Police Responding to Pro-Palestinian March Surrounded, Prevented from Leaving
Anti-Israeli protests fueled by social media have been growing in number and size ever since the gruesome Oct. 7 terrorist attack launched the current Israel-Hamas war.
On Saturday, chaos erupted after protesters obstructed the exit of Metropolitan Police officers in London following an arrest made during a pro-Palestinian march, according to Sky News.
The Metropolitan Police explained the situation in a tweet, writing, “When officers tried to leave the area their vehicle was surrounded by other protesters. Some sat in the road blocking their path.”
“Additional officers were deployed and the arrested man is now on his way to custody,” they added.
When officers tried to leave the area their vehicle was surrounded by other protesters. Some sat in the road blocking their path.
Additional officers were deployed and the arrested man is now on his way to custody. Officers remain at the scene and will take action if further… pic.twitter.com/rYOhDEJY7g
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) December 2, 2023
According to the U.K. Telegraph, police said the man was arrested “on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offense” due to the contents of a placard he was carrying, although the contents of the sign were not described.
Additional officers were brought in to assist. However, as the van proceeded, protesters again obstructed its path. A teenager was arrested for committing criminal damage to the vehicle, the Telegraph reported, and a number of demonstrators had to be moved out of its path.
To its credit, London’s Metropolitan Police has begun taking a harder line against hateful messaging at protests supporting Palestinians. Last weekend, the department distributed warning leaflets to halt the display of “words or images that are racist or incite hatred against any faith,” signs that “support Hamas or any other banned organisation,” or “that celebrate or promote acts of terrorism – such as the killing or kidnap of innocent people.”
The leaflet also warns against the defacing of monuments.
The move suggests authorities have learned from early criticism that they were being “too soft” on hateful rhetoric during initial London rallies backing Palestinians, according to the Telegraph.
The U.S. has seen its share of pro-Palestinian rallies turn violent.
On Thursday, a rally coinciding with the annual Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center in New York turned into a free-for-all as pro-Palestinian demonstrators breached barricades and physically clashed with the police.
Things started to get out of hand when a fight broke out over a swastika sign carried by one of the pro-Palestinian protestors, according to CBS News.
Warning: The videos below contain content that may be disturbing to some.
Protester with SWASTIKA seen near Rockefeller and Fox News Christmas Tree has been physically pushed out by Pro-Palestine protesters and the NYPD as crowds gathered for “Flood Tree Lighting for Gaza” Protest in NYC.
Desk@freedomnews.tv to license https://t.co/nMc42tXn1x pic.twitter.com/RH6nuapZxn
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) November 30, 2023
Pro Palestine protestors disrupt the annual Xmas tree lighting at Rockefeller. They want to ruin everything. #TreeLighting #RockefellerCenter
— Johnny (@tallyman2023) November 30, 2023
According to CBS, “Eventually, the barricades and cops could not contain the crowd. People broke through and began marching through the streets while officers continued to make one arrest after another.”
The anti-Israel protests have revealed the ugly side of anti-Semitism all over the world, and the waves just seem to be getting larger as authorities struggle to quell them.
This is not just some little brush fire; it’s an out-of-control forest fire, and the entire world is in the burn zone.
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