The Metropolitan Police have decided to take no further action against an Imam who – shortly after Hamas’s atrocities on October 7, 2023 – cursed Jews, infidels and polytheists, and called for the destruction of their homes.
The preacher at an east London Mosque – in a Borough with a sizable number of Jewish residents – told his followers: “Oh Allah, curse the Jews and the children of Israel. Oh Allah, curse the infidels and the polytheists.
“Oh Allah, break their words, shake their feet, disperse and tear apart their unity and ruin their houses and destroy their homes.”
The Jewish Chronicle (JC) has the story:
On Thursday, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that no further action would be taken.
Following further investigation, and on the advice of independent counsel and an academic with recognised expertise – whom the police have refused to name – resulted in the decision to take no further action.
The police seemed to blame the lack of further action on existing legislation.
A spokesperson told the JC that they recognised “the strength of feeling in relation to this case. The language used caused offence and concern, in particular among London’s Jewish communities but also more widely.”
They rejected assertions that they aren’t tackling crime targeting Jewish Londoners seriously, saying that: “Since October 2023 we have made more than 300 arrests for anti-Jewish hate crime offences. Where the evidence meets the threshold for us to take action we absolutely will.”
However, they went on to say that: “Two investigations have now found that in this case, that threshold was not met. We recognise that this will be frustrating to many, but we police to the letter of the law and we must weigh the evidence against the legislation as it is, not as some may want it to be.”
“It is for Parliament to determine where the line is drawn, not the police.”
Jewish communal organisations expressed dissapointment with the Metropolitan Police’s decision.
A spokesperson for the Community Security Trust said that: “Many in the Jewish community and beyond will find it hard to understand how these outrageous comments apparently did not break the law. If that is truly the case, then it is very worrying and suggests a gap in the law that ought to be addressed.”
Russell Langer, director of public affairs at the Jewish Leadership Council told the JC that: “The anti-Jewish language used in this sermon was not just offensive but potentially dangerous considering the risk of incitement during a period of high tension.
He added: “Many will find it bewildering that after two investigations, no action is being taken. It is clear that either the law is not being enforced, or it is not robust enough. Neither is satisfactory and this lack of action must be addressed urgently.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp MP hit out at the Met Police’s decision, which he labelled “totally unacceptable”.
He told the JC: “We cannot have hate preachers openly calling for the destruction of Jewish homes and getting away with it. Inciting racial or religious hatred and using threatening or abusive language to cause harassment, alarm or distress are criminal offences.
Worth reading in full.
