In the wake of the recent Hamas terror attack on Israel, the Community Security Trust (CST) has reported a staggering surge in antisemitic incidents across the UK. In the 14 days following the attack (Saturday, October 7, to Friday, October 20), CST recorded at least 533 antisemitic incidents—the highest ever total reported in a fourteen-day period since the organisation began recording such incidents in 1984.
This provisional total is expected to increase further as more delayed reports are received and ongoing verification continues. The magnitude of the increase is alarming, with a 651% rise in anti-Jewish hate acts compared to the same period in the previous year.
These incidents target Jewish individuals, communities, and institutions solely based on their Jewishness. Many involve hateful comments, threats to life, and physical attacks, often intertwined with the rhetoric and iconography of pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel politics.
Even when compared to periods of previous conflicts involving Israel, these statistics stand out as unprecedentedly high. The last significant spike in antisemitism related to events in the Middle East occurred in May 2021, with 445 incidents reported in the first 14 days. In July 2014, during the first 14 days of the conflict, 122 incidents were recorded. In contrast, the current total of 533 incidents is provisional and likely to increase.
The incidents fall into various categories, including 19 assaults, 31 instances of damage and desecration to Jewish property, 58 direct threats, 424 cases of abusive behavior (verbal abuse, graffiti, hate mail, online abuse), and one instance of mass-produced antisemitic literature.
CST recorded 296 antisemitic incidents in Greater London, 85 in Greater Manchester, 22 in West Yorkshire, 13 in Hertfordshire, 12 in the West Midlands, nine in Nottinghamshire, eight in Merseyside, eight in Scotland, and the remaining 80 incidents spread across 23 different police regions around the UK.
Online incidents, often involving multiple antisemitic posts and comments in the same thread, numbered 162 out of the total 533. Additionally, 45 antisemitic incidents were linked to universities, a notable increase from previous periods.
Examples of recorded incidents include the removal or defacement of posters of Jewish hostages in London, Manchester, and Leeds, physical assaults with anti-Jewish slurs, mezuzah removal in Hertfordshire, online threats, and hateful messages directed at Jewish schools.
CST is urging immediate reporting of antisemitic incidents to the police and themselves. The organisation stands firm against anti-Jewish hatred, emphasising the need for investigation, arrest, and prosecution of those responsible.
To report an antisemitic incident to CST, individuals can use the online form or call the 24-hour National Emergency Number at 0800 032 3263 for urgent or out-of-hours reports.
