Two-Tier Policing Row Erupts After Pro-Palestine Protester Dresses as Holocaust Victim in London

Maria Gallastegui, a pro-Palestine activist, sparked outrage after dressing as a Holocaust concentration camp inmate at a recent protest in London, replacing the Jewish Star of David with a Muslim crescent and star. Jewish groups, MPs, and Labour Against Antisemitism criticized the costume as a religiously aggravated and distressing distortion of the Holocaust, accusing Scotland Yard of ignoring the protester's actions. This incident has fueled claims of "two-tier" policing, highlighting discrepancies in law enforcement responses, especially when compared to prosecutions for acts like Quran burning, which are treated as religiously aggravated offenses. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick and others have condemned the apparent unequal protection of religious sentiments, suggesting a blasphemy double standard that favors Islam over other faiths. Gallastegui defended her outfit as a history lesson rather than antisemitic, intending to draw parallels between Holocaust victims and Palestinians affected by conflict. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has been urged to investigate the matter amid growing calls for accountability and consistency in policing religiously sensitive protests.