Hundreds of anti-Semitic incidents reported in Barnet, Camden and Haringey as targeting of Jews increases
Graffiti in London Picture: CST - Credit: Archant
A charity has released its 2016 report on anti-Semitism in the UK – which shows a “shocking” 36 per cent rise in incidents.
A social media incident Picture: CST - Credit: Archant
The Community Security Trust (CST) reports there were 1,309 anti-Semitic incidents last year, compared to 2015’s 960.
There were 267 in Barnet, 77 in Camden and 48 in Haringey – among the highest in London.
The incidents range from verbal assault in person or on social media to destruction of property and violent attacks.
CST put the rise down to a cumulative effect of recent events including high-profile allegations of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party and increased discussion about racism,
Anti-Semitic graffiti found in London Picture: CST - Credit: Archant
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It also cited the 2014 conflict between Israel and Gaza, terrorist attacks against Jews in Europe, a perceived climate of increased racism and xenophobia in Britain after the EU referendum and a large increase in the reporting of hate crimes generally.
Tom Watson, deputy leader of the Labour Party, said he found the report “extremely distressing”.
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He added: “I don’t want to live in a country where any member of the Jewish community feels unsafe, afraid or discriminated against and it is shocking that the number of antisemitic incidents is on the rise in the UK.
We must root out antisemitism whenever it takes place and wherever it exists, as a party and as a country.”
Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson, who said anti-Semitism has no place in his party - or in Britain Picture: Danny Lawson/PA - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Home Secretary Amber Rudd, meanwhile, said anti-Semitism was a “deplorable form of hatred” that must be expunged from British society.
She said: “We are providing £13.4million to protect Jewish sites, have improved police recording of religious hate crime, and last year published our Hate Crime Action Plan to set out further action on this abhorrent abuse.”
For CST chief executive David Delew, the growing level of anti-Semitism is “deeply worrying”.
He said: “Worst of all is that, for various reasons, some people clearly feel more confident to express their antisemitism publicly than they did in the past. CST will continue to support the victims of this hatred and we call on others to join us in confronting it wherever it appears.”
