Hate crime targeting Jews in the UK has escalated for the third year running, reaching the worst level on record according to a new report. The shock result has prompted a warning from Jewish people that they are enduring “intolerable” levels of hate crime.
At the same time the number of charges for those perpetrating hate crimes against Jews fell “drastically”, with alleged perpetrators charged in fewer than a tenth of cases, campaigners say. They also claim a “paltry” 15 cases were prosecuted last year.
The new figures were obtained from all UK police forces by the Campaign Against Antisemitism for its National Antisemitic Crime Audit. In summary it highlights:
- Antisemitic hate crime has surged 44 per cent since 2014, making 2016 the worst year on record
- 1 in 10 antisemitic crimes were violent but only one violent antisemitic crime was prosecuted in 2016
- Almost half of police forces did not charge a single one of the antisemitic crimes reported to them
- Only 1.4 per cent of antisemitic crime was prosecuted — just 15 cases last year
- The Home Secretary has issued a statement promising to “consider the report’s recommendations carefully”
In 2016, anti-Semitic crime rose by 14.9 per cent against 2015, or 44.5 per cent against 2014. There were 1,078 anti-Semitic crimes in 2016 and a consistently elevated level of anti-Semitic crime has become the new normality for British Jews.
Gideon Falter, chairman of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, which compiled the analysis, said:
“The failure of police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service to protect British Jews is a betrayal. The solutions are simple, but whilst the right promises are being made, little has been implemented. The result is that British Jews continue to endure intolerable levels of hate crime.”
The campaign’s report warned that a consistently elevated level of anti-Semitic crime has become the “new normality” for British Jews since the middle of 2014.
Forces recorded 105 violent offences against Jews in 2016 – which was down by 44 per cent on the previous year, the assessment found.
In a statement, the Rt Hon. Amber Rudd MP, Home Secretary, responded to the new report, saying hate crime of any type is not acceptable. She continued:
“Everyone in this country has the right to be safe from violence and persecution. We are working together to tackle antisemitic hate crime in all its forms and using the full force of the law to protect every person in the UK. Our Hate Crime Action Plan has encouraged further action against hate crime across the police and criminal justice system.
“This includes encouraging more victims to report incidents to the police. We will consider the report’s recommendations carefully as we develop new ways to rid the country of this sickening crime.”
This is not the first time a study has revealed the level of anti-Semitic hate crime in the UK. As Breitbart Jerusalem reported, in February a different study revealed anti-Semitic hate incidents are surging to record highs in Britain.
The Community Security Trust charity said there were on average more than three anti-Semitic incidents per day in 2016.
It said there were 1,309 incidents last year, a 36 percent increase over the year before. It is the highest total since the group started keeping records in 1984.
Most of the incidents involved verbal abuse, hate mail and graffiti. There were also 81 cases of vandalism and damage to Jewish property.
Follow Simon Kent on Twitter: Follow @SunSimonKent or e-mail to: skent@breitbart.com
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