The London Metropolitan Police Under Fire For Monitoring Pro-Palestine Marches
The London Metropolitan Police faced criticism in court for using “anonymous right-wing” accounts to monitor pro-Palestine marches in central London. Marieha Hussain, 37, pleaded not guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence after displaying a controversial placard during a protest.
Chris Humphreys, a senior police media manager, revealed that the Met used accounts like Harry’s Place to track protest-related images. The court heard that the police responded to social media commentary to inform their policing strategies. Images were flagged when the Met’s account was tagged or when images garnered significant views.
The controversy arose over the term “coconut” used on the placard, which some considered a racial slur. Hussain’s lawyer argued that it was political criticism targeting specific government officials. District Judge Vanessa Lloyd allowed the defence to call expert witnesses despite the prosecution’s objections.
Supporters gathered outside the court as activists stood in solidarity with Hussain, holding Palestine flags and chanting. The trial is ongoing, highlighting the complexities of balancing free speech and offensive language in political protests.