Sabtu, 20 April 2024

Met Police chief Mark Rowley should resign, says antisemitism campaigner called 'openly Jewish' by officer - Sky News

An antisemitism campaigner has called for the head of the Metropolitan Police to resign after he was called "openly Jewish" by an officer and threatened with arrest at a pro-Palestinian march in London.

Gideon Falter, the chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, said Jewish Londoners cannot have confidence in the Met under Sir Mark Rowley's leadership and accused the commissioner of "victim blaming" following the incident.

Mr Falter has already received two apologies from the police after releasing video footage showing exchanges he had with Scotland Yard officers when he tried to cross Aldwych in central London as the march passed by last Saturday.

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'If I remain here you will arrest me?'

Former home secretary Suella Braverman also called for Sir Mark to resign after the incident and what she described as "failure after failure by the Met" over the last six months.

In an article for The Daily Telegraph, she wrote that "after such a litany of failure and a wholesale refusal to change, the Met commissioner needs to accept responsibility. And he must go."

In the video, an officer appears to prevent Mr Falter from crossing the road and tells him: "You are quite openly Jewish. This is a pro-Palestinian march. I am not accusing you of anything, but I am worried about the reaction to your presence."

Mr Falter, who was wearing a yarmulke and said he was simply walking past after attending synagogue, was then threatened with arrest if he did not leave the area.

He told Sky News: "I felt it was disgraceful, I could not understand how the police were able to look at a Jew walking down the street and decide that person is the threat, that person needs to be got rid of, not all the people around who were shouting abuse, but because I was walking down the street being a Jew.

"It is a farce, this incident happened last Saturday, still on Friday they were issuing statements blaming us, it is victim blaming. They are saying you walked down the street and that was a provocation. You shared the video and that made everyone look bad.

"It is not like that came from someone junior, Mark Rowley sent his assistant commissioner to issue that statement, this is coming from the top. We've waited six months for the Met to take control of these crowds, take control of the streets, and make London safe for law-abiding Londoners, he has failed to do that.

"I think the time has come now for Mark Rowley to go, he should either resign or be removed by the mayor and the home secretary."

Mark Rowley
Image: Sir Mark Rowley said he wanted to personally reiterate the Met's apology

In response, Sir Mark said: "Every member of the Met is determined to ensure that London is a city in which everyone feels safe.

"We absolutely understand how vulnerable Jewish and Muslim Londoners feel since the terrorist attacks on Israel."

Admitting that "some of our actions have increased this concern," he added: "I personally reiterate our apology from earlier this week.

"Today, as with every other day, our officers will continue to police with courage, empathy and impartiality."

Both Home Secretary James Cleverly and Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, have said the police were right to apologise, and policing minister Chris Philp says he will meet with Sir Mark next week.

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January: Thousands join pro-Palestine marches
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In the first apology, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist maintained Mr Falter's presence could be "provocative", but in a second statement retracted that view.

"The use of the term 'openly Jewish' by one of our officers is hugely regrettable," the statement said.

"We know it will have caused offence to many. We reiterate our apology.

"We have reflected on the strength of the response to our previous statement. In an effort to make a point about the policing of protest we caused further offence. This was never our intention. We have removed the statement and we apologise.

"Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in this city."

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2024-04-20 21:11:15Z
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Investigation launched as Stoke-on-Trent man and woman found dead - BBC

Street sign Catalina PlaceGoogle

A police investigation has been launched after a man and woman were found dead in Stoke-in-Trent.

Staffordshire Police were called to a house on Catalina Place, Meir Park, at about 13:00 BST on Saturday.

A force spokesman said a man and woman, both in their 70s, were pronounced dead at the scene.

The spokesman said officers were "confident" there was "no wider threat or risk to the community". Police are appealing for information.

"An investigation is being carried out to establish the circumstances of the incident," the spokesman said, adding: "At this stage, we are confident there is no wider threat or risk to the community.

"Their family are being supported by specialist officers," police said.

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2024-04-20 17:47:11Z
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Being Jewish is not provocative, says Home Office after police comments - The Times

The video of Gideon Falter being stopped by a police officer was released on Thursday
The video of Gideon Falter being stopped by a police officer was released on Thursday
CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANTISEMITISM/PA

Being Jewish “should never be seen as provocative”, the Home Office has said after a police officer described a man as “antagonising” a pro-Palestinian march by being “openly Jewish”.

