A Muslim policewoman is being probed by Scotland Yard today after footage emerged of her chanting ‘Free Palestine’ while on duty at a protest outside the Israeli embassy in London.
The unnamed Met officer raised her fist in the air and joined in with protesters there calling for ‘immediate action’ and an ‘end to occupation’ amid the ongoing conflict with Israel that has led to the deaths of hundreds of people.
In footage that emerged this morning, the policewoman is shown holding the hand of an activist having been handed a white rose, before hugging the woman on the street in Kensington, west London. The officer appears to say she is ‘praying day and night’ to Allah, before embracing the woman despite Met rules saying ‘officers must remain independent and impartial in carrying out their duties’.
She then raises her arm in the air and repeatedly chants: ‘Free free Palestine, free free Palestine’, sparking cheers from the thousands of people walking to the protest at the Israeli embassy, where nine Met officers were injured after being pelted with bottles and eggs over the weekend.
The clip has sparked outrage on social media, especially amongst British Jews, and Scotland Yard is investigating after being bombarded with complaints on Twitter. MailOnline has asked whether the officer has been suspended, but the Met declined to answer.
The incident came after Met officers were criticised for taking the knee during BLM protests in London in 2020, after bosses gave them the green light saying it was down to their ‘discretion’ to do so. Some older officers were insistent that police shouldn’t kneel to protesters, who injured a total of 27 Met police officers last summer.
