The Metropolitan Police has faced criticism after deciding not to arrest a protester who was filmed chanting "jihad, jihad" at a pro-Palestine rally in London. This decision has prompted the home secretary, Suella Braverman, to challenge the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, over their handling of the situation. Braverman believes that there should be no place for incitement to hatred or violence on UK streets and that the police should crackdown on anyone breaking the law.

Several ministers have also condemned the police for their handling of the rallies in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, and Belfast in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The force has reviewed a video of a Hizb ut-Tahrir protest, where a man can be heard chanting "jihad, jihad" alongside others attending the rally. However, specialist counter-terrorism officers have not identified any offences arising from the clip. The Metropolitan Police have acknowledged that the word “jihad” has different meanings, but they recognize the divisive impact it can have on the public. They have spoken to the man involved to discourage any repeat of similar chanting.

In response to the police's decision, the home secretary will discuss the matter with the Metropolitan Police commissioner. Braverman emphasizes that there can be no tolerance for incitement to hatred or violence and urges the police to take action against those who break the law. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick has also condemned the chanting of “jihad” on the streets of London, describing it as "completely reprehensible" and inciting terrorist violence. He believes that the police and the Crown Prosecution Service should decide whether to press charges in these cases.

During the pro-Palestine rallies, there have been reports of disorder and instances of hate speech. However, the majority of the activity has been peaceful and lawful, despite controversy over slogans such as "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." The protests have attracted thousands of participants, demonstrating solidarity with Palestine and calling for an immediate end to Israel's bombardment of Gaza in response to the surprise terror attack by Hamas on October 7th.

Jenrick also emphasized the importance of protecting British Jews and stated that arrests have been made in the UK since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. He believes that there should be a consensus in the country that chanting phrases like “jihad” is wrong and reprehensible. However, he acknowledges that addressing this issue goes beyond legality and touches on values. He condemns those who hijack the Palestinian cause for their own twisted logic and clarifies that the conflict is not religious.

The Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, also condemned anyone showing support for Hamas and stated that the Jewish people have nothing to do with the conflict. He acknowledged that many Jewish individuals participated in the pro-Palestine demonstrations and defended the Palestinian cause. Zomlot emphasized that those who harbor hate for Jews also harbor hate for Muslims and Christians and should be disregarded.

Regarding the possibility of establishing a scheme for taking Palestinian refugees, Jenrick stated that the priority is currently evacuating British nationals from Gaza and providing humanitarian relief. He mentioned that Egypt is not currently willing to admit refugees.