Home Secretary Suella Braverman is set to meet with Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley today to demand answers regarding the recent incident involving protesters chanting 'jihad' on UK streets. The protest caused a major controversy after the Metropolitan Police live-tweeted the events, stating that words like 'jihad' have multiple meanings. Braverman and other government officials have criticized the police's response and called for stronger action.

Blunder and Controversy

Scotland Yard found itself in the midst of a major row after tweeting emoji-laden messages explaining the various meanings of the word 'jihad'. Home Office minister Robert Jenrick denounced the chanting as completely unacceptable and urged law enforcement to address it with full force. He expressed surprise at the Metropolitan Police's analysis of the issue, stating that he believes the term incites terrorist violence.

Video Evidence

A video circulating on social media showed a man speaking at a protest organized by Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, with a banner in the background reading "Muslim Armies! Rescue the People of Palestine." In the video, a man can be heard chanting 'jihad', while others attending the protest also chanted similar words. The Metropolitan Police responded to the video, stating that while 'jihad' has multiple meanings, no offenses were identified in the specific clip filmed in central London.

The Police's Response

The Metropolitan Police explained that they have specialist counter-terrorism officers with language skills and subject expertise who review videos and photos from protests. In this case, they did not identify any offenses arising from the specific clip. However, they acknowledged the potential impact of such language and spoke to the man involved to discourage similar chanting in the future. The police also sought advice from specialist Crown Prosecution Service lawyers, who reached the same conclusion.

Meeting with the Home Secretary

Home Secretary Suella Braverman is scheduled to meet with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to discuss the ongoing Israel-Gaza protests and seek an explanation regarding the response to the incidents that occurred on Saturday. Braverman and the government emphasize that there should be no place for incitement to hatred or violence on UK streets and call on the police to crack down on anyone breaking the law.

Government's Stance

Transport Secretary Mark Harper expressed his disturbance upon seeing the video clips of the chanting and supported the government's position that the full force of the law should be used. Harper also noted that the police are operationally independent but will have to provide explanations for their decisions.