Rishi Sunak has said Sir Mark Rowley needs to rebuild “confidence and trust” with the Jewish community in order to retain his support.
The Prime Minister said he would back the Metropolitan Police commissioner on the condition he convinces the public that his officers are not “tolerating behaviour that we would all collectively deem unacceptable”, following claims the force has “chosen a side” on pro-Palestinian protests.
Sir Mark is under huge pressure and has already faced high-profile calls to resign over the force’s threat to arrest an “openly Jewish” man at a rally in London.
Mr Sunak expressed “shock and anger” at the incident, branding it “clearly wrong”, and demanded action from the Met chief to rebuild trust with both the Jewish community and the wider public. He also confirmed James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, will meet the commissioner to discuss the matter on Monday.
Asked if he had confidence in Sir Mark at a press conference in Downing Street, Mr Sunak said: “Yes, I do have confidence in him, but that is on the basis that he works to rebuild the confidence and trust of not just the Jewish community but the wider public, particularly people in London, but more broadly.
“And you regain that trust and that confidence by making it clear that the police are not tolerating behaviour that we would all collectively deem unacceptable when we see it because it undermines our values. And I think that is critical.
“And I know the Home Secretary will be meeting the commissioner later today.”
Earlier, former home secretary Suella Braverman claimed the Met had “chosen a side” on pro-Palestinian marches as she attacked the force over its treatment of Gideon Falter, the head of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, who was stopped by police as he tried to cross the road during a protest in central London.
Mr Falter, who had just come from the synagogue and was wearing a kippah skullcap and carrying a bag containing his prayer shawl, was told by a Met Police sergeant at the scene his presence could inflame tensions.