Dismore condemns record level of anti-Semitic crimes

Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden Andrew Dismore has condemned the record level of anti-Semitic incidents in the UK. There were 767 anti-Semitic attacks in the first half of 2017 — the highest figure recorded within six months since monitoring began in 1984. The total number of incidents recorded from January to July by the Community Safety Trust (CST) represents an increase of 30 percent from the 589 incidents from the same time period of 2016. The number of attacks in London rose by 10 percent.

 

Mr Dismore said:

 

‘The release of these shocking statistics paints a damning picture of the persistently high levels of hatred directed at British Jews. Recent terror attacks in London and Manchester seem to have been accompanied by an increase in racist attacks, and Britain’s Jewish community continue to suffer.’

 

‘The rise in attacks raises a serious concern in my mind about cuts to London’s Safer Neighbourhood team, down from 6 in most London wards (or 9 in Barnet, part of my constituency). I am pleased the current Mayor Sadiq Khan has started to reverse this, and added an extra officer per ward, taking the total to 3, but we have a long way to go to restore proper neighbourhood policing. Strong ward police teams were far better at picking up these crimes, and gathering useful information. I fear that this has been lost, and the lack of police presence on the ground makes members of the Jewish community, more than many others, less safe.’

 

‘Added to the Police’s woes are £400 million of further cuts to come on top of £600 m so far. For London, that will mean losing most of our police stations.. Pressure must be applied to the Government to stop these cuts, and keep our vulnerable communities safe.’

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