'Fun to kidnap Jewish child' amongst reported anti-Semitic speech in Bucks, says Rabbi
A rise in the number of attacks against the Jewish community was reported for the year 2023
Last updated 16th Feb 2024
A frightening increase in the number of anti-Semitic attacks has been reported across the country, including in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.
There was an all-time high number of incidents in the UK last year according to a Jewish charity, which says it recorded a big rise after the Hamas attacks on October 7th.
More than 4,000 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded by the Community Security Trust (CST), which said the total was almost double the previous record in 2021.
The charity, which monitors antisemitism and provides security for the Jewish community in Britain, said there were a total of 4,103 anti-Semitic incidents in the UK in 2023, up from the previous annual record of 2,261 incidents which had been reported two years previously.
"...a child was reportedly overheard saying that it would be fun to kidnap a Jewish child locally."
Buckinghamshire is no exception, as Rabbi Neil Janes told Greatest Hits Radio.
He said: "A member of mine received a note stuck to his door telling him to 'go back to his country', and a child was reportedly overheard saying that it would be fun to kidnap a Jewish child locally."
"It's everywhere; it's pervasive, and the community is concerned about what it means for their safety and security."
"That's what I think this Community Security Trust report shows, is that the massive increase is something that is happening on a scale never known before."
Last October, following the eruption of the conflict in the Middle East, leaders from different faiths joined forces to show unity, peace and cohesion across the county, however it hasn't stopped attacks from being carried out on religious communities locally.
"...the only way we can start to build back social cohesion is if we teach our children how to engage together in a non-hateful way."
In order to prevent future attacks and hate crimes, Rabbi Neil Janes suggested including education around religious hatred into school curricula.
He said: "I'm calling on schools to bring in education targeting hate of antisemitism and islamophobia, because the only way we can start to build back social cohesion is if we teach our children how to engage together in a non-hateful way."
66% of incidents happened after October 7th
Its report, published on Thursday, stated: “This record total is due to the sheer volume of antisemitism perpetrated across the UK following Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
“Of the 4,103 instances of anti-Jewish hate reported, 2,699 (66%) occurred on or after 7 October.
“This figure alone exceeds any previous annual anti-Semitic incident total recorded by CST, and marks a rise of 589% from the 392 instances of antisemitism reported to CST over the same time period in 2022.”
The charity said the week following October 7 saw 416 antisemitic incidents reported to CST, which it said was higher than for any subsequent week.
Its report said: “The speed at which anti-Semitic mobilised in the UK on and immediately after 7 October suggests that, initially at least, this increase in anti-Jewish hate was a celebration of the Hamas attack on Israel, rather than anger at Israel’s military response in Gaza.”
Politicians denounce antisemitism
Home Secretary James Cleverly MP described the rise in antisemitism in recent months as “utterly deplorable” and said he “will do everything in my power” to ensure the Jewish community is safe and feels safe.
Labour’s Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary, said the rise was “appalling and intolerable” and a “stain on our society”.
She said: “There must be zero-tolerance for antisemitism in Britain and those who proliferate that poison on the streets and online must face the full force of the law.”
Her comments come as the Labour party faces criticism around its handling of antisemitism allegations after a second parliamentary candidate was suspended over remarks about Israel.
The party has insisted there are “strong checks” on would-be MPs, after parliamentary candidate Graham Jones was suspended on Tuesday, only a day after Labour was forced to suspend and withdraw its backing for Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali.
CST chief executive Mark Gardner said: “British Jews are strong and resilient, but the explosion in hatred against our community is an absolute disgrace.
“It occurs in schools, universities, workplaces, on the streets and all over social media.”
He thanked the Government and police for their support but added: “We condemn the stony silence from those sections of society that eagerly call out racism
in every other case, except when it comes to Jew hate.”
The Government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, Lord Mann said the report’s figures are a “reminder to British civil society of the serious nature of antisemitism and the impact that it has on the Jewish community”.
He added: “This country will not tolerate the abuse or intimation of any of its citizens and I will continue to make sure that it remains a safe place for our Jewish community.”