Moment Met boss dodges question over two-tier policing of riots by grabbing reporters’ mic & chucking it to floor
THIS is the moment a top cop appears to grab a journalist’s microphone after leaving a Cobra meeting.
Footage shows Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley seemingly putting his hand over the reporter’s mic and throwing it to the floor – after being quizzed over “two-tier policing”.
It then appears he walks away while other members of the press follow him.
The reporter asked him: “Are you going to end two-tier policing?”
Sir Mark remained silent following the question.
Regarding the incident, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “The Commissioner had a positive and constructive meeting with the Prime Minister and partners across government and policing.
“He was in a hurry to return to New Scotland Yard to take action on the agreed next steps.”
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer today insisted that attacking innocent Brits for the colour of their skin is thuggery, not a protest.
The PM hit out at the depraved far-right maniacs wreaking havoc across Britain by cruelly targeting and attacking ethnic minorities.
He said: “This is not protest – this is violence. We’re not going to tolerate that in this country.”
Today Sir Keir summoned ministers and police chiefs for the first Cobra meeting since the riots started.
Speaking after the meeting, the Prime Minister said: “There are a number of actions that came out of the meeting.
“The first is we will have a Standing Army of specialist public duty officers so that we will have enough officers to deal with this where we need them.
“The second is we will ramp up criminal justice. There have already been hundreds of arrests, some have appeared in court this morning.
“I have asked for early consideration of the earliest naming and identification of those involved in the process who will feel the full force of the law.”
Fake news ‘bots’ & vile accounts spreading lies on social media WILL be stopped, Starmer vows
Speaking after today's Cobra meeting, the PM said:
There have been hundreds of arrests, people are already being charged and the police will continue to update on the specifics in relation to progress on arrests and charging.
The police are continuing to deploy additional resources around the country at strategic locations where necessary.
The police, home office, DC and NCA, are working to tackle criminality online, to ensure people are prosecuted, and they are working to tackle misinformation and bot activity.
The additional courts protocol is in place to ensure that additional court capacity is in place as is needed.
As the home office announced I think, on Friday, the protective security and mosque scheme has been extended with additional security in place across across the country.
Social media companies have responsibilities under the law. They have responsibilities to keep their users safe.
They have responsibility for ensuring that criminal activity is not on their platforms, and likewise, individuals who post illegal content online should know that they will also be met with the full force of the law.
There is not some sort of immunity by inciting illegal activity online.
There’s no kind of safe space where you can avoid prosecution, just because you are engaging in illegal activity online.