Britons were left shocked after a man brazenly walked past the UK Parliament whilst draped in an Isis flag and even carried a young girl on his shoulders who was seen waving the Islamic State flag, days before Britain is set to mark the 7/7 attack anniversary.
But what has further angered locals is the fact that the police let the man walk free, stating that "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".
A tourist, who had first spotted the man draped in the Isis flag walking near the Palace of Westminster in London, had put up the photo on a Korean website, after which it went viral.
The photo also increased fears ahead of the 7/7 terror anniversary, even as reports had claimed that only last week, an Isis terror attack at the UK Armed Forces Day parade had been thwarted.
It also comes at a time when Britain is in mourning over the killing of 30 Britons in an Isis terror attack in Tunisia.
"The man was spoken to by officers, with consideration given to relevant legislation, particularly the Public Order Act. The decision was taken by officers at the time that the man was acting within the law. He was not arrested," the police said in a statement, according to The Guardian.
"While support of and membership of ISIS is unlawful it is not a criminal offence to advocate the creation of an independent state," it further said.
The police's decision to let the man go free angered citizens, who took to social media to criticise the decision.
Isis has been able to recruit hundreds of Britons in its ranks, with both men and women, and even teenagers, travelling from Britain to Syria and Iraq over the last year.
Here are some of the Twitter reactions on the issue:
How can someone parade around central London draped in an #ISIS flag and not be arrested under public order offence? What a joke - Joseph Ross ⚓️ @jobieowen
@metpoliceuk Is is true about the man walking around london with an ISIS flag? He wasn't arrested? How can we feel safe in the same city? :( - Charlotte J Hancocks @cjcreativejuice
If you had walked down the street in London during WW2 with a Nazi flag, you would have died. Same should apply to #Isis flag. #enough - mkpBrexit @mkpdavies
So world-police deem confederate flag hateful & one that needs to banned. Yet ISIS flag is fine - Kev Reilly@KevReillydotcom
