The past several years have been among the most difficult in recent memory for the Jewish community in Britain. Since the Hamas massacre of some 1,200 Israelis in October 2023, anti-Jewish incidents and demonstrations in the UK have surged dramatically. Large-scale weekly protests, many featuring chants such as “globalize the intifada," have created an atmosphere of intimidation, with Jewish institutions and individuals increasingly feeling targeted, says Stephen Pollard in the daily Telegraph.
"For many in the community, however, the sense of unease did not begin in 2023. The election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party in 2015 marked a turning point, after which allegations and documented cases of anti-Semitism in British public life became increasingly common. What at the time appeared to be a peak has, for many Jews, become a baseline reality," he added.
"Despite assaults, threats, and repeated incidents over the past decade," Pollard continued, "there has remained a belief among many British Jews that the broader public still represented a “bedrock of decency," and that extremist elements, while loud, did not speak for society as a whole."
"That assumption was shaken following the acquittal of six members of the Palestine Action group, who were charged with aggravated burglary after breaking into an Elbit Systems facility in 2024. During the incident, a police officer suffered a fractured spine. While Jewish organizations and their allies have long criticized what they see as insufficient police protection and inconsistent prosecution by the Crown Prosecution Service, this case appeared different: police made arrests, and prosecutors brought charges."
"Nevertheless," says Pollard, "a jury acquitted the defendants of aggravated burglary. They were unable to reach verdicts on other charges, including criminal damage, violent disorder, and a charge of grievous bodily harm against one defendant."
"The break-in took place at an Elbit Systems factory near Bristol. In recent months, Israeli-linked businesses in Britain have increasingly been targeted by activists. In practice, critics argue, this definition has often extended beyond Israeli companies to include restaurants, cafes, cultural venues, and other businesses perceived-rightly or wrongly-to have Jewish or Israeli connections."
"Video evidence presented in court showed the six defendants entering the factory without permission and damaging equipment with sledgehammers. The defendants told the jury that the tools were intended solely for property damage and not to harm security personnel. However, footage also showed confrontations with guards, during which sledgehammers were swung."
"Following the verdict, the Avon and Somerset Police Federation stated: 'Like people across the country, we have viewed very distressing scenes during this trial, including footage of a police officer trying to maintain law and order only to be severely injured. We remind the public that a brave police officer’s spine was fractured during this incident'."
"For many in the Jewish community," Pollard warns, "the outcome has been interpreted as sending a dangerous message: that serious violence carried out under the banner of pro-Palestinian activism may be met with leniency. The concern is not limited to this case alone. Recent incidents cited by community leaders include an attack by a knife-wielding assailant in a kosher shop, mass intimidation at a restaurant in West London with Israeli connections, and convoys driving through Jewish neighborhoods shouting explicitly anti-Jewish slogans. In several cases, no prosecutions followed."
"'British officials routinely state that “there is no place for antisemitism in Britain,' concludes Pollard, "yet, critics argue that repeated failures to enforce the law consistently tell a different story-one that raises fundamental questions about the future security and confidence of Jews living in the UK."