Holocaust survivor, 87, questioned by police after laying flowers at Trafalgar Square during Gaza protest
Stephen Kapos, 87, was interviewed by the Metropolitan Police on Friday about the pro-Palestine protest on 18 January in central London – a demonstration the force faced accusations of 'repressive and heavy-handed policing' over at the time.
Mr Kapos lived in hiding under the Nazi regime as a child in Budapest, Hungary, after he lost touch with his mother, and his father was taken to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
He is among nine people who have been called in by the Met for questioning after 77 people were arrested on the day of the protest. So far, 21 people have since been charged.
Speaking outside Charing Cross Police Station following his interview on Friday afternoon, Mr Kapos told The Independent he planned to continue marching for peace in Gaza, describing how 'proud' he is that his family, including his son and grandchildren, also join him.
He said he wanted to disprove claims that 'there is solid support from all Jews towards what's going on'.
Mr Kapos spoke surrounded by around 100 supporters, many of whom were either Holocaust survivors or descendants of them. A banner reading 'Holocaust survivor descendants against Gaza genocide!' was one of the signs being held up, while chants such as 'We are all Palestinians' were called out by the crowd.
The grandfather stressed the importance of this during a week when Israel launched a fresh wave of attacks on the Strip, shattering the fragile ceasefire that had held for the past few weeks in a move he described as 'horrifying'.
'The sort of killing that's going on, it's unbearable to watch and one wonders where it's leading to because there is no defence to speak of. They are defenceless people out in the open.
'Their homes have been bombed to smithereens and they are in tents and now they are going to be bombed. It's unbearable and I don't understand how the world can stand it.
'And I'm ashamed of our government and everybody else who facilitates it and enables it.'
Mr Kapos strongly criticised the UK government's response, calling for it to condemn Israel's actions and to end all military contracts.
'They should at the very minimum condemn Israel's actions, which they don't do, and immediately stop all supplies of armaments and any other logistical and information support that they do give,' he said.
'All that should be stopped immediately because there's no doubt about this being an atrocity and international crime, what's going on, what's perpetrated by Israel. So how can you hesitate in the face of that?'
Earlier this week Sir Keir Starmer said he was 'deeply concerned' about the resumption of Israeli military action in Gaza.
The prime minister's official spokesperson insisted 'all parties, including Israel, must respect international humanitarian law'.
'We're clear that Israel must have security, and Hamas cannot play any role in the future of Gaza, but we must see the talks urgently resume, the ceasefire agreement to implement in full and see permanent peace worked towards.'
Mr Kapos described protesting as 'exerting pressure through numbers to make it clear that all this will have electoral consequences'.
Mr Kapos also wanted to highlight how the demonstrations 'are not hate marches' and 'are not no-go areas for Jews, which is again claimed'.
The Met argues protesters allegedly breached Public Order Act conditions that were in place during the 18 January demonstration, which were communicated in advance. They say the conditions required those taking part to remain in Whitehall, but a 'large group' made its way into Trafalgar Square and in some cases attempted to go further.
A Met Police spokesperson said: 'As part of our ongoing investigation into alleged breaches of Public Order Act conditions on Saturday, 18 January we have invited a further eight people to be interviewed under caution at a police station.
'While we are aware of names being attributed to those who have been invited for interview, we do not confirm the identity of anyone under investigation.'
For legal reasons, Mr Kapos was unable to provide details on his police interview, or if the exact reasons behind why he was summoned were disclosed to him.
However, that day, Mr Kapos was among a group of demonstrators who carried flowers to lay down in Trafalgar Square to remember the more than 48,000 Palestinians who have so far been killed, according to Gaza's health officials, since Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
According to the Stop the War Coalition, all of the activists who received police letters calling them in for questioning by the Met were among that group.
More than 50 MPs and peers, as well as trade union leaders and legal experts, were among those who wrote to home secretary Yvette Cooper at the time, demanding an independent inquiry into the tactics used by the Met at the 18 January protest.
A group of 40 'extremely shocked' Holocaust survivors or descendants of Holocaust survivors have now written an open letter condemning the police's questioning of Mr Kapos.
It reads: 'Any repression of the right to protest is bad enough – but to persecute a Jewish 87-year-old whose Holocaust experiences compel him to speak out against the Gaza genocide, is quite appalling.'
Mark Etkind, co-organiser of Holocaust survivors and descendants against the Gaza genocide, is among those denouncing the force's 'over-policing' of the ongoing pro-Palestine protests in general, describing it as 'terrifying, not just for the Palestine movement, but for anyone who wants to protest and believes in British democracy'.
