The swastika is a symbol of “vile anti-Semitism” and the police should bear down hard on those who use it during protests, David Lammy has said.
The shadow foreign secretary made the comments after a row erupted at the weekend when a Metropolitan Police officer was filmed telling a Jewish woman that a swastika in and of itself was not necessarily illegal and needed to be “taken in context”.
Mr Lammy dismissed the idea that context was needed, saying: “It’s a hate symbol, and it’s got to be treated as such.” He said it was “outrageous” that Jewish people felt unsafe on the streets of London amid ongoing pro-Palestinian marches.
Speaking on LBC Radio, Mr Lammy said: “All of us know that the swastika is a vile, terrible Nazi image that led to the attempted destruction of the Jewish people and certainly the loss of life of millions and millions of people.
“Not just Jewish people, actually – black people were killed, disabled people were killed, gay men and women were murdered by the Nazis.
“And the idea that a swastika is something where you need ‘context’, when clearly it is aimed at Jewish people particularly given what is happening in Israel-Gaza now, is horrendous. It doesn’t need context. It’s an outrageous symbol to use on a protest, and we’ve got to bear down hard on those that have used it.
“Of course the man should have been arrested, but it does seem to me that the officer should have known this isn’t about context. It’s about vile anti-Semitism on the streets of London making people feel unsafe. It’s a hate symbol and it’s got to be treated as such.”
The woman at the centre of the exchange with the officer has condemned Scotland Yard’s approach to the policing of the protests.
Jocelin Weiss, who was filmed arguing with a police officer during the most recent pro-Palestinian march, said British Jews should not have to accept feeling unsafe in their own country.
She told Jonathan Sacerdoti, the broadcaster, in an interview online: “Everyone is seeing this, everyone all around the world. People in Israel are seeing this, Jews in New York are seeing this, in California, all over the world they are watching London specifically and the lack of policing and really that is kind of the difference.
“I don’t think that London is necessarily a more anti-Semitic environment than anywhere else, it is just the lack of policing that makes it so much worse.
“British Jews do not have to accept this – no one has to accept this. Swastikas are bad, OK? They don’t need context.”
Ms Weiss clashed with the officer on Saturday after complaining that pro-Palestinian marchers were carrying placards with swastikas and should be arrested.
During a lengthy exchange, the officer was heard telling her that swastikas needed to be taken in context. The comments have drawn criticism from Jewish groups.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “This clip is a short excerpt of what was a 10-minute conversation with an officer. During the full conversation, the officer establishes that the person the woman was concerned about had already been arrested for a public order offence in relation to a placard.
“The officer then offered to arrange for other officers to attend and accompany the woman to identify any other persons she was concerned about amongst the protesters, but after turning to speak to his supervisor, she had unfortunately left.”
Ms Weiss has denied leaving the area, insisting she was there for 20 minutes after the exchange with the officer.
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