The charity Campaign Against ­Antisemitism released a video on Thursday evening showing an interaction between Gideon Falter, its chief executive, and a Metropolitan Police officer on April 13.

Falter, who was wearing a kippah, was told by the police he could not cross the road in Aldwych while the march was taking place and was threatened with arrest.

One officer said to him: “You are quite openly Jewish, this is a pro-Palestinian march, I’m not accusing you of anything but I’m worried about the reaction to your presence.”

Another officer told him: “You will be escorted

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2024-04-20 13:40:00Z
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20mph Wales: Some roads to revert to 30mph after backlash - BBC

20mph signGetty Images

Some roads in Wales will revert to 30mph following backlash at the Welsh government's £34m default 20mph policy.

Transport Secretary Ken Skates said the changes will address the concerns that "a lot of people" have raised "on a consistent basis".

"We've put our hands up to say the guidance has to be corrected," he said.

Swansea council leader Rob Stewart welcomed the change, but said the government must help foot the bill to swap signage.

Mr Skates highlighted the almost half a million signatures to a Senedd petition opposing the policy, brought in under former first minister Mark Drakeford and his transport minister Lee Waters.

"I have friends and family who have signed the petition," he said.

But the policy has also enjoyed support from groups including those representing cyclists, while some people have even called for it to be extended to areas not covered in the rollout to help make their communities safer.

Mr Skates was put in charge of transport for Wales on 21 March after Vaughan Gething succeeded Mr Drakeford.

"There is generally universal support for 20mph being targeted in areas where there are schools, built up areas like housing estates, and outside hospitals and so-forth," he told North Wales Live on Friday.

"But in many areas, routes that shouldn't have been included, were."

He said the changes will enable individual councils to revert routes back to 30mph where appropriate, adding that this will allow for "radical" changes, if that is "what people want".

Ken Skates
Getty Images

Mr Skates is expected to address forthcoming changes in a statement to the Senedd on Tuesday afternoon.

Rob Stewart, leader of Swansea council, said Mr Skates' "pragmatic approach" was "to be welcomed".

However, he said the Welsh government should "help us with the cost" of reverting back to 30mph roads.

Mr Skates added that he does not feel it would be fair to place that costs on local authorities, given that councils are making "really tough" decisions.

"I'm not going to say to councils that they need to find the money to make the changes," he said.

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The controversial 20mph policy was introduced in Wales in September with the aim of improving road safety. It saw the default speed limit on roads in built up areas cut from 30mph to 20mph.

Mr Stewart added that he anticipated the changes to the policy could affect up to 10 roads in his own local authority.

"I don't think anybody is challenging the requirements or the ambition of the 20mph to make our roads safer, but it's about making sure we've got the balance right," he said.

"So I think it's just about being pragmatic and doing it in a way that's sensible."

Huw Thomas, leader of Cardiff council, said the news was welcome and that it was not possible to "pretend there isn't a half-million-person petition".

He said he was glad the power will rest with local governments and that the work will be "mostly" funded by the Welsh government.

Mr Thomas added that in Cardiff, where most of city was 20mph already, the policy had been "very popular" and that he "certainly can't see many roads changing".

Natasha Asghar, the Welsh Conservative's transport spokesperson, said the party had "consistently voted against the ridiculous 20mph policy involving 97% of previously 30mph roads".

"The Welsh Conservatives want to see this policy scrapped," said the Member of the Senedd.

"A more targeted approach is needed with the support of the Welsh people."

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: "Over six months have passed since Plaid Cymru tabled a Senedd amendment, and won the vote, gaining a commitment from Welsh government to review the impact of new limits and to empower local authorities to make further exemptions.

"I support the principle of widespread 20mph zones but it's clear that it was implemented very poorly and inconsistently, with too many roads changing to 20mph in places where it felt unreasonable.

"Welsh government must push ahead now and sort it out."

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2024-04-20 12:12:32Z
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Met Police apologises twice after using phrase 'openly Jewish' as campaigner accuses force of 'victim-blaming' - Sky News

Scotland Yard has had to apologise twice after an officer prevented an antisemitism campaigner from crossing a road yards from a pro-Palestinian march because he was "openly Jewish".

A video showed an officer using the term while speaking to Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, who was wearing a kippah skull cap near the demonstration in the Aldwych area of London on the afternoon of Saturday 13 April.

