Barnet sees highest increase in anti-Semitic incidents, police figures show

Barnet saw the highest increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the six months to October, police figures have shown. 

The borough witnessed 46 incidents during the period from April to mid-September that included the conflict between Israel and Hamas, compared to 15 in the same period last year.

Hackney saw the second highest rise in London, with 35 compared to 16 in Hackney.

Cabinet minister and Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers, who was among the London MPs to hold urgent talks with the home secretary over the summer amid the sharp rise in anti-Semitism nationwide, said: “I have a long track record on working to combat anti-Semitism including taking part in the All-Party Inquiry into anti-Semitism in 2005-6.

I am in regular contact with the police to urge them to take this issue very seriously. I was encouraged that police patrols were stepped up in various parts of the borough to provide reassurance to the Jewish community.

I will continue to highlight my concerns on this problem and urge the police to do all they can to prevent anti-Semitic crime.”

There have been 182 anti-Semitic offences in London, compared with 69 offences during the same period in 2013. Harassment Act offences make up two-thirds of the total. 

A Met statement said: “The proportion of people charged has increased to 23 charges in this period compared to 13 charges in the same period in 2013.”