Police quiz woman who wore ‘concentration camp prisoner' outfit at protest
Images of the protester, whose identity the police have not disclosed, circulated on social media, showing the woman dressed in striped clothes, hat and face mask
A woman who wore clothes resembling those of Holocaust concentration camp prisoners at a Palestine Action protest has been questioned by the Metropolitan Police, the force has said.
Images of the protester, whose identity the police have not disclosed, circulated on social media, showing the woman dressed in striped clothes, hat and face mask.
Yellow symbols depicting the crescent moon and star of Islam were sewn on to the shirt and hat, and the protester held a sign with the hashtag 'We Are All Palestine Action'.
A pro-Palestine march in London (John Stillwell/PA)
News in 90 Seconds - June 27th
The Met Police said in a post on X that the woman was questioned on Friday.
'Images were shared this week showing a woman at protests wearing clothing imitating that worn by those held in concentration camps during the Holocaust,' they said.
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'This afternoon she was interviewed under caution at a central London police station.
'Our investigation continues.'
Alex Hearn, co-director of Labour Against Antisemitism (LAAS), described the outfit as 'a blatant act of antisemitism' and criticised Met Police officers who oversaw the demonstration for failing to take immediate action.
'This was a blatant act of antisemitism that has caused distress and upset to many people in the Jewish community in Britain,' Mr Hearn said.
'The Holocaust is not a costume.
'We are glad that the police are now taking action but the question remains why police officers at this protest and outside Parliament did not act on the spot.'
Mr Hearn added: 'Time and again these so-called protesters display racist hatred and contempt for Jews in front of police officers, but it is only when the Jewish community publicly calls this out and demands action that the police engage.'
The Metropolitan Police have declined to answer further questions.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Monday that she has decided to proscribe Palestine Action and will lay an order before Parliament next week which, if passed, will make membership and support for the protest group illegal.
Belonging to or expressing support for a proscribed organisation, along with a number of other actions, are criminal offences carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
The decision comes after the group posted footage online showing two people inside the base at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
The clip shows one person riding an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker and appearing to spray paint into its jet engine.
On Monday, a march took place in support of Palestine Action in central London, during which clashes between the police and some protesters led to 13 arrests for alleged offences including assaulting an emergency worker, obstructing a constable and breaching Public Order Act conditions, the Metropolitan Police previously said.
Palestine Action has staged a series of demonstrations in recent months, including spraying the London offices of Allianz Insurance with red paint over its alleged links to Israeli defence company Elbit, and vandalising US President Donald Trump's Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire, Scotland.
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