Metropolitan Police Detective Sergeant Dismissed Following Social Media Controversy
A detective sergeant serving with the Metropolitan Police has been dismissed from her position after sharing what authorities have described as "overtly political" social media content concerning the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The misconduct panel determined that several of her posts violated professional standards, with one particular comment being formally classified as antisemitic under established international definitions.
Details of the Controversial Posts
Rebecca Collens, who was previously based within the Road and Transport Policing Command, shared the contentious material on her private Instagram account, which had over one hundred followers. The posts came to light following an anonymous report made through the force's internal whistleblowing service in May 2024.
The panel heard that among the shared content was an image juxtaposing victims labelled "Palestine 2024" with those from what appeared to be a concentration camp labelled "Germany 1945". This was accompanied by a caption stating, "The world said never again and here we are again 79 years later." Ms Collens added her own commentary to this post, writing, "a classic case of the abused becomes the abuser… no?"
Panel Findings on Antisemitism and Impartiality
The misconduct panel concluded that this specific post fell within the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. They noted that the officer had accepted the term "abused" would refer to Jewish people rather than the State of Israel, which did not exist in 1945. The panel explicitly stated that drawing comparisons between contemporary Israeli policy and that of the Nazis constitutes a contemporary example of antisemitism.
Furthermore, the collection of posts was found to demonstrate a clear lack of impartiality and presented a one-sided perspective on the Gaza conflict during a period of heightened public sensitivity following the events of October 7, 2023.
Additional Content Shared by the Officer
The Metropolitan Police detailed several other posts shared by Ms Collens:
- A post declaring, "Stop calling this a war… This is genocide," which argued against parity of power between Israel and Gaza.
- A post criticising Western media portrayal of Israel as a victim while listing military actions in Syria, Gaza, and Lebanon.
- A graphic that appeared to compare the daily number of children killed at Auschwitz with the daily number of children killed in Gaza.
- Comments criticising potential restrictions on ceasefire marches, where she wrote, "god forbid people protesting against war/war crimes/genocide for a ceasefire… make it make sense!"
Officer's Response and Senior Condemnation
During proceedings, Ms Collens stated that her intention was to highlight the "suffering and devastation in Gaza" and expressed feelings of "guilt, helplessness, heartbreak and pain." She asserted she had no intention to "hurt anyone or be disrespectful of the Jewish faith" and described being "horrified" and "mortified" at being labelled antisemitic.
However, Detective Chief Superintendent Donna Smith delivered a stern rebuke, stating: "DS Collens' conduct was wholly unacceptable and I find it inconceivable that she did not think these posts could be seen as offensive or overtly political. There is no room in the organisation for anyone who thinks this type of behaviour is appropriate. We are building a culture where anyone can feel welcome in the Met and those who undermine this are not suitable to serve."
The panel ultimately concluded that, on the balance of probabilities, the contentious post was antisemitic, regardless of whether the officer appreciated this at the time of sharing. This case underscores the stringent expectations of political neutrality and professional conduct placed upon serving police officers, particularly regarding public communications on internationally sensitive matters.
