London’s Hyde Park faced intense backlash over the weekend after reports of a Holocaust memorial ahead of Saturday’s anti-Israel march.
Local residents quickly noticed that blue tarpaulins had been erected in the park commemorating the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust in preparation for a large rally to protest the war in Gaza.
The Metropolitan Police Department denied any involvement, saying the decision was made by park authorities. In a later statement, Royal Parks appeared to confirm that it had made the decision in conjunction with police.
The Holocaust memorial in Hyde Park was in the news over the weekend in preparation for a pro-Palestinian rally. (Photo credit goes to Matthew Chattle/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
“During demonstrations and large-scale events, Royal Parks works closely with the Metropolitan Police to ensure the safety of park users and the environment, and in the past this has included protecting monuments. We will continue to work closely with the Metropolitan Police Department.” A Royal Parks spokesperson said: telegram.
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Government adviser Lord Mann said he had recommended that the monument be protected, saying it was “sad but necessary to avoid further attacks on the Jewish community”.
“They could have risked defacing it with placards and causing further offense to Jews and other communities. I wish the organizers had done that.” [of the march] We stopped to pay our respects to the monument,” Mann said.
Other monuments and statues in the park were not covered.
Advocacy groups against anti-Semitism largely rejected these claims and denounced the move to cover up the monument as a kowtowing to the protesters.
Local groups are outraged by coverage of the Holocaust memorial in Hyde Park. (Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images/Photo: Mark Kerrison/Photo via Getty Images)
Noemi Ebenstein, an 82-year-old Holocaust survivor, said: “It’s embarrassing. When I watch this, I feel like they’re winning. People who hate Jews, people who deny the Holocaust. But they are winning because we are afraid of them.”
Local residents have expressed anger at the ongoing pro-Palestinian rally and at the Metropolitan Police Department, which appears to be condoning pro-Hamas activists.
Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Police Department came under fire after a video surfaced of a police officer threatening to arrest a Jewish man for potentially provoking a mob of anti-Israel protesters because of his appearance.
A video released by the UK Anti-Semitism Campaign shows a Metropolitan Police officer ordering Anti-Semitism Chief Executive Gideon Falter not to cross a road because of his “openly Jewish” appearance. is shown. Falter returned from Saturday’s synagogue service wearing a kippah, or skull cap.
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London police even threatened to arrest Falter. He accused Falter of “violating the peace with all other peoples.” Falter was with five other people, some of whom were wearing skullcaps.
Pro-Palestinian activists and supporters wave flags and call for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Hamas conflict during a protest in Trafalgar Square in central London on March 30, 2024. (Benjamin Kremer/AFP via Getty Images)
Falter told Fox News Digital: “What happened to me was shameful. Being ‘openly Jewish’ would ‘turn on’ people, so I felt the pain of being arrested. “Imagine what it feels like to be told by a police officer that you have to leave the scene after experiencing a crime.” . ”
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The Metropolitan Police Department apologized to Falter multiple times.
“Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners should feel safe in this city.” said. “Our commitment to protecting the public extends to all communities across London and it is important that our public statements reflect that more clearly than they do today.”
Fox News’ Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report.
