Met PC Ruby Begum dismissed without notice over racist tweets

A Metropolitan Police officer who posted abusive tweets about Jewish and non-Muslim people has been dismissed without notice.

Ruby Begum, 29, admitted to a police misconduct hearing she used language such as “dirty Zionists" while serving as a special constable but denied committing gross misconduct.

She also admitted using the term “kuffar” to refer to non-Muslims, and to making offensive comments about the September 11 terror attacks.

But the Met's misconduct panel ruled she had committed gross misconduct and breached the standards of professional behaviour over equality and diversity.

About 25,000 posts were made on her account on Twitter - now X - between 2013 and 2019, the hearing was told.

Derogatory posts she made about Jewish people had included: “Dirty Zionists. Hell is waiting” and “Zionists have no heart”, the panel heard.

When asked about these comments, she said they were about the Israeli government and the deaths of Palestinians and she "didn’t think it was a term of offence".

"If I was describing Jewish people, I would just say Jewish people. I have nothing against Jewish people. I have no hate towards that group," she said.

Ms Begum also made a series of posts about the September 11 attacks, which she told the panel were a response to the Islamophobic abuse that followed the attacks and were not mocking those who died.

She had told the panel her behaviour amounted to simple misconduct and a final warning would be sufficient.

Ms Begum previously told the panel: “I was silly. It was almost 10 years ago and I’ve developed a lot through the police.

"It looks bad on paper and I can see how immature I was … I made a mistake which I’m sorry for."

Ms Begum, who was raised in a Muslim household in east London, said the comments were “embarrassing” and told the panel her “narrow-minded” views at the time had been driven by being brought up inside a “bubble”.

However, the panel found her posts to be "appalling", "derogatory" and "abusive".

It rejected her claims of immaturity as "she was an adult and a serving police officer" and pointed out she underwent two rounds of equality and diversity training, once in 2014 when she joined as a special constable and again in 2016 on becoming a full-time police constable.

Ch Supt Colin Wingrove, from the Met, said: “There is absolutely no place within the Met for anyone with racist or otherwise hateful attitudes."

He added: “We are working hard to build a culture where anyone can feel welcome and thrive.

“Those who undermine these goals have no place in the organisation. They are not suitable to serve Londoners and will feel the consequences."

Following the hearing, Ms Begum will now be placed on the barred list held by the College of Policing.

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