Hamas-Israel war: Surge in hate crimes against Jews, Muslims in London; Rishi Sunak calls it ‘disgusting’

London has witnessed an escalation in antisemitic incidents amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Data from the Metropolitan Police reveals that antisemitic incidents surged from 14 to 105, and offences from 12 to 75, between September 30 and October 13, compared to the same period last year.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the trend “disgusting” and weighed in on the issue during his visit to Sweden. He conveyed that adequate funds had been allocated for fortifying Jewish establishments, emphasising that the UK would not tolerate any form of intimidation or threats against its Jewish communities, the BBC reported. He informed that high-level meetings were in progress to ensure safety measures were robust.

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The Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Met Police, Laurence Taylor, revealed that instances of Islamophobia had also gone up, though not as substantially as antisemitic incidents. He described incidents that included intimidation outside synagogues and inappropriate playing of German military music.

Taylor further outlined that they had enacted a strong police operation, involving over a thousand officers, to offer reassurance and conduct security patrols across vulnerable locales. This heightened security is expected to be in place for the foreseeable future.

Hamas-Israel war: Jewish schools shut down

Three Jewish schools in north London remained shut on October 13 due to concerns about organised protests in support of Palestinians. The Met Police, however, clarified that there were no specific threats to schools but that meetings with parents were being facilitated to discuss apprehensions. They have more than 30 officers solely dedicated to liaising with schools and parents.

This surge in hate crimes comes ahead of an anticipated pro-Palestinian protest, expected to draw thousands in London. The Home Secretary asserted that stern actions would be taken against anyone displaying support for Hamas.