London police say they have recorded an 1,353 per cent increase in antisemitic offences this month compared to the same period last year, while Islamophobic offences were up 140 per cent in the wake of the attack by Hamas on Israel, Reuters has reported.
The Metropolitan police have ramped up patrols amid growing tensions, and said there had been 218 antisemitic offences between October 1 and 18, compared to 15 in the same period in 2022. Islamophobic offences were up to 101, from 42.
“Regrettably, despite the increased presence of officers we have seen a significant increase in hate crime across London,” police said in a statement.
“This includes abuse directed at individuals or groups in person or online, racially or religiously motivated criminal damage and other offences.”
Officers have made 21 arrests for hate crime offences, including a man detained for defacing posters of missing Israelis and another over Islamophobic graffiti on bus stops.
The Community Security Trust, a charity that advises Britain’s estimated 280,000 Jews on security matters, said it had recorded 457 antisemitic incidents across the UK since the Hamas attack on October 7 until October 18.
TellMama, which monitors anti-Muslim incidents, said it had received 200 cases up to October 16.
“The conflict is having a direct impact on London and Londoners, with increasing cases of abhorrent Islamophobia and antisemitism seen in the capital,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan said.