A “massive increase” in antisemitic hate crimes has been recorded by the Metropolitan Police since the eruption of violence between Israel and Hamas militants.
In the period between 30 September and 13 October, the force recorded 105 incidents of antisemitism and 75 offences – up from just 14 incidents and 12 offences during the same period in 2022.
Incidents include intimidation outside synagogues and German military music being played loudly, to “thoroughly offensive” behaviour where Jewish people have been confronted by a protest group “laughing about the numbers of deaths”.
Condemning the rise of antisemitism as “disgusting”, prime minister Rishi Sunak has announced £3m in extra funding to protect schools, synagogues and Jewish communities.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced increased funding to keep the British Jewish community safe (Lucy North/PA)— (PA Wire)
The Met Police told a press conference on Friday that an increase in Islamophobia had been recorded, but “nothing alike in the scale of increase”.
The shocking rise in incidents comes as three north London Jewish schools close for the day, citing concerns for children’s safety amid a rise in antisemitism.
Ateres Beis Yaakov Primary School in Colindale, Torah Vodaas Primary School in Edgware, and Menorah High School in Neasden all told parents on Thursday they would not reopen until Monday. Sky News also reported that a fourth school had told parents to keep their children at home.
Met Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who is leading London’s response to the conflict, said that “no specific threat” had been made but closure decisions remained in the hands of the individual schools.
The head teacher of Menorah High School for Girls, a state secondary school with 389 pupils, said the decision was made “in view of the planned protests” on Friday.
The BBC reported that Esther Pearlman told parents: “Please be aware that this difficult decision has been reached because the [sic] of the risk of violence on the streets.
A large pro-Palestinian protest on Saturday has been planned in London— (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
“The police are concerned that as the girls are not in school, they will venture outdoors and have asked us to advise you that it is incumbent on you as parents that your children remain indoors.”
One father said he had been advised by his children’s schools to disguise their uniforms “so they are not signalling in any way they are Jewish”.
In response, the Met Police said it had 300 dedicated school officers who are meeting headteachers and parents, while one of its frontline commanders held a meeting with 2,000 parents to address their concerns.
By the end of Friday, all 300 synagogues across the city will have been visited by officers, while an additional 1,000 officers are patrolling “vulnerable locations” to provide reassurance and support.
Mosques and other places of worship have also been visited, while conversations are ongoing with religious and community leaders, with police patrols expected to continue “into the foreseeable future”.
A planned pro-Palestinian protest which is due to take place in central London on Saturday will also be carefully monitored, with the Met anticipating more than 10,000 people attending.
An additional 1,000 officers are patrolling ‘vulnerable’ areas in London— (Getty Images)
Protestors carrying flags supporting Hamas or other proscribed organisations will be arrested, while the force has asked for “absolute clarity” from the Crown Prosecution Service as to which behaviours cross the criminal threshold.
A woman has been arrested on suspicion of supporting the terror group after a speech was made at a demonstration on Sunday. The 22-year-old remains in police custody.
The protest comes after the conclusion of the 24-hour warning given to the 1.1m residents of north Gaza to evacuate, despite having “nowhere to go”.
The besieged enclave has been targeted by thousands of airstrikes since last weekend’s unprecedented attack on Israel, orchestrated by Hamas, the terror group that rules the Gaza Strip.
Announcing new funding to help keep communities safe, Mr Sunak told broadcasters in Gotland, Sweden: "There’s been a, quite frankly, disgusting rise in antisemitic incidents over the past few days.
"That’s not right. We have provided extra funding to the Community Security Trust to make sure that Jewish institutions - whether that’s synagogue or schools - have all the protection they need and the police have all the support that they need to ensure that our streets are safe for people from all communities.
"Because we will absolutely not tolerate people inciting hatred, or violence, or racist activity, intimidating or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated.
"It will be met with the full force of the law."
