to Israel and its military as “filthy animals.”
“We have no wish to limit the rights of anyone to protest or to raise awareness of the plight of those kidnapped and the terrible impact on their families,” the Met said in a statement.
“But we do have a responsibility to take reasonable steps to stop issues escalating and to avoid any further increase in community tension. On this occasion, that is what officers were trying to do.”
The event occurs at a time when the London police force is under fire for failing to crack down on protestors advocating for “Jihad” against Israel on the streets of the British capital.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism accused the Met of using a “double standard” in ripping down posters of stolen Israeli children while “turning a blind eye to extremists” in the city’s Muslim minority.