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A detective sergeant with London’s Metropolitan Police Service was dismissed after sharing social media posts comparing Israel’s war against Hamas to the Holocaust, according to a report published on Monday.
Rebecca Collens lost her position after a misconduct hearing reviewed her posts. She shared them on a private Instagram account with more than 100 followers. An anonymous complaint to the Met’s whistleblowing service in May 2024 triggered the investigation.
During the hearing, the panel reviewed posts in which Collens reshared an image labeled “Palestine 2024.” It appeared beside a photograph of Nazi concentration camp victims marked “Germany 1945.” She captioned the post: “The world said never again, and here we are again 79 years later.”
In other posts, Collens described the war as a case of “the abused becomes the abuser” and accused Israel of committing genocide. The panel said Collens acknowledged that “abused” referred to Jewish people, as the State of Israel did not exist during the Holocaust.
Conduct Ruled Antisemitic Under IHRA Definition
The panel concluded that the posts fell within the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, which explicitly identifies Holocaust distortion and inversion as antisemitic conduct.
The ruling also showed the definition’s practical value as an operational tool. By applying clear standards, the panel distinguished legitimate political expression from antisemitic conduct.
Moreover, the panel found the posts overtly political and one-sided. It noted that Collens shared them after the October 7th massacre and the ensuing Gaza war. Collens told the panel she meant to highlight suffering in Gaza. However, police leadership rejected that explanation.
Detective Chief Inspector Donna Smith described the conduct as “wholly unacceptable.” She said it was inconceivable that Collens did not see the posts as offensive and politically charged.
Take Action
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