Braverman urges police chiefs to crack down on anti-Jewish hate

Police chiefs have been urged to step up patrols to prevent anti-Jewish disorder following the renewed violence between Hamas and Israel.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has written to forces in England and Wales telling them to “use all available powers to prevent disorder and distress to our communities”.

She said officers should “act immediately to crack down on criminality, both in our streets and online”.

Ms Braverman said: “The barbaric attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists who have massacred civilians and kidnapped the most vulnerable, including the elderly, women and children, is truly sickening.

“The UK stands unequivocally with Israel in her fight against this evil.

“There can be zero tolerance for antisemitism. Sadly, we have seen in recent years how events in the Middle East are used as an excuse to stir up hatred against British Jewish communities.

“There is no place for demonstrations, convoys, or flag-waving on British streets that glorifies terrorism or harasses the Jewish community.

“I am writing to police chiefs in England and Wales to urge them to step up patrols and use all available powers to prevent disorder and distress to our communities.

“I have been clear officers should act immediately to crack down on criminality, both in our streets and online.”

The Home Secretary visited the Community Security Trust, which acts to protect the safety of Jewish communities, and joined Met Police officers on patrol in north London.

Her intervention came as pro-Palestinian graffiti was daubed on bridges in Golders Green, an area of the capital with a prominent Jewish population.

Free Palestine has been written on the bridges in what has been called “a deliberate attempt to intimidate the Jewish community”.

The graffiti is being investigated as a potential hate crime by British Transport Police (BTP).

Dave Rich from the Community Security Trust said: “This graffiti is a deliberate attempt to intimidate the Jewish community.

“It is disgraceful and should be roundly condemned by all sides. We expect the police to fully investigate because this cannot be allowed to continue.”

BTP said officers were called to the line near Golders Green underground station at about 8.45am on Monday to reports of graffiti.

The force said in a statement: “Preventing and tackling hate crime is a BTP priority – no-one should be subjected to violence or harassment because of who they are.”

A kosher restaurant in Golders Green also had its window smashed and cash register stolen, but this is not being treated as a hate crime.

A mother with children at a Jewish school in the capital said a school outing had been cancelled because of fears among parents about antisemitic attacks.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told the PA news agency: “It’s really difficult to say how scared and traumatised everyone is at the moment.

“To be honest, I personally wasn’t as fearful about it but it’s knowing how terrified everyone else is.

“I know that the school has security guards. There’s always a fear about sending your kids to a Jewish school, it’s something that we thought of before, even without this, but I wasn’t worried about it this morning, and then realising how worried everyone else is has made me quite upset.

“(Antisemitism) spikes when Israel does something wrong, and it appears to spike when Israel is attacked, it doesn’t seem to matter either way.”