This week, the Community Security Trust (CST) published a new report on antisemitism, recording the highest number of antisemitic incidents ever in the first half of 2019, with almost 40% online.
This is the highest number of incidents CST has ever recorded in the January to June period of any year and is a 10% increase from the 810 incidents recorded during the same period in 2018.
The new Home Secretary, Rt. Hon. Priti Patel MP, has promised to “work closely with the Jewish community” following the release of the CST’s report. She said: “Antisemitism is a despicable form of racist abuse which has no place in our society. Through our Hate Crime Action Plan we continue to improve our response to all forms of hate crime so that no one is attacked because of who they are”.
She added: “We work closely with the Jewish community, and this year increased funding to the Community Security Trust for protective security to £14 million”.
The new Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick MP responded to the CST figures, saying that antisemitism “has absolutely no place in our society and it is utterly appalling to see that the number of antisemitic incidents continues to rise”.
Mr Jenrick promised to “fund education courses to tackle the scourge of racism at its root. Jewish people, and all our faith communities, must feel safe in Britain” and that he “will do everything in my power to stamp out this cancer wherever it appears”.
The main difference compared to previous recording shows the number of incidents of antisemitic abuse on social media has dramatically increased by 46% to 323 cases.
The CST said: “This increase [in online incidents] is the most obvious single factor explaining why the overall total rose by 10 per cent in the first half of the year. It is difficult to assess whether this reflects an increase in the amount of antisemitism online or more reporting”.
Antisemitism in the Labour Party also powered the statistics, with 55 Labour-related occurrences in the weeks after many MPs resigned, over concerns of antisemitism in the party.
These figures given by the CST showed that two thirds of all antisemitic incidents were noted in London and Manchester, where the two largest Jewish populations are situated. Smaller numbers were reported in Hertfordshire, Merseyside, Gateshead, Birmingham, Leeds and Wales.
CST Chief Executive David Delew said: “This is the third year in a row that CST has seen an increase in reports of antisemitic incidents. The problem is spreading across the country and online, it reflects deepening divisions in our society and it is causing increasing anxiety in the Jewish community. It will take people of all communities and backgrounds standing together to turn this tide of hate around”.
CST has recorded antisemitic incidents since 1984.
Click here to read the CST’s report.
