Two-tier policing row erupts after pro-Palestine protester dresses as Holocaust victim

Members of the Jewish community have accused Maria Gallastegui of wearing a “religiously aggravated” outfit in the latest wave of “two-tier” policing allegations against the Met.

As part of the outfit, Ms Gallastegui replaced the Jewish Star of David with a muslim symbol.

The Met have been accused of ignoring the outfit at a protest against the decision to proscribe Palestine Action, a group focused on protesting Israel’s assault ongoing assault on Gaza, which has killed at least 53,000 people.

Read more: Two Met officers sacked over strip search of 15-year-old black girl

The government made the decision to proscibe the group after two Palestine Action activists snuck into an RAF base and slathered paint over a plane.

Ms Gallastegui, 66, gave up her job as a coach driver to dedicate her time to protesting Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Hitting out at her decision to wear the costume, Alex Hearn, of Labour Against Antisemitism (LAAS), said: “Dressing as a concentration camp inmate, with the yellow patch replaced by an Islamic symbol, has caused many people upset.

“This religiously aggravated performance appropriated and distorted the Holocaust and was clearly designed to cause distress. It’s shocking that while police act swiftly on less obvious public offences, this blatant display went unchallenged at the heart of our democracy.”

LAAS says it has written to Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, calling for him to launch an investigation into the costume for “trivialising the suffering of six million Jews and other victims of Nazi persecution”.

Ms Gallastegui has rejected claims her costume trivialised the holocaust, instead arguing the comparison highlights the victims of Israel’s assault on Gaza.

She said: “Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp was liberated by the British Army in 1945 following WW2.

“The world was shocked and horrified at the appalling sight of the starving, emaciated prisoners and the piles of decaying bodies in their stripped uniforms.

“Afterwards, the international community affirmed never to let this happen again. ‘Never Again’. Fast forward to now, and the same scenario is being carried out again - but this time the concentration camp and the people being deliberately starved are the people of Gaza.

“This is a history lesson for now, and by no means is it meant to be anti-Semitic. Changing the symbols of the yellow star to the crescent and star is simply to illustrate that point.”

Ms Gallastegui has a long history of taking part in protest movements and has previously been arrested. One Jewish person at the protest told the Telegraph: “One cannot help but conclude that if the police do not stand with us against this hatred, then they stand with those who hate us.

“There is no middle ground when it comes to abusing the memory of the Holocaust. It is done as a deliberate act of provocation and religious division.”

Earlier this week, seven protesters in support of Palestine Action were charged after clashing with police as the government moves to ban the civil disobedience group.

Hundreds of protesters waving Palestinian flags gathered in Trafalgar Square on Monday to protest the government's plans to ban the group under anti-terror laws.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed the decision to ban Palestine Action later that afternoon, which will make it illegal to be a member of the group.

Many have criticised the drastic measure, claiming it violates the right to protest and free speech.

The protest, which started relatively peacefully, quickly turned chaotic when police stormed into the crowd and detained a number of protesters, after one of them allegedly pushed a police officer.

Seven people have now been charged by police, after 13 arrests were made in total.