The landscape of antisemitism in the UK in 2020, and the decrease in reported incidents, have been strongly influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, says the Jewish charity the Community Safety Trust (CST).
Just as the pandemic has forced people to find new ways of communicating, it has compelled those who wish to spread anti-Jewish hate to be equally innovative, the report says. In 2020, CST received 19 reports of educational, religious and social online video events hijacked with antisemitic content, according to the CST. It says: “This is an entirely new type of incident, informed by a sudden widespread reliance on such platforms, demonstrating the ability, opportunism and speed of antisemitic offenders to adapt to a new social reality.”
In its blog, the CST recently noted antisemitic content on the video sharing site, BitChute; and after the storming of the US Capitol in Washington DC, comments on two fringe social media platforms used by far right extremists: Gab and 4Chan.
The annual report meanwhile notes that the pandemic gave new strands of discourse also: ‘conspiracy theories about Jewish involvement in creating and spreading Covid-19 or creating and spreading the myth of Covid-19 for various malevolent and financial purposes’. Among cases, the report points to antisemitic tweets posted by grime artist Wiley in July that ‘showcase how hatred can be emboldened and liberated when a person of high social capital and influence publicly exhibits their prejudices’.
CST had feared that months spent indoors without the stimuli of ‘normal’ life would see a sharp escalation in reports of online anti-semitism during 2020, as offenders might ‘take to their keyboards’ out of boredom. Instead, reported online instances of antisemitism decreased; although the CST points out that the actual amount of antisemitic content that is generated and disseminated on online platforms is much larger that what’s reported to it. Unsurprisingly incidents of recorded physical assault dropped drastically, as Covid-19 made social interactions in public more difficult.
For the 52-page report, visit the CST website.
Comment
National Policing Lead for Hate Crime, Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said: “We are deeply grateful to our partners at the Community Security Trust for the support that they provide to us and the service they offer to victims of antisemitic hate crime. We share a determination to reduce the incidents of antisemitism but, where antisemitism fuels criminal activity, we need victims to have the confidence to report the crimes so we can ensure they get the support they deserve and that we bring offenders to justice. 2020 has been another testing year with global and national events exacerbating hostility and increasing the fear of crime.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has dominated and disrupted so many lives and has provided a new focus for historic hostilities. We have observed that the conspiracy theories that have affected many communities often include antisemitic tropes. This presented us new challenges in 2020 and, as we’ve come to expect, CST is able to help others to stay safe, as well as the Jewish community. One example was the guidance on how to stay safe in online events, created after the earlier ‘Zoom-bombing’ incidents mentioned in this report. This was shared with a broad range of community groups to provide the resource for the protection of all communities. We concentrate on the unacceptably high numbers of antisemitic incidents, in comparison with other states but I believe that this disparity is because of improved partnerships and recording practices and I genuinely believe that the United Kingdom is amongst the safest places in the world for Jewish citizens. However, one crime is too many and everyone has a right to live their lives free from targeted abuse. I would encourage all victims of hate to report crimes, either to the police or to the CST.”