Issuing an initial apology on behalf of the Metropolitan Police, assistant commissioner Matt Twist said the officer's use of the phrase was "hugely regrettable", but suggested Mr Falter's presence had been "provocative" and the release of the footage would "further dent the confidence of many Jewish Londoners".

But the response prompted further criticism, with Mr Falter accusing the force of "victim-blaming" and arguing it was "the right of every Jew" to walk freely around London.

In the face of a backlash, the Met subsequently deleted the statement and issued a further apology for the offence caused.

It stated: "The use of the term 'openly Jewish' by one of our officers is hugely regrettable.

"We know it will have caused offence to many. We reiterate our apology."

More on Israel-hamas War

The force added: "We have reflected on the strength of the response to our previous statement.

"In an effort to make a point about the policing of protest we have caused further offence.

"This was never our intention.

"We have removed that statement and we apologise.

"Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in this city.

"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."

Read more from Sky News:
Police investigate Joey Barton tweets
Ex-model almost died trying to cure cancer with juice diet
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Mr Falter said he had been walking in the capital after attending a synagogue and was not there to counter-protest as he walked past the demonstration last Saturday.

The video clip showed one police officer saying to him: "You are quite openly Jewish, this is a pro-Palestinian march, I'm not accusing you of anything, but I'm worried about the reaction to your presence."

In the clip, another officer said to him: "There's a unit of people here now.

"You will be escorted out of this area so you can go about your business, go where you want freely or if you choose to remain here, because you are causing a breach of peace with all these other people, you will be arrested."

The officer said Mr Falter's presence was "antagonising".

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The antisemitism campaigner said after the incident: "Despite being told repeatedly that London is safe for Jews when these marches are taking place, my interactions with police officers last Saturday show that the Met believes that being openly Jewish will antagonise the anti-Israel marchers and that Jews need protection, which the police cannot guarantee.

"Instead of addressing that threat of antisemitic violence, the Met's policy instead seems to be that law-abiding Jewish Londoners should not be in the parts of London where these marches are taking place. In other words, that they are no-go zones for Jews."

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A Home Office spokesperson said: "We welcome the Met Police's apology, and recognise the complexities of policing fast-moving public protests, but simply being Jewish - or of any other race or religion - should never be seen as provocative.

"Anyone of any religion should be free to go about their lives and feel safe doing so."

Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters had gathered in London last Saturday to call for a ceasefire and urge the government to stop all arms sales to Israel.

Crowds waved Palestinian flags, chanted "free Palestine" and held signs calling for a "ceasefire now".

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2024-04-20 09:20:43Z
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Rishi Sunak’s plan to cut sickness benefits bill prompts charity fury - The Independent

Rishi Sunak’s plans to slash the spiralling costs of “sick note” benefits have been met with a barrage of criticism from mental health experts and others.

The prime minister said it was a “moral mission” to reform the welfare system, as he warned the number of young economically inactive people in Britain was a “tragedy”.

But he was forced to deny his proposals – which include removing benefits entirely from fit people who refuse to work after 12 months – were about cost-cutting and lacked compassion as he faced accusations of “hostile rhetoric” and a “full-on assault on disabled people”.

Since Covid the number of people out of work due to long-term sickness has risen significantly, reaching 2.8 million people in February.

At £69bn, Britain is now spending more on benefits for people of working age with a disability or health condition than “our entire schools budget”, Mr Sunak warned in a speech.

Setting out his reform plans he announced that benefit payments could be withdrawn from some people with mental health problems, who would be offered treatment instead.

Charities slammed the proposal pointing out that 1.8 million people are already waiting for mental health treatment on the NHS.

The prime minister also unveiled plans that could strip GPs of the right to issue “fit notes”, handing them over to other professionals.

Benefits fraud would also be treated like tax fraud, with new powers to make seizures and arrests and a new civil penalty.

Meanwhile, those who are fit and able to work will have their employment claim closed and their benefits taken away if they do not accept available work, under plans to be brought in after the general election.

Making the announcement the PM said: “Anyone who doesn't comply with the conditions set by the work coach, such as accepting an available job will, after 12 months, have their claim closed and their benefits removed entirely.”

