Standing Against Rising Antisemitism

Fear, sadness, anger, isolation. The overriding emotions for many British Jews after a wave of antisemitic attacks in their own communities.  

The arson attacks across London, the horrific terrorist attack in Manchester, and the double stabbing in broad daylight just over a week ago in Golders Green did not happen in a vacuum. They form part of a broader and deeply worrying wave of anti-Jewish hatred in recent years.  

The figures underline the scale and current trajectory of this deadly menace. The Community Trust recorded 4,103 antisemitic hate incidents in 2023, up from 1,662 in 2022, with a further 3,528 incidents recorded in 2024. While a Home Office report published last year also found that Jews experienced the highest rate of religious hate crimes of any group in the country.  

Antisemitism has no place in our society, and nobody should fear walking down the street because of their identity or religion.  

Internationally, we are living in tense and tragic times. In this climate, we mustn’t conflate the Jewish community with the actions of the current Israeli government, just as criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu’s rule must not be automatically labelled antisemitic. Those distinctions are important, because those who seek to divide us thrive on such false binaries.  

This is the reason why the Liberal Democrats have consistently called on the government to confront the underlying root of modern-day antisemitism in our country. That means not only increasing protective security around synagogues, schools, and community centres, but also better training and education for police and prosecutors to properly identify and tackle antisemitic hate crimes.   

The intelligence suggesting the Iranian regime may be linked to a number of the recent attacks amplifies our calls for the Government to follow through on its promise to proscribe the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organisation.  

However, the indication that a foreign power could so easily recruit, or carry out, such abhorrent acts on our streets emphasises the need for a deeper, long-term plan to eradicate the hatred before it escalates.    

So, the Prime Minister’s decision to bring together universities, arts groups, and charities is important as we must work together and challenge this rhetoric wherever it appears.  

Britain is strongest when people of all backgrounds stand together against prejudice and extremism in all its forms. Our Jewish friends should feel safe walking the streets and openly expressing their identity without fear.  

This Sunday’s march is an important moment to show that solidarity.