No police action over 'death to IDF' chant at Senedd

Police say they are taking no action after the Welsh Conservatives complained to them about a chant at a Gaza demonstration outside the Senedd.

The party had posted a video on social media of protesters calling for the death of the Israeli military at a pro-Palestinian demo outside the Welsh Parliament on Tuesday.

On Wednesday afternoon, Welsh Tory Senedd leader Darren Millar told the Senedd police were investigating.

In a statement, South Wales Police later said: "The matter has been reviewed, there will no further police action and the reporting person has been updated."

The matter led to a spat in the Senedd on Wednesday, where the Welsh Conservative Senedd leader was accused of trying to imply that Senedd members that attended the demo were being investigated - something he denied.

A representative of the group that organised the demonstration said it was "not a chant we use ourselves" but declined to condemn it.

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrations gathered outside the Senedd on Tuesday, holding a long red cloth which surrounded the Senedd and its adjacent office block.

Campaigners said the cloth symbolised a "red line" to show the anger of people in Wales at the situation in Gaza.

After the demonstration took place, Millar alleged in the Senedd that the same chants used by the singer of Bob Vylan at Glastonbury were heard at the demonstration - including "death, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]".

That matter is being investigated by Avon and Somerset police.

On Wednesday, the Welsh Conservatives posted a copy of a video from another user on X showing a man shouting into a megaphone "death death to the IDF", with others responding with the same chant.

The Senedd building can be seen in the background.

BBC Wales was told the matter had been raised with police by the Conservatives' chief whip Paul Davies.

In the Senedd on Wednesday Millar said there were "hate-filled chants were repeated by protesters after they were shouted and screamed down a megaphone by a speaker".

"And that, of course, was a protest attended by Plaid Cymru and Labour members of this Senedd. They are rightfully being investigated by the police."

Deputy Presiding Officer David Rees asked Millar to clarify that there were no Members of the Senedd (MSs) being investigated.

"No, they're investigating the chants," Millar said.

Despite this, Plaid Cymru MS Heledd Fychan demanded Millar "retract that comment, apologise and correct the record".

Millar again confirmed there was no reference to any MS, but Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: "You knew exactly what you were doing... The insinuation was clear."

Social Justice Secretary Jane Hutt said the Welsh government condemned "any vile hatred expressed by individuals who seek to create a climate of fear".

Labour MS Jenny Rathbone told the Senedd "members of all three parties of more than one member went to talk to the demonstrators yesterday".

"It's absolutely right that they do so," she said.

"We cannot simply exclude ourselves from talking to people because we may or may not disagree with them, and we have to recognise the appalling situation that we have in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza," she said.

Zahid Noor of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) Cymru which organised the demonstration, said: "This is not language or a chant we use ourselves. Our focus remains on ending the genocide in Gaza and holding those in power to account.

"We, however, will not condemn a chant rooted in legitimate criticism of a state accused of genocide."

He accused Millar of "trying to ferment a moral panic to shift the conversation away from Israel's genocide against Palestinians to focus instead on how people are protesting".

He said the PSC "stands firmly against all hatred and racism".

Israel denies the accusation of genocide in Gaza, made by Amnesty International and others.

In response to PSC Cymru, Millar said: "I make no apologies for calling out hateful speech which incites violent behaviour."