The man was carrying a young girl on his shoulders who was also waving a smaller version of the jihadist group’s flag. Police stopped the man in the busy tourist area on Saturday, but did not arrest him as his actions did not contradict the law. The incident caused disturbance and uneasy talks on social media, as many British claim that they start feeling unsafe on the streets of the country.
Scotland Yard commented on the situation that the officers spoke to the man and considered his actions within the Public Order Act 1986. A spokesman said: ‘This man was spoken to by officers with consideration given to relevant legislation and a decision was taken by officers at the time that the man was acting within the law. He was not arrested.’ He also added: ‘Wearing, carrying or displaying of an emblem or flag, by itself, is not an offence unless; the way in which, or the circumstance in which, the emblem is worn, carried or displayed is such as to cause reasonable suspicion that the person is a supporter or member of a proscribed organisation.
At the same time the Public Order Act states that a person is guilty if he: ‘Displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby.’
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘ISIS is a prescribed group. Showing signs you are a supporter of that group is an offence’. However, the man was not arrested or fined for wearing and waving the ISIS flag in the front of the Houses of Parliament just the day before celebrating 7/7 terrorists attacks in London in 2005 when a series of coordinated suicide bomb attacks were undertaken targeting public transport system during the morning rush hour.