Case Studies

Antisemitic incident report

by Mark Rowe

The Community Security Trust (CST), the charity offering security advice and training for UK Jewish bodies, reports that its latest Antisemitic Incident Report, for January to June 2015, shows a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents.

CST recorded 473 antisemitic incidents during the first six months of 2015, compared to 309 antisemitic incidents in the first half of 2014; a rise of 53pc. The 2014 figure was itself an increase of 38 per cent from the 223 antisemitic incidents recorded during the first six months of 2013. CST has recorded antisemitic incidents since 1984. The highest total CST has ever recorded for the January to June period was 629 incidents in the first half of 2009. In addition to the 473 antisemitic incidents recorded during the first six months of 2015, a further 333 reports were received by CST, but were not deemed to be antisemitic and are not included in this total.

Last year saw the highest ever total recorded by CST for a full calendar year, when 1174 antisemitic incidents were recorded. During the first half of 2015, there were:

44 violent antisemitic assaults, two of which were classified as ‘Extreme Violence’, meaning that they involved grievous bodily harm (GBH) or a threat to life;
35 incidents of damage and desecration of Jewish property;
36 direct antisemitic threats;
five cases of mass-mailed antisemitic leaflets or emails; and
353 incidents of abusive behaviour, including verbal abuse, antisemitic graffiti, antisemitic abuse via social media and one-off cases of hate-mail.

The trust suggests that, while they may partly reflect a real rise in incident levels, the primary explanation for the rise is most likely to be a greater willingness by people to report antisemitism, either to CST or police. The increase mainly occurred in January, February and March, with those months twice as bad as in 2014. That was when British Jews felt especially concerned by antisemitism, after the terrorist attacks in Paris and Copenhagen; and local, national and global media coverage of the subject of antisemitism. January saw 106 antisemitic incidents reported to CST, the sixth-highest monthly total since CST began recording antisemitic incidents. The trust did not include ‘potential incidents’ such as possible hostile reconnaissance; nor crime against Jewish people or property done for general criminal not anti-semitic reasons.

Social media

The CST recorded 88 antisemitic incidents that took place on social media, which are included in the total of 473. That does not reflect the real number of antisemitic comments on social media, the trust says, which is likely to be so large as to be effectively immeasurable; rather the trust says it reflects the reality that social media platforms have become increasingly prominent as arenas for public expressions of antisemitism, that Jewish people are more
likely to view and to report, even if they are not the intended audience.

The trust adds that the increase in antisemitic incidents recorded this half-year did not show the usual features of previous ‘trigger events’. The total did not rise sharply after the attacks in Paris and Copenhagen; nor did a significant number of the incidents make reference to those attacks. Instead, there was a gradual increase in the number of reported incidents of all kinds during that period, and then a gradual decline back to normal levels during April, May and June. For the report in full visit: https://cst.org.uk/public/data/file/0/e/Incidents_Report_-_Jan-June_2015.pdf.

Meanwhile CST reports that its front line security budget significantly increased thanks to donors, old and new; and the trust has been inundated with applications to join a pool of security volunteers. Recently CST saw the completion of five security courses running in the southern regions, ending in a graduation ceremony to present each newly qualified volunteer a certificate and CST badge. CST’s Chief Executive, David Delew, addressed the new security officers in front of over 30 security team leaders, regional managers and security instructors.

About CST

With offices in London, Manchester and Leeds, CST provides security advice and training for Jewish communal organisations, schools and synagogues; it secures Jewish communal buildings and communal events.

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