The year 2019 was the worst year on record, with a total of 1,805 incidents deemed antisemitic by CST (Community Security Trust). This is 7pc higher than the 2018 total of 1,690 incidents and is the fourth successive year in which a new annual high has been recorded. For the second successive year, CST recorded over 100 incidents in every calendar month.
Almost two thirds of the 1,805 antisemitic incidents were recorded in Greater London and Greater Manchester, the two largest Jewish communities in the UK. CST recorded 947 antisemitic incidents in Greater London in 2019, three fewer than the 950 incidents recorded in London in 2018. CST recorded a fall of 11 per cent in antisemitic incidents in Greater Manchester, from 251 incidents in 2018 to 223 in 2019. In total, 327 antisemitic incidents, or 18 per cent of the overall national total, were recorded by CST in the north London borough of Barnet, which has the largest Jewish population of any borough in the country.
Beyond London and Manchester, CST recorded 635 antisemitic incidents in the rest of the UK, an increase of 25 per cent from the 510 incidents recorded outside these two cities in 2018. This is likely to reflect the increase in online incidents, and improvements in incident data sharing between CST and Police
To download the full 40-page report visit the CST website.
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CST Chief Executive David Delew described 2019 as another difficult year for British Jews. He said: “It is clear that both social media and mainstream politics are places where antisemitism and racism need to be driven out, if things are to improve in the future.”
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “Who could have imagined that 75 years after the end of the Holocaust, antisemitism would be on the rise in the UK and across Europe. There is no place for antisemitism in our society. It is a scourge on us all and the record high number of recorded incidents in 2019 is completely unacceptable. This Government stands with CST – together we are committed to working with the Jewish community to stamp out anti-Jewish hatred and prejudice. Educating future generations about antisemitism is crucial. Our new funding to tackle antisemitism on campus and plans to combat Online Harms by targeting the appalling rise in antisemitic social media incidents, form a vital part of our commitment to root it out of our society.”
About the CST
The Community Security Trust (CST) is a UK charity that advises and represents the Jewish community on matters of antisemitism, terrorism, policing and security. It CST provides security advice and training for Jewish schools, synagogues and Jewish communal groups. Visit https://cst.org.uk/.
