- £72 million for Jewish security
- Record antisemitism incidents reported
- Funds also for Muslim protection
Community Security Trust (CST), a charity that protects Jewish communities in the United Kingdom, will receive additional funds to maintain security measures until 2028.
Rishi Sunak has announced the allocation of £72 million to assist Jewish schools, synagogues, and other community institutions in bolstering their security.
The Prime Minister stated that the funds would be used to equip Jewish community sites with security personnel, closed-circuit television, and alarm systems in an effort to combat antisemitism, which is at an all-time high since the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel.
£54 million is new funding that will be allocated to the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity that safeguards Jewish communities in the United Kingdom, for the provision of security measures through 2028.
This brings the total amount previously allocated to the charity until 2025 to £18 million.
A portion of that sum, amounting to £3 million, was allocated in October of the previous year to provide supplementary assistance to over 480 Jewish community establishments, such as synagogues and schools. This allowed over 250 synagogues and nearly 200 schools to augment their security personnel and safeguards.
In 2023, CST received reports of 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom, the highest number ever recorded in a single calendar year and a 147% increase compared to 2022.
Following the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the number of reported incidents to CST skyrocketed in October 2023, reaching 1,330. This figure surpassed the combined totals of the three preceding highest monthly figures.
During his address at the annual dinner of the charity in London, Mr. Sunak described the “utterly sickening” levels of antisemitism that had reached record highs.
The increase in racist assaults, he continued, “endangers the very fabric of our nation.”
The Prime Minister stated, “As unacceptable as it would be for anyone to attempt to convince you that this is merely a reaction to the Israeli government’s response, that is not the case.” The monthly tally of antisemitic incidents peaked prior to Israel’s response.
It is straightforward loathing
Mr. Sunak condemned not only the “affront to the Jewish people,” but also assaults on members of parliament, specifically Conservative Mike Freer, who resigned from his position as minister out of concern for his own safety.
Mr. Freer, who represented the predominantly Jewish constituency of Finchley and Golders Green, resigned in December after his office was the target of an incendiary attack and a series of death threats.
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Home Secretary James Cleverly stated that the financing would instill “assurance and confidence” in Jewish communities that their safety would be maintained in the foreseeable future.
Additionally, we are collaborating with law enforcement to ensure that hate crimes and expressions of support for the terrorist organisation Hamas are punished severely.
This comes after the government unveiled a £31 million programme to safeguard Members of Parliament and prevent “mob rule” during disruptive pro-Palestine demonstrations, which earlier this month saw protesters encircling the residence of Tobias Ellwood, a Conservative backbencher.
Confronting anti-Muslim prejudice
The government, according to a Home Office spokesperson, has also condemned the recent increase in reported anti-Muslim hostility.
They further stated, “We expect the police to conduct exhaustive investigations into all hate crimes and collaborate with CPS to ensure that these cowardly individuals face the full legal repercussions.”
In October, an additional £4.9 million was allocated towards protective security measures at Muslim faith schools and mosques, bringing the total funding for 2023-24 to £29.4 million. The government has affirmed that this funding level will remain unchanged in 2024-25 as well.
