Instances of antisemitic attacks in the UK have surged by over 300% since the outbreak of hostilities between Hamas and Israel in early October. The Community Security Trust (CST), a charity dedicated to helping Jewish people in the UK, disclosed that there were 89 hate crimes targeted at Jewish people between 7 and 10 October in the UK. This marked a 324% increase from the 21 incidents recorded during the same period in 2022. Out of the 89 attacks, six were assaults, three involved damage to Jewish property, and 66 were related to abusive behavior, with 22 of the incidents happening online.
Tom Tugendhat, the security minister, said he was “very concerned” at reports of a surge in antisemitism in the UK. According to the CST, the racist anti-Jewish hate crimes include incidences where Jewish people, their property, and institutions have been targeted, including instances of death threats and abuse. The Charity noted that in many cases, the attacks were carried out by using the symbols and language of pro-Palestinian politics as a rhetorical weapon against Jewish people.
In response to the rise in antisemitic attacks, Home Secretary Suella Braverman has written to the police urging them to step up patrols, while some schools have relaxed dress codes to prevent pupils from being easily identified as Jewish. Speaking on Sky News, Mr. Tugendhat compared Hamas’s ideology to that of the Nazis and accused the organization of preaching blood libel, hatred for Jews, and hatred that extends to around the world. He called for a crackdown on the spread of hate, stating that he takes a rise in antisemitism in the UK “extremely seriously.
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