Concerns have been raised regarding the policing of an event in Edgware, with a resident detailing experiences of intimidation and fear during the gathering.
During a meeting on Thursday, 16 July 2026, Ben Samuel, a resident, described how he and others felt intimidated by the event's design. He stated that he attended the event in Edgwarebury to protest peacefully.
However, he described the event as having a design where you have us in the corner on the pavement. You have maybe one to 2,000 people stirred up by social media into believing that they are fighting against anti-Semitism. Blocking the Edgeware way or standing in the, jumping over barriers and stuff.
He added that the people that attacked us, you know, whether they self-define as right wing or just right or far right... my friend was hunched by the far right. And the response I got was a left or a right hook. Right. So from his perspective, he doesn't care whether it was a left or right hook. He's not aware. He wasn't conscious when, you know, when he was concussed or whatever.
Mr. Samuel stated, My intent was not to intimidate. In fact, my experience and the experience of 100 others is we were intimidated. We felt intimidated. And that was kind of the design, if you like, of the event.
Acting Chief Inspector Tom Hinson, part of the Barnet Community Policing Team, addressed the concerns. He confirmed that police did make 14 arrests. And that was across kind of like both sides of the protest.
However, the specific charges for these arrests were not detailed in the meeting information. He encouraged anyone who suffered as a victim of crime in relation to the protest to report it directly to the police for investigation.
Councillor Sara Conway advised Mr. Samuel to contact the police directly, as they lead on public order issues. She acknowledged that it had been a difficult day for many across the Jewish communities, all communities, and for the borough. She also mentioned that there is a general learning from all of these things when they happen
and that the council would be talking later about the program that the council will be doing on tackling antisemitism and promoting cohesion.
She also noted that some of how people have difficult conversations is something we'll very much be looking at in our schools and other spaces across the communities.
Councillor Conway stated that it was a very difficult day for many across the Jewish communities, all our communities and for the borough.
This was in the context of discussing an event in Edgware and its policing, and concerns raised by residents. The specific nature of this 'difficult day' beyond the described event was not elaborated upon.
For more information on council proceedings, refer to the Public reports pack for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 16 July 2026.
