Police forces will make arrests over intifada chants
Metropolitan and Greater Manchester police forces said they would arrest people carrying banners and chanting ‘globalise the intifada’, which means uprising in Arabic.
In a statement following the mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday, they said: “Acts of violence have occurred, the context has changed; words have meaning and consequence. We will act decisively and make arrests.”
The two forces also referred to the synagogue attack in Manchester in October.
Chants of ‘globalise the intifada’ had led to two attacks, Britain’s chief rabbi told the BBC this week.
Police forces said: “We know communities are concerned about banners and slogans such as ‘make the intifada global’ and those using it in future protests or in a targeted manner should wait for the two forces to take action.”
“Frontline workers will be briefed on this enhanced approach. We will also use powers under the Public Order Act, including conditions in London synagogues, during services,” the statement said.
Visible patrols and protective security measures have been increased around synagogues, schools and community venues in London and Greater Manchester.
15 people killed and dozens injured in Sunday’s Bondi attackHe targeted the Jewish community in Australia at an event celebrating the first night of Hanukkah.
2 people died in a knife attack on October 2 at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.
Responding to the police’s joint statement, the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: “We strongly welcome this necessary intervention.”
“We have long warned that people chanting slogans such as ‘Globalize the intifada’ are encouraging violence, and we have been pushing for a robust implementation of this slogan at all levels of government for some time,” the board said.
Criticizing the police forces’ decision, Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, called the move “another low level of political repression of protests against Palestinian rights.”
He said police did not consult the coalition that staged major protests in London or groups representing the Palestinian community in the UK “before making this sweeping statement about our rights”.
“The horrific massacre in Sydney, Australia should not be used as a justification to further suppress fundamental democratic protest rights and freedom of expression in this country,” Mr. Jamal added.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in parliament on Wednesday that his government was increasing funding for Jewish security by up to £28 million.
“I’m happy I did it, but I’m sorry I did it,” he said, adding that he had ordered a review of protest and hate crime laws.
He responded to a question from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who said antisemitism was real, “toxic” and “we must all work together to stamp it out”.
The term intifada began to be widely used in 1987 during the Palestinian uprising against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Some have described the term as a call for violence against the Jewish people.
Others said it was a call for peaceful resistance to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its actions in Gaza.
