Police have issued an appeal for more information on two women over a possible hate crime at yesterday’s pro-Palestinian protests.
In a video circulating on social media, two demonstrators in central London can be heard chanting an ancient Islamic battle-cry against Jews.
The Metropolitan Police has posted pictures of two women they said they want to speak to in connection with an investigation into “a hate crime incident in Trafalgar Square” on Saturday.
Anyone able to help in identifying has been asked to call 101, giving the refernce 6576920/23 or to ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Officers investigating a hate crime incident in Trafalgar Square would like to speak to these two women.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) October 28, 2023
Anyone who can help us identify them should call 101, giving the reference 6576920/23.
Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. pic.twitter.com/kU5OvdhIM3
According to the video, demonstrators can be heard changing “Khayber Khayber ya yahud jaish al Mohammed Sa'ar Yaud”, “Khaybar Khaybar, O Jews the army of Mohammed is coming” - a reference to the battle of Khaybar in 628 in which the early Muslims defeated Jewish tribes in Arabia.
One woman appears to be holding an effigy of a dead baby.
The Met said that officers “were deployed quite quickly to the place where the video was filmed but the two women weren’t there, or could not be found, when they arrived”.
For the third weekend running, protest against Israel were held across the country, with the BBC reporting that the main central London demonstration ran to a mile and a half long.
According to the Met, two arrests were made in London for assaults on police assaults and seven for public order offences.
