Met police drops probe into man accused of wearing 'Hamas' parachute at pro-Palestine protest
Furious campaigners have branded Scotland Yard's decision not to charge the suspect in line with terror laws as 'remarkable'.
The Metropolitan Police had warned 'anyone displaying symbols, wording or otherwise indicating their support for a proscribed organisation risks arrest' ahead of a central London protest on October 5 last year commemorating one year since the start of the conflict following the 2023 October 7 massacre.
Yet the Met closed its investigation into the unnamed man accused of wearing the parachute – interpreted as support for terrorists who used paragliders to enter Israel from Gaza in the attack – despite the force even publicising his arrest on social media.
It said on its X account the suspect was 'wearing what appeared to be a parachute' and shared a clip showing him being taken away by officers in Whitehall during the protest.
The force said he was 'arrested on suspicion of wearing or displaying an article indicating support for a proscribed organisation', but the case was quietly dropped earlier this summer due to 'evidential difficulties'.
A Campaign Against Antisemitism spokesman told the Mail: 'This kind of imagery glorifies a proscribed terrorist organisation and its lethal antisemitism.
'The reported decision to drop the investigation is remarkable and the public is entitled to an explanation.'
A Met spokesman said: 'The findings from our investigation did not meet the evidential threshold for any charges to be brought against the individual.'
On Saturday police arrested more than 70 protesters for supporting newly banned terrorist organisation Palestine Action.
A vicar was among at least 42 people detained by Scotland Yard officers as activists gathered for a second week in a row beside a statue of Gandhi in London's Parliament Square, holding placards reading: 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.'
Another 16 arrests were made in Manchester and 13 people were also held in Cardiff at other related demonstrations the same day.
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