A pro-Israel demonstrator has lost an appeal against his conviction for assault on an off-duty police chief.
The incident occurred during Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s visit to address a meeting in Hendon, north-west London, in May 2012.
Moses Adler, now 20, and his friend, known as JC, who was 17 at the time, had been present to show their support for Israel. Also present were anti-Israel demonstrators.
When JC broke the window of a parked Mercedes, believed to have belonged to an anti-Israel protester, he was spotted by Brian Moore, the then-chief constable of Wiltshire, who was on secondment in London and was out jogging nearby. Mr Moore detained JC but Mr Adler intervened in an attempt to free his friend. Mr Moore said he was a policeman and tried explain why he was not carrying identification. Nonetheless, a scuffle ensued.
Last October, Mr Adler was found guilty at Willesden Magistrates Court of assault on Mr Moore. He received a conditional discharge of two years and was ordered to pay compensation of £250 to the policeman.
But in a High Court hearing, lawyers for Mr Adler contested whether there had been enough evidence to make clear that Mr Moore had been arresting JC.
In a decision published last month, the judges said that “although the term ‘You are under arrest’ was not used, it was obvious in the circumstances that Mr Moore was telling JC he was under arrest” and dismissed Mr Adler’s appeal.
