‘Violent’ arrest of pro-Palestinian activist leads to demonstration against police brutality
On Friday 12th July, a pro-Palestinian protester was arrested on Whitechapel Road, close to the East London Mosque, leading to a second demonstration on the same day protesting against police brutality.
The police have responded to the incident in an open letter from BCU Commander, Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway saying that the ‘arrest was not connected to the display of the Palestinian flag or any political statements made’.
Police received an allegation that someone had assaulted the PCSO (police community support officer). The police later arrested this man. It was a video of the tail end of this arrest that has been spread across the internet.
The 22-second clip shows a man in a ‘Free Palestine’ vest. He is holding a Palestinian flag and stands between what appears to be his car parked in a cycle lane and the busy Whitechapel Road.
As a police officer approaches, the man repeatedly shouts ‘I haven’t done nothing’. The officer reaches towards the protestor as if to hold his arms. The protestor pushes the officer away sharply at which point they grapple and the officer seems to punch the side of the man’s head, then unsuccessfully attempts a headlock, and then attempts another punch to the side of the man’s face.
Two more officers quickly arrive and one successfully puts the activist in a headlock. A group of onlookers shout ‘Why are you punching him?’. The group of three officers bring the protestor down to the ground and another tells the crowd to move away before the video ends.
DPS (Directorate of Professional Standards) reviewed the video. Following the review by the DPS, the Met then said it had referred itself to the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct).
Rushnara Ali called for ‘fairness and transparency’ as the Met announced it had referred itself to the IOPC over its use of force during the arrest.
A local branch of Solidarity for Palestine called for an emergency rally later that evening. The demonstration was a protest against police brutality. It took place outside Bethnal Green Police Station at around 10.30 pm.
Dozens of protesters gathered, shouting ‘Stop the genocide’ and ‘Free Palestine’ in what local police described as a ‘peaceful protest’ in a post on X.
Mayor Lutfur Rahman arrived and addressed the crowd: ‘I am sorry to see what happened today. I was in my surgery, I got the video sent to me from across London. Our borough is a peace-loving borough. We want to live in peace, we want to be in peace.’
‘I have spoken to the borough commander on my way here. I have also spoken to the most senior officer here, Chief Inspector Bradley, who is a gentleman. And I can assure you, the police will conduct a proper investigation and come clean on what went on in Whitechapel today.’
‘And we want there to be fairness. We want there to be justice. We want this to be properly investigated. And whoever has done any wrong, that needs to be dealt with.’
In a post on X, Mr Rahman later said ‘any officers involved in this violence must be suspended while the investigation is carried out’.
The arrested man was released from Bethnal Green Police Station at 5 am on Saturday 13th July. He then admitted himself to Whitechapel A&E and was discharged after a few hours. In a video, he thanks the protesters for their support, adding ‘It’s just good to be out’.