Police up patrols as Jewish community suffers 1,300% increase in hate crime

Anti-semitic offences have surged amid the Israel-Hamas war
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London's Jewish community is experiencing “once in a generation” levels of anxiety and fear brought on by a huge surge in anti-Semitic crimes, according to police.

Chief Inspector Rob Gibbs spoke out as it emerged anti-semitic offences had soared by 1,353 per cent in the capital with 218 committed between October 1 and 18, compared to 15 in the same period last year. Islamophobic crimes also went up from 42 to 101 over the same period - a rise of 140 per cent.

The spike in offences has come since Hamas terrorists launched an attack on Israel, killing around 1,400 people. Around 3,000 people in Gaza have died in subsequent retaliatory strikes by Israel’s military.

In two examples, a man was arrested on suspicion of defacing posters of missing Israelis in Camden and another male in relation to 10 incidents of anti-Muslim graffiti on bus stops in the New Malden and Raynes Park areas. Ch Insp Gibbs invited the Standard on ramped up patrols to protect synagogues, schools and shops in Golders Green.

Officers were overwhelmingly welcomed by the public as they walked streets and visited potentially vulnerable places of worship, making contact with managers and security teams.

Police are aware of social media posts calling for a protest in Golders Green on Saturday night.

Last week, pro-Palestinian graffiti was daubed in white paint on main rail bridges in the area which has a prominent Jewish population.

On Saturday, more than 1,000 officers will police another significant demonstration organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign due to begin at Marble Arch at midday, proceeding along Park Lane, via Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square and ending up in Whitehall.

Ch Insp Gibbs said the Metropolitan Police’s high-level visibility and reassurance patrols involving thousands of officers will continue amid the fallout from Hamas’ attack on Israel.

Police visit a synagogue in Golders Green area
Anthony France

He added: “The vast majority of what we are seeing is anti-Semitic and when there’s crime, our response is swift.

“There is genuinely a level of concern, and even probably fear, in the Jewish community and I don’t think we’ve seen that before.

“I talk a lot to faith leaders and councillors. They’re talking about once in a generation concern right now.

“The Jewish community very much want to see us being visible in the area.

“I want people to be safe and continue contacting us via 999, 101 or stopping officers in the street so we have the full intelligence picture.”

Bagel shop owner Simon, 65 - who has worked in Golders Green for nearly four decades - told officers: “Yes, people feel worried but hopefully it will end soon. It’s nice to see the police in such numbers - it gives you confidence, but it’s a shame they are not armed.

“If terrorists have weapons, what are police without guns going to do?”

Police patrols have been ramped up in Golders Green, north London
Anthony France

Hate crimes against Jewish peoole surged in the 12 days since hundreds wre killed by Hamas militants on October 7.

The Jewish Community Security Trust recorded at least 457 anti-Semitic incidents, 249 of them in London, after Hamas militants launched their attack, an eight-fold increase on the 55 recorded over the same period last year.

The group say this is the highest ever 12-day total since it started recording incidents in 1984.

Among examples, two Jewish girls’ schools in north London were vandalised with red paint by hooded figures caught on CCTV, the loud playing of German military music and worshippers intimidated outside synagogues.

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