The Board of Deputies has welcomed a new amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that gives the police powers to ban protests aimed at intimidating or deterring people from attending synagogues or other places of worship.
The new measure follows an increase in pro-Palestine demonstrations taking place near synagogues on Saturday mornings, in some cases deterring Jews from attending services.
“Over many months, the Board of Deputies and CST worked closely with police to show the cumulative impact of Palestine demonstrations going close to synagogues on Shabbat,” a spokesperson for the Board said.
“Finally, on January 18, this detailed approach helped the police to decide not to allow the demonstration to again impact on our synagogues. The change of route and police conditions were backed by the Home Secretary,” the Board spokesperson said.
The Metropolitan Police banned the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) from gathering outside the BBC’s London headquarters on 18 January, owing to its proximity to Central Synagogue on Shabbat.
Following this, the Board of Deputies and Community Security Trust (CST) met with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who put forward an amendment to the policing bill in late March.
The amendment, which passed on Friday, will “provide the police with the power to impose conditions on assemblies, processions or a protest that may intimidate people and deter those people from accessing or carrying out religious activities at a place of worship,” the government said.
It does not determine what distance protesters should be away from places of worship.
Existing clauses in the bill ban protesters from wearing masks, climbing statues or throwing fireworks.
Andrew Gilbert, Vice President of the Board, said the amendment would benefit all faith groups: “This amendment won’t just help our community but will help other religious communities too – whether a Christian community on a Sunday or a Muslim community on a Friday.
“It is so important in our community that we respect each other's right to worship and celebrate our religion alongside our rights to peacefully demonstrate.”
Gilbert criticised the PSC for repeatedly proposing protests near Marble Arch and the BBC on Saturday mornings, saying it was “regrettable”.
He pointed to the recent march in Westcliff, Essex, which passed through a Jewish neighbourhood with several synagogues: “This legislation would also have ensured the demonstration in Westcliff would not have happened on that route.”
Rabbi Akiva Usher Padwa of Miluim Lephode Synagogue said the demonstration in Essex went “right past” his shul’s doorstep and caused attendance to drop by a third.
Gilbert added: “We believe this bill and this amendment will be a game changer and will enable a return to Shabbat worship in peace in our city centre.”
