Met police chief praises ‘professional’ conduct of officer in antisemitism row

Mark Rowley said: ‘The wider actions and intent of the officer were professional and in the best tradition of British police trying to prevent disorder.’ Photograph: PA Images/Alamy

The commissioner of the Metropolitan police has praised the “professional” conduct of the sergeant who stopped an antisemitism campaigner at a pro-Palestinian march and warned that officers at other protests had been “set up” by activists using “fakery” to undermine the force.

In an interview with the Guardian, Mark Rowley said the sergeant involved in the incident with Gideon Falter would not be disciplined and vigorously defended the Met’s handling of the six months of protests since the 7 October attacks on Israel.