Community Security Trust (CST), the charity that monitors antisemitism and provides security for the Jewish community in Britain, has recorded a fall from 2014’s record high of 1179 incidents.
CST recorded 924 antisemitic incidents nationwide during 2015. This was a 22 per cent fall from 2014, which the trust says had been caused by antisemitic reactions to the conflict in Israel and Gaza during July 2014 (316 incidents) and August 2014 (228 incidents).
The second-highest annual total of 931 incidents came in 2009, also a year when there was a major conflict in Israel and Gaza. In contrast, there was no similar ‘trigger event’ in 2015 to explain the relatively high annual total. There were 535 antisemitic incidents recorded by CST in 2013, 650 in 2012 and 609 in 2011. CST has recorded antisemitic incidents in the UK since 1984. For the full report visit the CST website.
The highest monthly totals recorded by CST in 2015 were in January (109 incidents) and February (88 incidents). This may suggest that a higher proportion of incidents were reported to CST and / or Police during those months, as a result of increased concern in the Jewish community following fatal terrorist attacks against Jews in France in January, and Denmark in February. However, the monthly incident totals CST says remained relatively high throughout 2015 and few incidents included references to terrorism. According to the charity, this may either indicate that the true number of antisemitic incidents taking place has remained high compared to the years prior to 2014; or that a higher proportion of incidents is being reported to CST and to the police than in previous years; or it may be due to a combination. A further 686 reports were received by CST, but were not deemed to be antisemitic and are not included in the total.
CST Chief Executive David Delew said: “The fall in antisemitic incidents is welcome and expected although the reduction is less than we had hoped for. We welcome the possibility that more people are reporting incidents to CST and the police, but the number of antisemitic incidents remains unacceptably high. The Jewish community has a right to expect antisemitism to be opposed wherever it occurs. It should have no place in our society.”
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For the chiefs of police body the NPCC (National Police Chiefs’ Council) Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said: “It is good news that the Community Security Trust has seen a 22 per cent fall in the number of antisemitic hate incidents reported to them in Britain. Some police forces are seeing rises in reports, which shows that more people have the confidence to report to the police. Every incident of hate crime of any kind is one too many.
“Hate crime makes the UK a poorer society by spreading fear and causing division where we need unity. Alongside partners like the Community Security Trust, the police are committed to supporting victims, bringing offenders to justice and tackling the root causes.
“Victims should never be afraid to come forward. Anyone who thinks they may have experienced or witnessed hate crime can report it to the police by calling 101 or using our True Vision Website at http://report-it.org.uk/home.”
GMP Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan, said: “Our figures show that there has been a rise in the reporting of anti-Semitic hate crimes across Greater Manchester over the past year, with 178 reported crimes being reported – an 18 per cent increase on last year. A significant factor in this is the increased awareness of these kind of offences and increased confidence from victims when they come forward, we will take every single report seriously. As a result, we have seen a rise in reports of all strands of hate crime across Greater Manchester and, out of all of the strands anti-Semitic related incidents have seen the third lowest rise.
“Hate crime makes the UK a poorer society by spreading fear and causing division where we need unity. Alongside partners like the Community Safety Trust, the police are committed to supporting victims, bringing offenders to justice and tackling the root causes.
“We work closely with partners here in Greater Manchester as well as across the country, meeting with CST every month to ensure that we are doing all that we can to stop incidents of this nature occurring altogether and encourage victims to come forward.”
