Anti-Semitism 'unprecedentedly high' in Greater Manchester since Hamas attack

There have been 221 recorded incidents between 7 October and 10 November. Credit: MEN Media

Fireworks have been thrown at young girls and posters graffitied with "Kill Jews" as anti-Semitic hate crimes reach an "all time high", a charity has said.

Greater Manchester has seen the highest number of anti-Semitic incidents of any region in the country outside of London, according to figures from Jewish group The Community Security Trust (CST).

There have been 221 recorded incidents in the region between 7 October and 10 November 2023, following Hamas' attacks on Israel.

Examples include "Kill Jews" being daubed on a "Freedom for Palestine" poster at a Manchester University, and a supermarket door graffitied with "JEWS ARE SH*T".

Jewish community hold a vigil in Manchester to show solidarity with Israel. Credit: ITV Granada

The CST work within Jewish communities to offer security advice and support and say recent statistics are "unprecedentedly high" with a 531% increase across the country.

At least 1,205 incidents have been recorded across the country since Hamas' attack on Israel in October, compared to 191 incidents in the same period in 2022.

That includes 59 assaults, 82 incidents of damage and desecration to a Jewish property, 111 direct threats, 951 instances of abusive behaviour, and two instances of mass-produced anti-Semitic literature.

Further incidents include children shouting "Y**s!" at children leaving a Jewish school in Greater Manchester and posters of Jewish hostages being removed or defaced.

Rabbi Arnie Saunders of Salford Council called for "calm and harmony" saying the situation in the Middle East must not "spill over to the streets of Bury, Salford or anywhere in Greater Manchester".

A statement on the CST website said: "CST will not stand for this anti-Jewish hatred and nor should anybody else.

"We urge everyone who experiences or witnesses anti-Semitism to report it to police and to CST so that those who are trying to intimidate and threaten our community can be investigated, arrested and prosecuted."To report an anti-Semitic incident to CST, please use our online form or for urgent or out-of-hours reports please call our 24-hour National Emergency Number 0800 032 3263."

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