Sussex Police chief reassures communities in wake of Israel and Gaza killings
Chief Constable, Jo Shiner, claims other than 'one or two incidents', tensions remain low locally
The Chief Constable of Sussex Police has given reassurances that the force has seen no increase in community tension in the wake of the killings in Israel and Gaza.
Jo Shiner responded to a question from Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne during a meeting on Friday, October 20.
A woman was arrested earlier this month under terrorism laws following a protest in Brighton. But, other than ‘one or two incidents’ which were being investigated, the Chief Constable said there had been no increase in incidents relating to the situation.
She added: “What I can reassure you about, though, is that we continue to make sure that we assess all of the information, all of the intelligence. We’re constantly in contact with those communities who are affected and we’ve had some really positive feedback around how that’s being done. We’re very alive to those things that we need to respond to.
“But otherwise, whilst there has of course been a rise in terms of community concern, the actual community tension we haven’t necessarily seen any rise in.”
Mrs Bourne was told that monitoring of the situation would continue across East and West Sussex and Brighton.
Regular briefings are being held with staff and officers about how to respond to protests and any escalation in terms of community tensions. And the force has received information from the Home Office about victim support available for the families of those affected.