Antisemitic reactions to this summer’s conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in record levels of antisemitic hate incidents in Manchester according to new figures released by the Community Services Trust today.
The group, which provides physical security, training and advice for the protection of British Jews announced that Greater Manchester saw 52 antisemitic incidents recorded in July compared to 96 in the first six months of the year.
Manchester was not alone.Across the country, they recorded 302 antisemitic incidents in July 2014, a rise of over 400% from the 59 incidents recorded in July 2013 and only slightly fewer than the 304 antisemitic incidents recorded in the entire first six months of 2014.
A further 111 reports were received by CST during July but were not deemed to be antisemitic and are not included in this total. CST has recorded antisemitic incidents in the UK since 1984.
CST spokesman Mark Gardner said:
These statistics speak for themselves: a record number of antisemitic incidents, few of them violent, but involving widespread abuse and threats to Jewish organisations, Jews in public places and on social media. It helps to explain the pressures felt by so many British Jews this summer, with its combination of anti-Jewish hatred and anti-Israel hatred.
The high proportion of offenders who appear to come from sections of the Muslim community is of significant concern, raising fears that the kind of violent antisemitism suffered by French Jews in recent years may yet be repeated here in the UK.
The news come on the day when Manchester Council announced that it would be further cracking down on protests in the city centre. With numbers demonstrating on King street restricted it is now clamping down on a camp site which has been set up on the corner of Police Street and King Street in Manchester city centre and will be talking with Greater Manchester’s police force during today
