Anti-semitism in the UK ‘reaches 30-year high’

Pictured above: an anti-semitic image posted on Twitter by a far right account in Wales, December 2014

The Jewish security charity, Community Security Trust (CST) recorded close to 1,200 incidents last year, more than double the number in 2013.

They include assaults, threats to kill, desecration of synagogues and cemeteries, and abuse. There were also 60 incidents recorded of what the CST term ‘potential hostile reconnaissance’ of Jewish buildings.

Read more: anti-semitism makes Jews 'question their future in UK'

In its annual report the CST explains the main trigger for the spike was last summer’s conflict in Gaza.

Gaza

There was a 400 per cent increase compared to the summer of 2013 but the report say that even without the ‘Gaza factor’ the underlying trend still shows an increase of nearly 30 per cent.

The charity highlights one incident of extreme violence where the victim was called a Jewish c*** and then hit with a glass and a baseball bat.

In excess of 20 vehicles & houses vandalised on Osbaldeston Road #N16 with #Antisemitic graffiti. Got info? Call 101 pic.twitter.com/64NOJXYTct

— Shomrim N.E. London (@ShomrimOfficial) December 29, 2014

Among the examples given is one in Birmingham where four men tried to force their way into a former synagogue shouting ‘kill the infidels, you are Satan worshippers, are any f****** Jews here”.

Another is of a rabbi driving through London when a man shouted in Arabic “slaughter the Jews” while running his finger across his throat.

Charlie Hebdo

There’s been growing concern amongst Britain’s estimated 400,000 Jewish communities in the wake of the Paris armed terrorist attacks last month.

The Home Office sanctioned increased police patrols for those communities and today’s figures are not going to ease the current state of alarm.

Commander Mak Chishty, hate crime lead for the Metropolitan Police Service, said: “We will not tolerate hate crime and will take positive action to investigate all allegations, support victims and arrest offenders.

“In light of recent events, victims of hate crime must be assured that they will be taken seriously by the police.

“No one should suffer in silence, so please report hate crime to us as soon as possible so we can act. We have five hundred specialist officers across London working in our Community Safety Units who are dedicated to investigating hate crime.