Two protesters who called for an “intifada” were arrested at an anti-Israel rally on Wednesday evening.
They are the first people detained under new measures announced by the police banning the use of the phrase “globalise the intifada”.
The pair were arrested at a demonstration in central London along with a third protester who attempted to obstruct their arrests.
“Two people who shouted slogans involving calls for intifada were arrested for racially aggravated public order offences,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. “A third person was arrested for obstructing the above arrests.”
The arrests came hours after Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Police commissioner and Sir Stephen Watson, the chief constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), said the “context has changed” in the wake of the Bondi Beach massacre of 15 people on the first night of Chanukah.
Pressure is now mounting on other forces in the UK to adopt a ban on calls for intifada.
Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg said: “We want to see this approach applied with consistency by police forces across the country, and for the CPS to stand ready to prosecute offenders.”
The high number of terrorist attacks disrupted in recent years, as well as the two recent attacks, meant that an “enhanced response” to antisemitism was required, Rowley and Watson said on Wednesday.
They acknowledged that the Jewish community was “worried and scared,” and that increased anti-Jewish crime had impacted Jewish life.
“No community should have to live like this. That must change,” they said.
The policy – which came into effect immediately – means that protesters can be arrested for using the phrase.
“Violent acts have taken place, the context has changed - words have meaning and consequence. We will act decisively and make arrests,” the leaders of the two forces said.
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