London’s top cop to meet Jewish leaders after officer implied kippa might provoke pro-Palestinian violence

LONDON (AP) — London’s police commissioner is set to meet with senior members of the Jewish community today after the force bungled its apology for suggesting an “openly Jewish” man’s presence along the route of a pro-Palestinian march risked provoking the demonstrators.

Amid calls for his resignation, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley is also expected to meet with London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Home Secretary James Cleverly, who together are responsible for law and order in the city.

“We remain focused on doing everything possible to ensure Jewish Londoners feel safe in this city,” the Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement yesterday. “We know recent events and some of our recent actions have contributed to concerns felt by many.”

The meeting comes as London police struggle to manage tensions sparked by the Israel-Hamas war, with Jewish residents saying they feel threatened by repeated pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel marches through the streets of the UK capital.

Though the marches have been largely peaceful, many demonstrators accuse Israel of genocide and a small number have shown support for Hamas, the Islamist group that led the October 7 attack on Israel and which has been banned by the US government as a terrorist organization.