The UK’s most senior police officer Sir Mark Rowley grabbed a journalist’s microphone when he was asked about the police response to the riots on Monday.
Without breaking his stride or even looking at the reporters, the commissioner of the Met Police then dropped the mic on the ground and continued walking to his waiting car.
He was leaving the cabinet office in Westminster at the time having just attended an emergency (COBRA) meeting over the last week of unrest.
The moment of frustration happened after a journalist asked him: “Are we going to end two-tier policing, sir?”
The government has been accused of creating a two-tier police system by Reform UK chair Richard Tice.
He claimed the UK authorities have been much harsher in response to the Southport riots than the pro-Palestine demonstrations and the violence in Harehills two weeks ago.
More than 420 people have been arrested since the far-right protests began last week.
The prime minister’s spokesperson told reporters on Monday that No.10 did not “recognise” that description of “two-tier policing”.
He said: “The prime minister wouldn’t recognise that characterisation of policing.
“The job of the police is to keep everyone safe, to tackle violence and disorder, no matter the origin.
“There is no justification for this sort of criminal activity and the police will always carry out their job without fear or favour.”