Downing Street said a quarter of a million people have been out of work for more than a year, at a time when there are 900,000 vacancies in the economy.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer hit out at the plans, saying the “biggest problem here frankly is that the government has broken the NHS, and waiting lists are up at 7.6 million”.

The charity Scope said calls were “pouring into” their helpline from concerned disabled people following the speech, which it said felt “like a full-on assault”.

Rishi Sunak has made a speech on major proposals for welfare

Mr Sunak insisted he was not downplaying or dismissing illness, but instead calling for a “more ambitious” approach to helping people back to work.

But he said he would not let “down many of the people our welfare system was designed to help” for “fear of causing offence”.

Warning that “something has gone wrong”, Mr Sunak warned that 850,000 more people had been signed off work due to long-term sickness since the pandemic. The change had “wiped out a decade’s worth of progress in which the rate had fallen every single year”, while the biggest proportional increase was among young people.

He added: “There is nothing compassionate about leaving a generation of young people to sit alone in the dark before a flickering screen watching as their dreams slip further from reach every passing day.”

His review of the fit-note system could see specialist work and health professionals charged with responsibility for issuing them instead of GPs.

Recent NHS data showed almost 11 million fit notes were issued last year, of which 94 per cent declared the recipient “not fit to work”.

The PM visits a branch of Timpson after giving his speech on welfare reform in London on Friday (Yui Mok/PA)

Under the reforms, more medical evidence could be needed before someone is eligible for personal independence payments (PIP), which are designed to help claimants deal with the extra costs of living with a long-term disability.

Of those out of work because of long-term sickness, a large proportion report suffering from depression or anxiety, although most of those are secondary conditions.

Doctors’ leaders accused the PM of "hostile rhetoric on sicknote culture" and criticised long NHS waiting lists, saying Mr Sunak should “focus on removing what is stopping patients from receiving the physical and mental healthcare they need, which in turn prevents them from going back to work”.

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy also warned waiting times have seen “too many people.. forced out of work”.

Mental health charity Mind said the PM’s rhetoric was “insulting to the 1.9 million people on a waiting list to get mental health support, and to the GPs whose expert judgement is being called into question”.

While the MS Society for multiple sclerosis warned the reforms “risk pushing even more disabled people into poverty”.

That was echoed by the poverty charity Joseph Rowntree Foundation which warned of an “irresponsible war of words on people who already aren’t getting enough support”.

Labour accused the government of lacking “concrete answers” to the problem, while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described Mr Sunak’s speech as “desperate” at a time when millions are unable to access NHS hospitals, GPs or mental health support.

Richard Kramer, chief executive at charity Sense, said: “The government’s ongoing onslaught on disabled people is hard to watch... This rhetoric is unbelievably damaging and unhelpful, presenting disabled people as ‘shirkers’ who don’t want to work. But this isn’t the case – while employment isn’t right for everyone, many disabled people do want to work.”

He added: “We’d urge the government to tackle these issues and offer better support as a priority, instead of focusing their time on scapegoating disabled and sick people.”

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2024-04-20 06:26:40Z
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Woman who tried to cure her cancer with holistic diet drink almost died after she refused chemotherapy - with - Daily Mail

  • Irena Stoynova sough alternatives to chemotherapy online when diagnosed

A woman who almost died trying to cure her cancer with a juice diet has warned others against 'cutting out' traditional medical advice and trying to source alternative information online.

Medics tried to get Irena Stoynova to use conventional cancer treatments after she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in June 2021, but she 'shut them out'.

The former model said instead of chemotherapy, she sought alternatives online and took the advice of a man, who has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, and claims the human body can 'heal itself' with help of a radical lifestyle and diet changes.

Ms Stoynova, from Crondall in Hampshire, followed various diets and holistic therapies for two-and-a-half years, which left her emaciated with fluid on her lungs.

Doctors said she was on the verge of death when she was taken to Frimley Park Hospital by ambulance in May last year.

Irena Stoynova (pictured) sought alternatives online and took the advice of a man, who has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media
She was told by Dr Clare Rees that she would likely die without treatment for her cancer
The 39-year-old, who now works in sales, said she did a juice diet for two-and-a-half years.  Pictured, Irena's feet swollen and her covered in rashes

She was told by Dr Clare Rees that she would likely die without treatment for her cancer – which was stage three – but Ms Stoynova continued to refuse for a number of days before finally agreeing to receive chemotherapy.