Holocaust survivor Dr Agnes Kory was also among those supporting Mr Kapos outside Charing Cross Police Station on Friday and issued a strong condemnation of Israel's attack on Gaza.
She said: 'In the name of a Holocaust survivor, which is me, and a Holocaust researcher, which is also me, I say no, not in our names, and I have to be at the forefront of peace for Palestine movements.'
In a report earlier this month, United Nations experts said Israel carried out "genocidal acts" against Palestinians by systematically destroying women's healthcare facilities during the conflict in Gaza, and used sexual violence as a war strategy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
17 minutes ago
- Reuters
Israel demands UN scrap investigation body for Palestinian territories
GENEVA, July 17 (Reuters) - Israel has demanded the U.N. Human Rights Council scrap a commission investigating rights violations in the Palestinian territories and Israel, accusing the body of bias, in a letter seen by Reuters. In the message sent on Wednesday, Israel's ambassador to the UN, Daniel Meron, said The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, discriminated against his country. Israel has regularly criticised findings by the U.N.-mandated commission, which has condemned actions by the Israeli military since it launched its offensive on Gaza following the deadly attacks by Hamas militants in October 7, 2023. The commission - established in May 2021 by the Human Rights Council during earlier hostilities between Israel and Hamas - can provide evidence used in pre-trial investigations by tribunals such as the International Criminal Court. "The Commission of Inquiry, both in its mandate and in the work of its members, constitutes nothing less than a manifestation of the institutional discrimination against Israel in the Human Rights Council," read the letter. Council President Jurg Lauber Lauber had received the letter but had no authority to abolish the commission, Council spokesperson Pascal Sim said. That would be up to the Council's 47 members, Sim added. In March a report by the commission said that Israel had carried out "genocidal acts" against Palestinians. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the report's findings biased and antisemitic. Israel disengaged from the Human Rights Council in February.
The Herald Scotland
29 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Notting Hill Carnival boss – ‘We can't ignore impact of knife crime on our event'
The carnival has partnered with the actor's Elba Hope Foundation and its campaign Don't Stop Your Future (DSYF) to combat knife and violent crime in London communities, ahead of the event, which takes place over the August bank holiday weekend. It has also secured extra funding from local councils and the mayor of London to improve safety and infrastructure. Cher Maximen was stabbed in front of her three-year-old daughter during the Notting Hill Carnival (Metropolitan Police/PA) The carnival has faced criticism in recent years for not tackling violent crime. It comes after the murders of two people last year, Cher Maximen, who was killed in front of her three-year-old daughter, and chef Mussie Imnetu, who was repeatedly punched and kicked during an altercation. Takayo Nembhard was stabbed at the age of 21 in 2022. The carnival says it is often portrayed as the cause of knife crime, which it denies, but says it wants to use its spotlight for positive action. Concerns over safety at the carnival have also contributed to insecurity about its future, and the festival's organisers wrote to the Government earlier this year to ask for urgent funding. Carnival chairman Ian Comfort asked for money to steward the event and address safety concerns, amid ongoing warnings from police that there could be a fatality. Eventually City Hall, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council and Westminster city council provided money, allowing this year's event to take place. Matthew Phillip, the chief executive of Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, said: 'We can't ignore the impact of knife crime on our event. The adults parade, part of the Notting Hill Carnival, in 2024 (Lucy North/PA) 'The tragic deaths of Takayo Nembhard and Cher Maximen broke the hearts of their friends and families as well as our communities and, three years on, the family and friends of Takayo still don't have justice. 'These young people didn't lose their lives because of carnival; carnival is not the cause of this crisis, but it can be part of the solution. 'In that spirit, Carnival aligns perfectly with the principles of DSYF. 'Their ongoing work to help disenfranchised young people to make better choices is a productive and sustainable action to a very complex and, ultimately, sad problem. 'They show that there is choice, and we are working with them to amplify this message that we hope will let people know there are other options. 'The Elba Hope Foundation is about creating real pathways for young people, to build confidence, develop skills and find belonging. 'Carnival provides one of the few creative and cultural outlets left for our youth. That's why we must protect it, invest in it and use its platform to uplift others.' The carnival will run from August 23 to 25 and features parades, steelpan, costumes, bands, sound systems and stages. People will be invited to join a 72-second silence at 3pm on Sunday and Monday to honour people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire, and Kelso Cochrane, who was murdered in a racially motivated attack in Notting Hill in 1959.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Caitlin Clark pulls out of All-Star weekend because of groin injury
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference.
