The
situation in Gaza has led to an increase in antisemitic attacks on British
Jews.
CST received more than 240 calls on antisemitism in the month of July alone, the organization said, up from around 50 per month earlier this year.
Several examples of antisemitic incidents and other activity in relation
to anti-Israel protests have been reported to CST:
Demonstrators on a march through central London assaulted and verbally
abused a Jewish woman who expressed her support for Israel as they walked past.
Marchers surrounded her, called her a “Jew Zionist” and stole her phone. Later
the same afternoon, demonstrators from the same march verbally abused another
Jewish woman who was with her two young children, telling them to “Burn in
hell.”
A pro-Israel demonstrator at a rally in central London was knocked
unconscious by a group of assailants who were part of a counter-protest. While
it is not believed that anything antisemitic was said, this level of violence
from pro-Palestinian protestors is a worrying development.
A Rabbi walking in north London was verbally abused by a group of youths
who shouted “Free Palestine”, “F*** the Zionists”, “F*** the Jews” and “Allah
Akhbar.”
“Baby murderers” was shouted at a synagogue in Liverpool.
A pro-Israel organisation in London received a telephoned bomb threat.
A visibly Jewish boy was cycling in north London when a woman wearing a
black niqab threw a stone at him, hitting him on the head.
These are just a handful of over 130 antisemitic incidents reported to
CST since the beginning of July. This is roughly double the number we would
expect to be reported during this period under ‘normal’ circumstances.
Approximately ten of these incidents have involved violence. Approximately 14
have involved the use of social media.
