‘Explosion of hatred’ against UK Jews since Oct 7 outrage
ANTI-SEMITISM hit an all-time high last year in an “explosion of hatred” against the Jewish community following the Hamas terror attacks on Israel, official figures show.
The Community Security Trust (CST) said the surge in anti-jewish attacks, threats and abuse amounted to a “celebration” of Hamas’s Oct 7 massacre by anti-semites whose own hatred was fuelled by the brutality of the attacks.
Its annual report said that there were 4,103 anti-semitic incidents in the UK last year, nearly double the previous record in 2021, covering all types of “hate” against Jewish people.
Mark Gardner, the CST chief executive, said: “British Jews are strong and resilient, but the explosion in hatred against our community is an absolute disgrace.”
James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, branded the rise in anti-semitism “utterly deplorable” and said he would “do everything in my power” to ensure the Jewish community was safe.
Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, said the rise was “appalling and intolerable” and a “stain on our society”.
Her comments come as the Labour party faces criticism over its handling of anti-semitism allegations after Sir Keir Starmer was forced to suspend two parliamentary candidates over remarks they made about Israel.
The CST recorded 48 anti-semitic incidents connected to political parties or their supporters, of which 35 were Labour-related.
These included anti-semitic incidents targeted at Labour figures, which meant they “should not be treated as a measure of incident perpetrated by Labour party members” , said the report. Mr Gardner condemned the rise of incidents in schools, universities, workplaces, on the streets and on
social media. “We condemn the stony silence from those sections of society that eagerly call out racism in every other case, except when it comes to Jew hate,” he said.
Two thirds of the anti-semitism reports received by the CST – a charity which protects Jews against racism – were on or after Oct 7.
Attacks increased by 147 per cent compared to the 1,662 recorded in 2022, and were 81 per cent higher than the previous annual record of 2,261 in 2021.
The CST said the speed at which anti-semites mobilised after the attack, and the huge increase in anti-jewish hate, “was, if anything, a celebration of Hamas’ massacre by people whose own hatred was emboldened and, in their minds, legitimised by the brutality enacted on civilians in southern Israel”.
The first incident inspired by Hamas’ attack was reported to CST at 12:55pm on the same day, when a vehicle drove past a synagogue in Hertfordshire with a Palestinian flag attached, windows wound down and an occupant shaking their fist in the air towards the synagogue. By the morning of Oct 9, “Free Palestine” graffiti was sprayed on a bridge in Golders Green, the heart of one of London’s largest Jewish communities. A total of 31 anti-semitic incidents were reported to CST within 24 hours of the Hamas attack, while it peaked at 416 the following week.
Incidents were at a record high across all types of “hate” last year. CST recorded 266 assaults, double the 136 in 2022 and the most ever recorded in a year. Cases of damage and desecration of Jewish property rose by 146 per cent from 74 in 2022 to 182 last year, the highest ever annual figure in the category.
Threats to people, institutions or property – as opposed to more general abuse – rose by 196 per cent from 103 incidents in 2022 to 305 last year, another record. Abusive behaviour also hit a record high with 3,328 incidents.
The charity noted a “worrying proportion of children perpetrating anti-semitism”, with under-18s thought to be behind a fifth of the 2,086 incidents recorded where the offender or offenders’ approximate age was provided.