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London’s Hyde Park faced intense backlash over the weekend after a Holocaust memorial was covered ahead of a anti-Israel march on Saturday.
Locals quickly noticed that a blue tarpaulin was placed on the park’s tribute to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust in preparation for a massive rally protesting the war in Gaza.
The Metropolitan Police denied involvement, stating that the decision was made by park authorities. In a later statement, Royal Parks seemed to confirm that it made the decision in tandem with the police.
Hyde Park’s Holocaust memorial was covered over the weekend in preparation for a pro-Palestinian rally. (Photo credit should read Matthew Chattle/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
“During demonstrations and major events, the Royal Parks works closely with the Metropolitan Police to ensure the safety of park users and its environment. In the past, this has included protecting memorials. We will continue to work closely with the Metropolitan Police,” a Royal Parks spokesman told the Telegraph.
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Government advisor Lord Mann stated that he had advised the memorial be protected, calling it a “sad but necessary to avoid further offence to the Jewish community.”
“We could take the risk that it would get defaced with the likes of placards and cause additional offence to the Jewish and other communities. It would have been nice if the organisers [of the march] stopped to pay their own respects at the memorial,” Mann said.
No other memorial or statue in the park was covered.
Advocacy groups against antisemitism largely rejected these arguments, denouncing the move to cover the memorial as giving in to the protesters.
Local groups were furious that a Holocaust memorial was covered in Hyde Park. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images/photo by Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images)
“It is shameful. Seeing this, it feels like they are winning. Those who are Jew haters, those who are Holocaust deniers, they are winning because we are afraid of them,” 82-year-old Holocaust survivor Noemi Ebenstein said.
Locals have expressed outrage at the ongoing pro-Palestinian rallies as well as the Metropolitan Police for appearing to excuse pro-Hamas activists.
Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Police came under fire after video of an officer threatening to arrest a Jewish man for potentially provoking a mob of anti-Israel protesters based on his appearance.
The video published by the British Campaign Against Antisemitism showed the Metropolitan Police officer ordering Gideon Falter, the CEO of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, not to cross a street because of his “openly Jewish” appearance. Falter was returning from a Saturday synagogue service and was wearing a kippah, or skullcap.
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The London cop even threatened Falter with arrest. He accused Falter of “a breach of peace with all these other people.” Falter was with five other people, some of whom were also wearing skullcaps.
Pro-Palestinian activists and supporters wave flags as they gather for a protest in Trafalgar Square in central London on March 30, 2024, calling for a ceasefire in the Israel/Hamas conflict. (BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP via Getty Images)
Falter told Fox News Digital, “What happened to me was a disgrace. Imagine what it felt like to be told by police officers that being ‘quite openly Jewish’ would ‘antagonize’ people, and so I must leave the area on pain of arrest.”
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The Metropolitan police apologized multiple times to Falter.
“Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in this city,” the apology stated. “Our commitment to protecting the public extends to all communities across London. It’s important that our public statements reflect that more clearly than they did today.”
Fox News’ Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report.
Lindsay Kornick is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to lindsay.kornick@fox.com and on Twitter: @lmkornick.
