'Shambles': London's Met Police chief accused of bias after addressing pro-Israel group

London's Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Mark Rowley, told a pro-Israel group on Sunday that police had implemented unprecedented restrictions on a large pro-Palestinian rally in London on Saturday, resulting in 77 arrests, a move that has drawn widespread criticism. Organizers estimated that the rally drew over 100,000 participants. Prior to this, no organizers of pro-Palestinian rallies had been arrested since October 7, 2023.

The Metropolitan Police initially approved a pro-Gaza march route proposed by an organizing coalition, from the BBC headquarters to Whitehall, but changed their decision after facing political pressure, a move that has been widely criticized. Pro-Israel groups, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, members of parliament, and peers reportedly urged Rowley to reroute the protest. Police stated in early January that the route was too close to two synagogues, a justification that was criticized in an open letter last week by nearly a thousand British Jews, including prominent figures.

Following the protest, the Metropolitan Police faced criticism for accusing demonstrators of breaking through police lines at Trafalgar Square on Saturday, a claim strongly denied by organizers and protesters, including prominent politicians. Green Party co-leader and London Assembly Member, Zack Polanski, a speaker at Saturday’s rally, wrote to the Home Secretary on Monday, stating that “as many videos show, police agreed through negotiations that a delegation could pass through and lay flowers,” however, “they then allowed a larger crowd to enter Trafalgar Square. It is concerning that the Met Police tweet falsely claimed people ‘forced their way in.’” Polanski told Middle East Eye that the Met Police’s handling of the protest was a “shambles,” adding that “I and thousands of others have been defamed by being accused of forcing our way in.” He stated, “This fundamentally further erodes trust in our institutions.”

Rowley has become embroiled in a fresh scandal after speaking at an event held by the Board of Deputies of British Jews. The Met Police chief stated that they had placed “more restrictions on demonstrations than ever before,” and that his team had imposed “tighter and tougher conditions” on the organizers of the demonstrations. The Board of Deputies of British Jews supports Israel’s war on Gaza and condemned the Labour government for imposing a partial arms embargo on Israel in September. The board was also reportedly one of the groups that urged the Met Police to ban the original route of the pro-Palestinian march. Several individuals and groups on Tuesday questioned Rowley’s impartiality, accusing him of engaging with pro-Israel groups without engaging with the Muslim community.

Ismail Patel, chair of the advocacy group Friends of Al-Aqsa and one of the organizers of Saturday's march, told Middle East Eye: “For Mark Rowley to meet with the Board of Deputies of British Jews, who have actively campaigned to suppress the rights of the Palestine solidarity movement, within 24 hours of taking draconian and repressive measures against us, is not just deeply insensitive, it’s deeply provocative.” He also added that the timing and nature of Rowley’s address “raises serious concerns about the impartiality and fairness of the Met Police Commissioner.” Patel stated, “Mr Rowley has not met with us or communicated about our concerns, let alone address the disproportionate and restrictive conditions he chose to impose. He is killing public confidence in the neutrality and integrity of the Met Police.”

According to Mohammed Kozbar, the deputy secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain and a former advisory group member, the Metropolitan Police has not met with the independent advisory group of the London Muslim Communities Forum for around a year. The Met Police cut ties with Kozbar in early 2024, after The Telegraph reported in 2023 that he had praised the founder of Hamas. At the time, Kozbar stated: “I was talking about the extrajudicial execution of a paralysed, wheelchair-bound man... My comments were made long before the group [Hamas] was proscribed.” He also added that he condemns attacks against civilians. Kozbar told Middle East Eye on Tuesday that the Met Police has “failed to engage properly with the Muslim community.” He added: “They have just stopped engaging with the independent advisory group of the London Muslim Communities Forum, yet they still hold meetings with other faith and community representative groups.”

The Muslim Association of Britain stated: “The perception of systemic bias within the Met Police will only grow stronger.” Kozbar stated: “Instead, they will meet with individuals from the Muslim community to tick a box. In contrast, the police commissioner met with the Board of Deputies of British Jews just a day after the protest. These are double standards. It shows how they treat the Muslim community.” Rowley, while addressing the Board of Deputies of British Jews plenary on Sunday, lashed out at pro-Israel advocacy group the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) as well as the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), accusing them of ignoring “the realities of the law” and using “small peak political rhetoric.” The CAA accused the Met Police of “only marshalling their forces when the war may be drawing to a close,” after not banning pro-Palestinian marches for months. The MAB, one of the organizations behind the protests, has questioned Rowley’s impartiality, given the Met Police’s engagement with pro-Israel groups.

In an open letter to Rowley on Monday, the MAB stated: “It is highly inappropriate for you to celebrate the imposition of ‘tighter and tougher conditions’ on these protests while addressing an audience aligned to one side of this issue... and raises questions about whether all communities can expect equal treatment under your leadership.” The letter continued: “The perception of systemic bias within the Met Police under your leadership will only grow stronger. The disproportionate restrictive measures against pro-Palestine demonstrations and the refusal to engage meaningfully with Muslim organizations and pro-Palestine representatives expose an institution that is failing to serve all communities equally.”

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) also criticized Rowley, stating: “Public trust in the commissioner is further eroded by the lack of acknowledgment of the wider context, including the accountability of UK government members and war crime allegations against individuals potentially returning to the UK.” The ICJP invited Commissioner Rowley to hold meetings with Palestinian and pro-Palestinian groups to have an open and constructive dialogue about the concerns and challenges facing their community. By fostering direct engagement with all affected parties, the Met Police can demonstrate its genuine commitment to impartiality, transparency, and community trust. The Met Police directed Middle East Eye to a statement made over the weekend by Commander Adam Sloggett, who led the policing operation on Saturday: “We have engaged in discussions in good faith, meeting regularly with the PSC as well as partners and community representatives.” Sloggett stated: “Our role is not to take sides. We police impartially and the decisions we make are solely about ensuring groups can exercise their right to peaceful protest, while also ensuring the wider community can go about their lives without serious disruption.”