Antisemitic abuse and Islamophobia rises after conflict

A Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request sent to West Yorkshire Police showed the amount of antisemitic hate crimes in the month following the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 had increased by 430 per cent from the same period the year before.

The force recorded 53 such crimes between October 7 and November 7 this year, compared with 10 in 2022 and 14 in 2021.

There was also a rise in the amount of Islamophobic offences in the aftermath of the conflict breaking out, but not quite as drastic.

West Yorkshire Police recorded 49 such crimes in the month after October 7 this year, as opposed to 29 in 2022 – a rise of 69 per cent.

There were 38 Islamophobic offences in the county recorded by the force during the same period in 2021.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: “Any rise in hate crime is a concern and our officers are continuing to engage with their communities, particularly during the current Israel and Hamas conflict. 

“Our local neighbourhood teams are also carrying out increased visible patrols to provide reassurance. 

“Everyone has a right to live their life, and practice their religion, without the fear of targeted abuse for who they are.

“Anyone who has been subjected to a hate crime should not suffer in silence. We would urge anyone with concerns, or who has witnessed any offences, to please report it.”

The number of antisemitic hate crimes recorded by many of the UK’s largest police forces also jumped drastically.

Greater Manchester Police recorded 74 antisemitic offences in the month following the Hamas attacks on Israel, compared with 15 for the same period in 2022 and 14 in 2021.

This means an increase of 393 per cent.

West Midlands Police recorded 22 antisemitic offences from October 7 to November 7, compared with one in 2022, and eight in 2021.

Islamophobic offences also rose for some forces, although the picture was more mixed across the country.

Greater Manchester Police recorded 34 in 2023, 43 in 2022 and 42 in 2021, while West Midlands Police recorded 25 in 2023, 33 in 2022, and 23 in 2021.

Jewish charities called the findings “shocking”, while campaigners against anti-Muslim abuse said the data was “deeply worrying”.

The Home Office condemned the rise in offences, adding: “There is no place for hate in our society.

“We expect the police to fully investigate all hate crimes and work with the CPS to make sure the cowards who commit these abhorrent offences feel the full force of the law.

“Following recent events, we have also made further funding available to Jewish and Muslim communities, to provide additional security at places of worship and faith schools.”

The Community Security Trust said the figures made clear “the extent of the unacceptable rise in anti-Jewish hatred across the country since the Hamas terror attack on October 7”.

A spokesman for the Jewish charity said: “This wave of antisemitism was triggered by the mass murder, rape and kidnapping of Jews in Israel, and is fuelled and sustained by extremist hatred online and on our streets.

“It is essential that perpetrators are identified and prosecuted, and that wider society shows its disgust for this racist hate crime.”

Tell Mama, which monitors and works to tackle anti-Muslim sentiment and abuse in the UK, told PA that “levels of anti-Muslim hatred and discrimination are deeply worrying, impacting trust in authorities and their sense of identity and belonging”.

Iman Atta, the organisation’s director, said there had been a “significant spike in anti-Muslim hate since the atrocities on October 7”, adding: “The nature of many offline cases sent to our service is often overtly racist – targeting Arab and Palestinian communities with dehumanising slurs, anti-Muslim slurs or in some cases targeting their homes, or when speaking Arabic in public, as well as targeting Muslim communities across all ages and gender.

“We should never allow such hatred and intolerance to take root in our communities and at this time, please look out for each other, whether Muslim or Jewish. We must stand together against intolerance, hate and racism.”