Christian organisers of a prayer walk in a Jewish part of London in support of Israel were told by police that it was the “right decision” to cancel their event due to threats.
Christian Action Against Anti-Semitism (CAAA) had to call off their “pray for Israel and the Jewish People” walk when police officers warned that participants could be “injured or intimidated” in Golders Green at an event that was meant to be held last Saturday.
‘In Danger, So You Need to Move’
Hayley Ace, of Christian Action Against Anti-Semitism, told The Epoch Times it had originally planned to have the event outside the Israeli embassy.She said that five days after they informed the Met Police of their event at the embassy, they were notified that there was a Palestinian March and they would be “in danger, so you need to move.”
She then moved the event to show “solidarity with the people of Golders Green,” which is known for its large Jewish population. She said she had expected tens of thousands of people to attend.
She said that police urgently called them to say that their event had gone viral on social media and had been picked up by the pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel groups with “misinformation that Christians were now targeting Muslims and attacking Muslims.”
Please Put Out the Cancellation
In a follow-up email, which The Epoch Times has seen, a police sergeant said: “Your planned event on Saturday was picked up by an individual and retweeted. It received a lot of views.“Unfortunately, we have now identified tweets calling on ‘brothers’ to make their way to Golders Green on Saturday.
“This would clearly present a threat to your event. I understand your frustration but you have made the right decision to cancel your event.
“The police do not want anyone to be injured or intimidated regardless of their beliefs.
“Please put out the cancellation within your own social media groups as soon as possible.”
Ms. Ace said that she was regrouping for the event.
“We are commanded to pray for Israel in our Bibles,” she said.
She said that she believed that people are being “stripped of their religious freedom while others are freely marching, chanting a genocidal chant, which Jews know means the destruction of their land.”
A Met Police spokesperson told The Epoch Times by email:
“In the days since the attacks in Israel took place, officers have worked to facilitate numerous demonstrations, vigils and other gatherings across London.”
He said that ahead of a planned vigil in Hendon on Oct. 21 by Christian Action Against Antisemitism (CAAA), officers were in discussion with the organiser to discuss timings and route they would take.
‘Where Does This Leave Us?’
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism told The Epoch Times by email: “The advice to cancel the planned pro-Israel prayer walk in support of the Jewish community is yet another example of police failure. If their advice to allies is not to show up, where does this leave us?“She said that “Saturday saw an exhibition of Jew-hate as rarely seen before on the streets of London.”
“From Islamist flags and sympathy for the Islamic State to calls for Jihad against Israel, and from genocidal chanting to signs comparing Israel to Nazis, Britain’s capital was effectively closed to Jewish people,” she said.
“Policing in London has become a sick joke, and the Jewish community is the butt of it. But we are not laughing. We will be demonstrating outside New Scotland Yard this Wednesday evening to urge the police to do their job and defend all Londoners—and that includes the Jews,” she added.
