Clumsy Met Police drop probe on protester with controversial sign of Hamas leader due to inability to locate her, despite interacting with her at the protest

The Metropolitan Police have decided to stop investigating a case involving a protester who was seen carrying a sign that supported terrorist and Hamas leader Yaha Sinwar, even though there is clear photographic evidence identifying the individual.

This female protester was captured by Mail Online while being approached by police officers after being seen carrying a piece of wood with the words “Sinwar stick” on one side and “Spirit of Resistance” on the other.

She held it during a pro-Palestine demo on November 2 attended by thousands of people.

Upon questioning, the officer mentioned that an allegation of inciting hatred had been raised against her. Despite facing the threat of arrest, the protester chose not to disclose her name or address to the authorities.

A Mail Online journalist photographed the exchange and when the story was published, The Met issued a statement saying it had launched an investigation.

At the time, a spokesperson said: ‘At about 1.20pm on November 2, officers policing the Palestine Solidarity Campaign march responded to an allegation of a suspected public order offence relating to a placard being carried by a participant close to Lambeth Bridge.

‘An assessment of that allegation based on the information available at the time, led to no offences being apparent and no arrest was made.

‘Further information has since come to light. This has been reviewed, and we have launched an investigation into a suspected terrorism offence.’

Nearly three months on – despite a clear photo showing the woman – officers have dropped the investigation.

A new statement said: A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘The woman was spoken to by officers earlier that day but did not provide her details.

‘So far, despite extensive enquiries, we have not been able to confirm her identity which means the investigation has not been able to progress further.

‘For that reason it has been closed, although it could still be reopened if she was to be identified.’

That decision has been slammed by groups which campaign against anti-semitism and terror experts.

Colonel Richard Kemp, a terrorism expert and the British Army’s former commander in Afghanistan, said: ‘This is a shocking decision. 

‘What sort of message does this set out? I’d question exactly what steps were taken to find her.

‘For them to launch an investigation into a potential terror offence would suggest they did take it very seriously. What changed?’

Pro-Palestine marches have attracted tens of thousands of supporters in London since October 2023, when the more recent conflict between Israel and Hamas started.

The Met have faced criticism from Jewish community leaders for the way they have been handled.

Dozens of arrests have been made, some for suspect terrorism offences, including support of Hamas, a banned terrorist organisation in Britain.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: ‘This is yet another illustration of the Met’s utterly confused approach to policing these marches. Officers don’t seem to know whether Met policy is to arrest or not arrest, or to arrest now or later. The result is that potential criminals get off scot-free.

‘After being forced to actually investigate what appears to be a blatant glorification of a terror leader, the police should be redoubling its efforts to locate this person, not quietly giving up. Laws and regulations are meaningless if there’s no enforcement.

‘Incidents like this are why only 16 per cent of British Jews believe that the police treat anti-semitic hate crime like other forms of hate crime, according to our representative polling. Our authorities must do a lot better.’