Andrew Dismore

A report by the Community Safety Trust (CST) has revealed a shocking rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the UK. There were 1,309 incidents in 2016, a rise of 36% from 2015, when 960 incidents happened. The previous record year was 2014, with 1,182 incidents, especially during August around the time of the Gaza conflict.

The figures were published in the annual report of the CST, an organisation which works for the physical protection of British Jews, collecting data, liaising with the police and providing an annual report (which can be read here).

 Andrew Dismore Labour Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden, said:

“2016 was a woeful year for Anti-Semitic attacks. There were severe spikes in the aftermath of the Brexit vote and the election of Donald Trump. The prognosis is bleak in Europe too, with the Presidential election likely to see the Front Nationale’s Marine Le Pen doing well, and the German elections seeing the rise of far right Alliance Für Deutschland.”

 

“Locally in my constituency in the weekend after the inauguration of Donald Trump, a brick with swastikas was thrown into the window of a Jewish home in Edgware, and eggs were thrown at Jewish people. I remain vigilant against the threat of anti-Semitic attacks, and have helped arrange a meeting for Shomrim, the security team for the Jewish community, and Sophie Linden, the Deputy Mayor for Policing. I have also raised this with the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who shared my concerns.”

 

“This report comes around Holocaust Memorial Day, an event in the calendar  I was instrumental in founding. The commemorations I have attended this year have been especially poignant, and come as a sadly necessary reminder that divisive and racist rhetoric leads to the most appalling crimes. If we really mean “never again” and “we will remember them” then we must all play our part in calling out, challenging and rooting out anti-Semitism.”