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6 months ago
22
Britain has seen the fourth-highest rise in anti-Semitic incidents in Europe since the October 7 Hamas attacks, 'staggering' figures have revealed.
Amid rising concern about US-style pro-Palestine protests at UK universities, a disturbing international league table yesterday showed hate crimes aimed at Jewish people leapt from 1,662 to 4,103 last year – up 146 per cent.
In Europe, only France, Switzerland and Bulgaria recorded a higher rate of increase – prompting campaigners to warn that Britain was 'succumbing to a racist mob'.
Disturbingly, the UK also witnessed 58 per cent more assaults on Jewish people between October 7 and the end of 2023 than the US, despite having just one twentieth as many Jews.
The alarming figures come as universities were accused of deserting Jewish students over pro-Palestinian protests sweeping the country.
Britain has seen the fourth highest rate of anti-Semitic incidents in Europe since Hamas unleashed their terror attack in southern Israel on October 7 last year
The aftermath of an attack on the Supernova music Festival by Palestinian militants on October 7
Students at an encampment on the grounds of Newcastle University, protesting against the war in Gaza
West Yorkshire Police at Leeds University where protesters set up tents on campus in solidarity with Palestine
On Saturday, Edward Isaacs, president of the Union of Jewish Students, said that campus bosses had not been 'allies' to his members and were not making them feel 'included'.
Tell police of hate speech on campus, says minister
University bosses must alert the police if there is 'illegal hate speech' or extremism during campus protests, the Education Secretary has said.
Gillian Keegan warned vice-chancellors of 'alarming levels of division and violence' at universities in the US where pro-Palestine activists have clashed with counter-protesters.
Protests have spread to British universities, with students setting up tents.
University officials have been summoned to Downing Street this week to discuss the issue.
In a letter, Mrs Keegan tells them: 'I know a great deal of work is already under way to plan emergency responses to any escalation of protests... enabling students of all faiths to complete their studies without fear of intimidation or discrimination... Where there is evidence of possible criminality, including illegal hate speech or supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation such as Hamas, it is crucial that you contact the police.'
Figures compiled in an annual report on anti-Semitism by Tel Aviv University and the respected Anti-Defamation League found a sharp increase in incidents since October 7 last year in a string of countries.
Subsequent analysis by the Daily Mail found that the percentage rise in the UK was only topped by France – home to Europe's biggest Jewish population and where there was a 284 per cent increase in anti-Semitic incidents – Switzerland and Bulgaria.
Outside Europe, recorded incidents in Australia – home to 118,200 Jews – rocketed by 737 per cent, from 79 in October and November 2022 to 662 in the same period 12 months later.
A spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said yesterday: 'These staggering figures are the latest confirmation of the surging anti-Semitism that we are seeing across all areas of British life since the October 7 Hamas attack.
'As this report shows, this is not a problem unique to Britain, but Britain is not faring well, and every country must act to protect its Jewish community.
'This is not the tolerant Britain that we cherish: it is a Britain succumbing to a racist mob.'
Highlighting how incidents were on the rise globally even before October 7, the report's authors warned the Hamas terror outrage had 'helped spread a fire that was already out of control'.
Professor Uriya Shavit, head of the Centre for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry, cautioned that 'if current trends continue, the curtain will descend on the ability to lead Jewish lives in the West'.
'With bomb threats against synagogues becoming a daily occurrence, Jewish existence in the West is forced to fortify itself, and the more it does so, the more the sense of security and normality is undermined,' he added.
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