The CST, a charity which monitors antisemitic incidents across Britain and provides security for the Jewish community, recorded 283 such incidents in the first half of 2011, compared to 325 in the first six months of 2010.
These incidents included 41 violent antisemitic assaults, 35 incidents of antisemitic damage to Jewish property and 186 incidents in the category of ‘abusive behaviour’, which includes verbal abuse, hate-mail and anti-Semitic graffiti on non-Jewish property.
The first half of 2009 saw a record high of 628 antisemitic incidents, more than is recorded in many full years, largely because of antisemitic reactions to the conflict in Gaza.
CST says it defines an antisemitic incident as “any malicious act aimed at Jewish people, organizations or property, which shows evidence of antisemitic motivation, language or targeting.” It doesn’t include the many instances of antisemitism that regularly feature on extremist websites and demonstrations, for purposes of consistency and collection of data.
The group noted that for the first time it recorded more incidents in Manchester than in London.
Greater Manchester saw in the first six months of 2011 an increase of 27 % in the number of incidents reported to CST: 121 against 95 in 2010.
This increase, CST said, occurred mainly in Salford due to local community awareness campaigns and enhanced exchange of information between CST and Greater Manchester Police.
There were 98 antisemitic incidents recorded in Greater London, down from 127 in the first half of 2010.
“CST welcomes the fall in antisemitic incidents, that comes during a time of relative calm on Jewish-related issues here and overseas. The increase in Manchester reflects local reporting initiatives, and we thank the local Jewish community and Police for their partnership with us,” CST spokesman Mark Gardner said.
