The Holocaust memorial in Hyde Park, London, was covered by officials with a blue tarp over concerns that it might be vandalized by pro-Palestinian protesters during a demonstration in the area on Saturday.
According to a report by The Daily Mail, the memorial was covered under the tarp and then guarded by Metropolitan Police as thousands marched nearby.
The report, which went under the headline "Met Police are so cowed by the anti-semitic mob, they even cover up the Holocaust," was promptly rejected by the Metropolitan Police in a post on X.
This is an inaccurate headline that will only fuel community concerns.The decision to cover the memorial was taken by park authorities, not the police.As the paper’s own article makes clear, it is a precaution Royal Parks have taken for a number of different events. pic.twitter.com/gwNQ87uJrQ
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) April 27, 2024
"This is an inaccurate headline that will only fuel community concerns," the Met Police wrote.
"The decision to cover the memorial was taken by park authorities not the police. As the paper's own article makes it clear, it is a precaution Royal Parks have taken for a number of different events," the post concluded.
Holocaust survivor speaks out
Noemi Ebenstein, 82, commented on the monument to The Daily Mail, saying, "It is shameful. Seeing this, it feels like they are winning.' Those who are Jew haters, those who are Holocaust deniers, they are winning because we are afraid of them."
"I just wish the Western world would stand up to these people instead of running away, covering up monuments, and being apologetic," Ebenstein added.
Responding to the incident, the Yad Vashem holocaust museum in Jerusalem, Israel, has decided to press authorities to address the heart of the reason the memorial was covered. According to the museum, it stems from hatred and antisemitism.
In a statement, Yad Vashem spoke about the incident, saying that "these are the true issues that are eating away at the moral fabric of our society. Holocaust memorials serve as solemn reminders of the unparalleled horrors perpetrated during one of the darkest chapters in human history.
"The decision to cover up Holocaust memorials and exhibitions out of fear from the scourge of global antisemitism is deeply troubling. By concealing these historical reminders, we are only addressing the symptoms while ignoring the root cause of the issue."
Antisemitic incidents have been reoccurring in London since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7. On Friday, the Campaign Against Antisemitism, a UK-based charity, announced the cancellation of their Saturday Walk Together march due to safety concerns stemming from threats.
British Jewish charities have frequently asserted that London has become an area inaccessible to British Jewry, and the recent incident has sparked fresh allegations of double standards in police enforcement.