A Jewish lawyer was detained by London’s Metropolitan Police for nearly ten hours after officers accused him of “antagonizing” pro-Palestinian protesters by wearing a Star of David necklace, The Telegraph reported Saturday. The arrest has ignited accusations of double standards and growing institutional tolerance of antisemitism in the United Kingdom.
The incident occurred on August 29 outside the Israeli Embassy in London during a pro-Palestinian demonstration. The lawyer, who said he was acting as an independent legal observer monitoring the event for unlawful behavior and potential police bias, claims he was handcuffed with his hands behind his back and placed in a police vehicle before being questioned for hours.
“They said I was antagonizing and agitating pro-Palestine protesters with my Star of David,” the lawyer told The Telegraph. “It is outrageous that police should claim wearing a Star of David somehow antagonizes people. When it was first raised in the police interview, it rang alarm bells for me immediately. Police crossed the line. They are trying to criminalize the wearing of a Star of David.”
In video footage reviewed by the paper, a detective can be heard questioning the lawyer about his “necklace,” referring to the Star of David as a potentially “antagonistic emblem or sign” in a tense protest environment.
The Metropolitan Police denied that the arrest was motivated by the man’s Jewish identity, claiming instead that he was detained for “repeatedly breaching” a police order to keep opposing protest groups separated. Officers allege he ignored at least four warnings to stay outside the cordoned area.
However, the lawyer insists his detention was politically motivated and symptomatic of what he called “two-tier policing.” He said he documented around 30 instances of potential criminal behavior by the demonstrators — including antisemitic slurs such as “Zionist baby killer” — yet none resulted in arrests or prosecutions.
“Police are arguing that wearing a Star of David is antagonizing to protesters, while we have seen all manner of antisemitic slogans on placards and shouted at Jews that have gone unpunished,” he said.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the incident as “a moral disgrace.”
“The Star of David is a symbol of Jewish identity, not provocation,” Sa’ar wrote on X. “The fact that Jews are warned in central London not to display it publicly shows how rampant antisemitism spread through hateful ‘pro-Palestinian’ marches in Britain has poisoned the streets. British authorities must act — ban antisemitic slogans and conduct a full institutional review.”
The arrest comes amid a rising tide of antisemitic incidents across the UK since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Earlier this week, authorities in Birmingham banned fans of an Israeli football club from attending an upcoming match, citing “security concerns.” Meanwhile, a knife-wielding Islamist recently attacked worshipers at a synagogue in Manchester, leaving one dead and several injured.
Critics say the Metropolitan Police have increasingly applied a double standard, showing leniency toward pro-Palestinian demonstrators who display hate symbols or chant antisemitic slogans, while scrutinizing Jewish and pro-Israel individuals for simply asserting their identity.
Civil rights observers warn that such incidents risk normalizing antisemitism under the guise of “public order.”
As the lawyer put it: “In an environment of antisemitism, I will not be cowed by this. I will carry on wearing it.”