Ms Stoynova spent 50 days in the hospital's acute dependency unit.

She said when she was first diagnosed that she decided against traditional treatments after 'reading about and watching many doctors and professors talk about the success rate of alternative therapies online'.

The 39-year-old, who now works in sales, said she did a juice diet for two-and-a-half years, but also tried a raw diet, intermittent fasting, boiling herbs and special teas.

Speaking about her diagnosis, she said: 'I was devastated, the whole world just closed around me and I felt really alone.'

She said that she was advised to start chemotherapy, but she turned to the internet to find alternative advice and 'everything started from there'.

She said when she was first diagnosed that she decided against traditional treatments. Irena Stoynova in intensive care unit at Frimley Park Hospital
Photograph showing Irena Stoynova's neck from lymphoma, one week after diagnosis

'I found an American guy who has millions of followers who promoted holistic treatment,' she said.

'He had a podcast where he interviewed very knowledgeable doctors and professors who are talking about holistic treatment and they called standard treatment 'outrageous'.

'They said that people who had chemotherapy are 'lazy' and don't want to put in hard work of holistic treatment.'

Ms Stoynova continued: 'The guy has three or four books on how to heal cancer holistically – how to make salads, use different herbs, juicing, intermittent fasting – there were so many testimonials, so many people that did it.

'I spent £2,000 on juicers – one for smoothies, one for carrots, one for citrus and one for everything else. I spent two to three hours a day making juice for the next day.

'I was fanatic. It was like tunnel vision.'

She added: 'I didn't stop (when I should have), I was just so weak, I had sleep deprivation and hallucinations. I didn't even have the strength to open the door for the delivery man.

'I couldn't breathe because there was fluid on my lungs, I lost about 20 kilograms because of the dieting.'

She was admitted to hospital in May 2023, but even an emergency hospital admission was not enough to stop trying to treat her cancer holistically
Ms Stoynova has warned others against cutting out´ traditional medical advice and said the effects of chemotherapy were a 'piece of cake' compared to her other treatment

She was admitted to hospital in May 2023, but even an emergency hospital admission was not enough to stop trying to treat her cancer holistically.

Medics described 'frustrating' conversations with her, but eventually after 10 days in hospital she agreed to start chemotherapy.

Dr Rees, consultant haematologist at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'It took about 10 days since Irena's admission until she started chemo and there was some very, what I found, very frustrating conversations during that time.

'About five days into Iran's admission, I genuinely thought that, despite what we were saying, she was going to say 'no' and as a result die in the very near future, which I found quite devastating actually.'

Ms Stoynova, who is now in remission, added: 'I now say to people that the side effects from chemotherapy are a piece of cake compared to the side effects that I got from trying the holistic treatment.

'When you have Instagram, Facebook, or even Google there are going to be millions of people who are going to say that they healed cancer holistically with organic carrots and parsley and celery.

'What I would say is it's great to have beliefs, it's great if they're backed by science, and please don't cut off your consultants.

She said: 'If you have cancer, you need something much harder than organic carrot juice and celery'
Irena Stoynova shows off the reaction to herbal medicine she took. She was told the body could 'heal itself'
Another photograph showing hives all over the former model's arms after trying herbal medicine

'I cut off consultants and everything connected with standard medicine and I almost lost my life.'

She added: 'If you have cancer, you need something much harder than organic carrot juice and celery.'

Dr Rees continued: 'This is an extreme scenario and genuinely in the first 24 hours of Irena's admission, I was unclear whether she would survive this or not.

'But the problem is that misinformation often spreads faster than the truth and obviously, if someone's given the option of juice versus tablets or chemotherapy and injecting drugs into their bodies, you can see why they they would prefer to do some it if it will give them the same outcome – but the problem is that is not evidence-based practice.

'We always encourage people to go to Lymphoma Action or Macmillan Cancer Support for genuine information.'

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2024-04-19 23:05:38Z
CBMiX2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtMTMzMjk5ODUvV29tYW4tZGllZC10cnlpbmctY3VyZS1jYW5jZXItanVpY2UtZGlldC5odG1s0gFjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGFpbHltYWlsLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYXJ0aWNsZS0xMzMyOTk4NS9hbXAvV29tYW4tZGllZC10cnlpbmctY3VyZS1jYW5jZXItanVpY2UtZGlldC5odG1s