Antisemitic hate crimes in London surged sharply in May, rising 72 percent from the previous month, according to new Metropolitan Police figures.
Police recorded 255 antisemitic hate crimes in May, up from 148 in April. The figure also marks a 172 percent increase compared with the same month last year, when 91 incidents were reported.
The majority of incidents were concentrated in Barnet, home to large Jewish communities in Golders Green, Hendon, and Finchley. Other heavily affected boroughs included Hackney, Westminster, Camden, and Haringey. In all, antisemitic hate crimes were reported in 28 of London’s 32 boroughs.
The rise comes after a series of disturbing attacks targeting London’s Jewish community, including arson incidents and the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green at the end of April.
A spokesperson for the Community Security Trust said the figures reflected what Jewish residents are experiencing daily and warned that attacks on Jews often fuel further antisemitism rather than deter it.
The CST welcomed increased police resources in Jewish areas and praised efforts by prosecutors to move hate crime cases through the courts more quickly.
For London’s Jewish community, the latest figures underscore a growing security concern at a time when antisemitism continues to rise across Britain and Europe.
