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Sunday 27 July 2014

Rising tide of anti-semitism in Britain as Jewish people face backlash over bloodshed in Gaza


  • Over 100 hate crimes recorded this month, more than double usual number
  • Attackers invoke the Holocaust and even shout ‘Heil Hitler’ at victims
  • Bricks thrown at Belfast's only synagogue, smashing windows
  • Rabbi attacked by four Muslim teenagers outside school in Gateshead
  • Bomb threat and stones thrown at a boy on a bike in North London 
A young Palestinian protests with thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside parliament in London on Saturday
A young Palestinian protests with thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside parliament in London on Saturday

Jewish people in Britain are enduring a backlash of attacks, bomb threats and anti-semitic insults fuelled by the bloodshed in Gaza.

More than 100 hate crimes have been recorded by police and community groups this month, more than double the usual number.

Community safety groups fear the total could be the second highest ever recorded, after an explosion of violence during the 2009 Gaza war.

In several disturbing cases attackers have invoked the Holocaust and even shouted: ‘Heil Hitler’ at victims.

A rabbi was attacked by four Muslim teenagers outside a Jewish boarding school in Gateshead in one of the most serious incidents.

In Belfast, bricks were thrown at the city’s only synagogue, smashing windows on two consecutive nights.

Groups of Asian men chanted 'Heil Hitler’ as they drove through a Jewish area of Manchester, throwing missiles at passers-by.

In north London, one pro-Israel organisation received a telephone bomb threat and a Jewish boy riding a bicycle had a stone thrown at his head by a woman in a niqab.

More than 100 incidents have been reported to the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity that helps to protect Jews, since the start of this month.

The surge in attacks and threats follows a similar trend in 2009, when up to 1,400 Palestinians were killed during the Gaza war.

Mark Gardner, of the CST, said the figure is ‘at least double’ what the community safety group would expect to see.

He said: ‘We have had at least double the number of incidents that we would expect, but the situation is not out of hand – as is the case in France.

‘The community is aware and alert but not panicking and life continues exactly how it should.’


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