Displaying items by tag: antiSemitism

Michael Gove has addressed the rise in antisemitism in Britain, warning it signals broader societal dangers. In his speech, Gove likened the situation to historical instances where countries becoming unsafe for Jews indicated a descent into darkness, referencing Nazi Germany and others. He criticised the display of anti-Jewish symbols at pro-Palestine marches and called for stricter measures against such displays of hatred. Gove urged the House of Lords to pass a bill preventing public bodies from boycotting Israeli-linked businesses. His comments follow a record 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2023.

London police are set to meet with Jewish leaders following concerns raised by the Jewish community over their safety. The discussions are a response to tensions from pro-Palestinian marches, with reports of some participants expressing extremist views. Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley, under scrutiny for the force's handling of an incident involving an 'openly Jewish' man, will also confer with mayor Sadiq Khan and home secretary James Cleverly. The police apologised after suggesting the man’s presence could provoke demonstrators, a comment they later retracted, clarifying that being Jewish is not provocative. The Met has been actively deploying officers during these events to balance the rights of protesters with the safety of Jewish residents and counter-demonstrators.

Alid Ahmed, a Moroccan asylum seeker in England, is accused of murdering 70-year-old Terence Carney and attempting to murder his housemate Javed Nouri, a Christian convert, citing ‘revenge’ for Israeli actions in Gaza as his motive. Ahmed, who attacked both victims with knives, also assaulted two female police officers during his arrest. He initially targeted Nouri for being a Muslim convert to Christianity, then killed Carney, mistakenly believing both victims were dead. The attacks occurred soon after the Hamas attacks in Gaza, with Ahmed claiming his actions were to ‘free Palestine from the Zionists’. Despite Ahmed's claims of religious and political motivations, including his desire for martyrdom and references to the conflict in Gaza and Israel's actions, the trial is focussing on determining his intentions during the attacks. The prosecution claims his actions were driven by a combination of personal grievances and his perceived religious and political motivations. The case is ongoing.

Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to suspend any Labour member who was present at a meeting of activists where antisemitic comments were allegedly made. Mike Katz, the national chair of the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM), criticised those who were present at the meeting but failed to 'call out' comments about Israel. At the meeting, which is understood to have taken place in Hyndburn last year, Labour's original candidate for the Rochdale by-election claimed Israel deliberately allowed the Hamas atrocity of 7 October to take place in order to give it the 'green light' to invade Gaza. The Labour Party initially stood by Mr Ali, but later withdrew support for his candidacy after 'further comments' came to light. Another one of the party's election candidates, the former Labour MP Graham Jones, had also been present at the meeting, and made comments resulting in his suspension. Mr Katz said there was a real problem that nobody raised concerns. He said: 'Well, they're identifiable. They all ought to be suspended pending investigation’. A third Labour MP was spoken to about his attendance at the Hyndburn meeting. See

At London’s Guildhall on Holocaust Memorial Day, Rishi Sunak and others condemned the alarming rise in antisemitism. The day's theme, 'Fragility of Freedom,' highlighted the importance of freedom from fear for all, especially Jewish and Muslim communities. Sunak, in his video address, directly addressed the disturbing increase in antisemitism, emphasising the need to act on the lessons of the Holocaust. He described the resurgence of antisemitism as 'despicable' and 'sickening’. The Chief Rabbi also expressed concern over the ongoing threat of antisemitic attacks. This ceremony comes amid a significant rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia, often connected with the Gaza conflict. Survivors of the Holocaust and other genocides shared their harrowing experiences at the ceremony. Peter Lantos, a Holocaust survivor deported to a Nazi concentration camp at the age of five, recounted the horrors he witnessed, underscoring the day's message of 'never again’.

The heads of three top US colleges, including Harvard's president Claudine Gay, have testified before the House of Representatives in response to accusations that their institutions were not doing enough to combat antisemitism on campus. Jewish students at these universities had reported facing antisemitic threats and assaults, particularly due to the conflict in Gaza. The college leaders acknowledged the rising tide of antisemitism and Islamophobia on campuses but highlighted the challenge of balancing freedom of speech and protest with protecting students from hate. A recent survey found that nearly 75% of Jewish college students had experienced some form of antisemitism during the school year. Muslim and pro-Palestinian students also faced challenges, with instances of doxxing (public identification of people without their consent) and bias incidents reported. The House committee questioned the colleges' response to these issues.

Prime minister Elisabeth Borne has pledged to combat rising antisemitism vigorously after anti-Jewish graffiti was discovered on buildings in various Paris neighbourhoods. She emphasised that the situation in the Middle East should not justify antisemitism and stated that her government is committed to an unrelenting battle against it. Since the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel, France has documented 857 antisemitic incidents, according to interior minister Gerald Darmanin. This figure represents as many antisemitic acts in three weeks as there have been throughout the entire year. The authorities have launched multiple investigations into the Paris graffiti, with Darmanin promising protection to Jewish communities across France. The graffiti included blue Star of David symbols on several buildings, triggering painful memories and emotional responses from residents. Carine Petit, the mayor of Paris's 14th district, pointed out that such acts of marking buildings are reminiscent of the 1930s and World War II, which resulted in the extermination of millions of Jews. See

On 18 October two people threw Molotov cocktails at a synagogue in Berlin, as anti-Semitic violence escalated in Europe. The attacks came after Hezbollah called for a ‘day of rage’ over the explosion at a hospital in the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of people are feared dead. The Central Council of Jews said that ‘day of rage’ was not just a phrase but ‘psychological terror that leads to concrete attacks’. The synagogue also houses a community centre, a kindergarten and high school for 130 children. One local said, ‘We knew it was only a matter of time and it's not the end.’ Jewish institutions typically have ongoing police protection in Germany, and reports suggest officers were at the scene when the attack happened. Hours later, police briefly detained a man who approached the building on a scooter, then ran towards the synagogue shouting anti-Israel slogans.

Antisemitic incidents in the UK have surged enormously since the Hamas attack on Israel, with 89 ‘anti-Jewish hate’ cases reported from 7 to 10 October, compared to 21 during the same period last year. There have been six assaults, three instances of property damage, and 66 cases of abusive behaviour, including 22 online. Examples included a Jewish person being verbally attacked with anti-Semitic slurs while walking to a synagogue in London, and the occupants of a car outside a London synagogue shouting threats like ‘Death to Israel’ while waving a Palestinian flag. Security minister Tom Tugendhat expressed grave concern, likening Hamas's ideology to that of the Nazis and calling for measures to combat hate speech. Home secretary Suella Braverman has urged increased police patrols to prevent further incidents. Jewish schools in London and Manchester have heightened security, with some students advised not to wear blazers in public to avoid being easily identified as Jewish.

The Government has confirmed reports that the Iranian regime plans to attack Jews and Israelis in the UK if Israel carries out a military attack on Iran. Last week the Jewish Chronicle reported Iran was mapping out the locations of Jews, Israelis and Iranian anti-regime activists in the UK. The security minister said, ‘We have very clear intelligence about the activities of hostile regimes in the UK and keep a very close eye on their agents' activities of surveillance. We know that Iranians are paying British crooks and criminal gangs to spy for them and you can be very clear that we do not issue these warnings lightly.’ He added, ‘All threats against UK people are taken very seriously and we highlight Israelis and Jewish communities because we see threats and Iranian operational activity directed against them.’