Exclusive

Calls for Met Chief Mark Rowley to resign are ‘nonsense and dangerous’, antisemitism tsar tells LBC after protest row

22 April 2024, 18:10 | Updated: 22 April 2024, 18:14

'The idea Sir Rowley should resign is nonsense, and dangerous' says Lord Mann

By Natasha Clark and Jenny Medlicott

Calls for the Met Police commissioner to resign are ‘nonsense and dangerous’, the UK Government Adviser on Antisemitism has told LBC.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) made the calls for Sir Mark to resign after an antisemitism campaigner was threatened with arrest by the Met at a protest earlier this month.

Gideon Falter, the chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), who was wearing a kippah skullcap and carrying a bag with his prayer shawl, was told by a Met Police sergeant his presence at the pro-Palestine rally in London on April 13 could inflame tensions.

Officers sparked fury when they were filmed describing the man as “openly Jewish” and suggested that his presence was “antagonising” demonstrators.

The force later apologised describing the comments “hugely regrettable”.

Mr Rowley is facing calls to quit - including from the former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman - after a botched apology from the London force.

However, Lord John Mann said that while the Met handled the response “badly” Sir Mark remains “important for the Jewish community”.

Speaking to LBC’s Tom Swarbrick, Lord Mann said: “Clearly they [the Met] handled it badly, the language was bad, the way they constructed their decision-making and their PR afterward was abysmal but I think the idea that Sir Mark Rowley should resign is nonsense and I also think it’s dangerous.

“He’s the foremost expert we have on policing and counter-terrorism in the country and the biggest single threat, in my view, and my advice to government is this as well, about terrorists and terror attacks, we need him there.

“That’s important for the country, it’s also very important for the Jewish community who could be, hopefully never will be, but could be and have been elsewhere in the world, been targets of terrorist attacks.”

Caller believes that the Met Police officer did him a 'favour' by arresting Jewish man

Earlier on Monday, Rishi Sunak put Sir Mark on notice that he must rebuild trust with the Jewish community after the latest row over protests.

The Prime Minister said Mark Rowley did have his confidence, but stressed it would rely on him restoring relationships with Londoners first.

In the original exchange between Gideon Falter, an officer can be heard saying to him: “You are quite openly Jewish. This is a pro-Palestinian march. I am not accusing you of anything but I am worried about the reaction to your presence.”

Mr Rowley was due to hold a series of urgent meetings on Monday to try and smooth over the row.

Mr Sunak was grilled on the ongoing row at a Downing Street press conference on Monday morning.

He said: "What I would say about Mark Rowley and the police, they do have a difficult job, of course I appreciate that.“But what happened was clearly wrong. And it’s right that they’ve apologised for that.

"And yes, I do have confidence in him, but that’s on the basis that he works to rebuild the confidence and trust of not just the Jewish community, but the wider public, particularly people in London but more broadly."

Read More: London has not become a 'no-go zone' for Jews, Sadiq Khan insists, after warning from UK counter-terror official

Gideon Falter and caller debate The Met's treatment of Gideon near a pro-Palestinian march

The Met Chief will also meet London mayor Sadiq Khan to discuss "community relations" following the incident, as well as speaking with organisations including the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the London Jewish Forum and the Community Safety Trust.

Speaking to LBC on Saturday night, Mr Falter, who is chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), said Mr Rowley had six months "to get this right" but he "hasn't done that"."Instead we're seeing that what it seems is that the rights of law-abiding Jewish Londoners walking around the streets are being curtailed in favour of lawless mobs who the Met seems to want to appease," he said.

He added the Met has been "gaslighting" the Jewish community for months by saying the marches are "largely safe and peaceful".

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Josef Fritzl

Incest monster Josef Fritzl could walk free from prison next year - and expects 'cheering crowds' to greet him

Ofsted's Chief Inspector Sir Martyn Oliver supports an extension to term times

'Time to think about school holidays': Ofsted's Chief Inspector supports extending term times

Exclusive
Angela Rayner insisted that British support for Ukraine was 'unwavering'

Rayner insists UK support for Ukraine 'unwavering' despite Trump's plan for 'immediate' peace talks with Putin

Prince William, President of BAFTA, operates a film camera as he visits the London Screen Academy in London, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, Pool)

William tries his hand at being a cameraman on visit to London film academy

President Donald J. Trump participates in a bilateral meeting with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin during the G20 Japan Summit Friday, June 28, 2019, in Osaka, Japan.

Trump and Putin to 'start negotiations immediately' over ending war in Ukraine - with US President to visit Moscow

Street scene in Peckham, London, with red bus

Bus driver, 76, found guilty of killing passenger who was run over while attempting to board vehicle

Norward Road, Lambeth, the proposed LTN.

Council staff given 'wellbeing day' after attending 'stormy' neighbourhood meeting

United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, shakes hands with Britain's Defense Secretary John Healey prior to a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Feb.

Ukraine's NATO membership plans 'unrealistic' says US - as defence secretary claims US troops won't be peacekeepers

Jaysley Beck, 19, was found dead at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire

Officer accused of pinning down and trying to kiss soldier, 19, had been 'waiting for moment for them to be alone'

A public inquiry into the Nottingham attacks will begin 'within weeks'

Public inquiry into Nottingham attacks will begin 'within weeks', PM tells victims' families

Paul Allen.

Cagefighter guilty of Britain's largest cash robbery shot in neck in his kitchen in murder plot

Lucy Harrison

British woman, 23, dies after being shot dead at dad's US house as 'utterly heartbroken' family pays tribute

Ragley Hall, Warwickshire.

Earl sues parents over 'trauma' for not being gifted £85 million Warwickshire estate

d

Outrage as auction house flogs Nazi memorabilia including Göring's dinner plate, Luftwaffe dagger and Swastika bunting

An asteroid could hit earth in 2036.

NASA makes 'emergency' decision over asteroid the size of Big Ben that could strike Earth

German police officer in front of a crowd

German school on lockdown after 'armed teenager' targets female pupil - as police hunt suspect