Sadiq Khan ‘well aware of community’s trauma’ over unpunished hate crime
Mayor of London says changes brought in by new Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley include putting victims first, investigating crime thoroughly and 'getting the basics of policing right'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Sadiq Khan has said he is “well aware of the trauma felt by the community” when hate crime incidents such as the now infamous Palestine car convey fail to result in criminal prosecutions.
But the mayor of London claims significant changes introduced by new Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley would now mean putting victims first, investigating crime thoroughly and “getting the basics of policing right.”
Khan spoke to Jewish News as he and deputy mayor Sophie Linden joined assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe for a patrol with the Safer Neighbourhoods Team in Golders Green, Barnet on Friday.
The mayor said:”I want to just reassure the Jewish community in this part of London that we understand the fear that can be spread when there’s hate crime.
“And I’m well aware of the trauma felt by the community when there were aggressive, intimidating people, driving cars up and down the high road with provocative flags.
“People were scared to leave their homes, I’m well aware of that.
“And I’m aware there are places of worship and schools that require CCTV and security for the simple reason that Jewish people are worshipping there, or that Jewish children are going to school.”
Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe was asked specifically about the failure of the CPS to prosecute anyone involved in the May 2021 Palestine convoy, that saw groups of men drive cars through Jewish areas of north London shouting direct threats.
She would not comment on claims the failure to secure convictions was a result of the slow response to the incident by police, who failed to gain the necessary evidence.
But Rolfe told Jewish News: “It’s really important to us that we address the community’s concerns.
“Of course, when people report in crime, it is important that we gather evidence.
“I don’t know enough about these cases, but I know they are of huge concern to the community.
“For us, our new Commissioner is really clear, his mission is renewing policing by consent. There will be more trust, less crime and higher standards of policing.
“We are working really hard to ensure that we are visible in communities and that we build those relationships.”
The Assistant Commissioner added that in relation to policing matters “sometimes a communities concerns were unfounded” but she admitted “sometimes they are really well founded.”
She said, “the closer we are to a community the more that we will understand what we can do to reassure and get it right.”
Mayor Khan also referenced his meeting last week with communal leaders at which, as part of a lengthy agenda, he discussed concerns over the failure to root out antisemitic hate crime over recent years.
“Whether it’s at university campuses, whether it’s online, whether it’s on the streets of Golders Green we’ve got to make sure we root this out,” Khan stressed.
“I’m afraid you can see a direct link with tensions in the Middle East and an increase in antisemitism.”
As a proactive move, he pointed to the £6million City Hall has now invested in supporting communities in advance of any hate crime, which includes work done in collaboration with the Community Security Trust.(CST)
But the mayor was also keen to stress how much faith he has in the new police commissioner to make a difference.
“Levels of crime remain far too high and I’m clear much more still needs to be done – not just to bring crime down further, but to improve the police response to thefts, robberies and anti-social behaviour,” he said.
“The Commissioner has my full support in driving the change in performance needed and I will carry on holding the Met to account so that we can continue to build a safer London for everyone.”
New figures show that the Golders Green and Childs Hill wards, like many other areas across the UK, have become hotspots for burglaries.
In September the Commissioner pledged the force would attend all London burglary reports.
According to the Met, officers attended 81.1% of reported home burglaries between October and November, compared to 31% for the same period in 2021.
The mayor called this “significant” but added that more “needs to be done”.
He also insisted that “as a consequence” of the government’s austerity drive since 2010, 21,000 police officers across the country had been lost.
In recent years there had been more investment both from government and from City Hall, which had helped ease the policing crisis.
But Khan said there was still a shortage in numbers of around 1400 police for London, according to the Commissioner, and City Hall’s own estimates.
The mayor also blamed the increase in crime on both “structural issues” that existed in our society prior to the pandemic and also on acost of living crisis that was “exacerbating some of the inequalities” in society.
Wearing his Labour Party hat, Khan believes the election of a government led by Keir Starmer would bring benefits in terms of policing and of prosecution of criminals.
“We’ve got opportunity to have as a Prime Minister a former Director of Public Prosecutions,” he says.
“Somebody who understands the change required in relation to investment in public services, policing, hospitals, the transport sector, our schools, but also somebody who’s transformed the Labour Party in the last three years.
Khan recalls an earlier conversation he had with Jewish News, during the days of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of Labour.
“I with spoke with you about how I was knocking on doors in Barnet and I had people heartbroken in Barnet saying they couldn’t vote Labour because their view was the party was antisemitic,” he says.
“You had people who were devastated this great party of mine – there was so much anxiety and tension.
“Keir has transformed the party in terms of rooting out people who are clearly antisemitic. The British people deserve a fresh start under Keir.”
The mayor insisted the election of a Labour council in Barnet had already brought positive changes, praising leader Barry Rawlings, _ who also attended Friday’s patrol exercise along with councillor and London Assembly memberAnne Clarke – over the decision to declare a climate emergency.
Issues such as air pollution were amongst the important of ours and future generations, he said.
He also praised the investment in dealing with the issue of anti-social behaviour, and more affordable housing, noting the “elderly parents were being left behind” as their children were being forced to move away because of extortionate property prices locally.
On Monday, the mayor will be in Trafalgar Square, for the lighting of the menorah, alongside Jewish Leadership Council chair Keith Black, Board of Deputies president Marie van der Zyl and Rabbi Joseph Dweck.
A seasoned expert on Chanukah traditions, Khan is also quick to praise the community’s contribution to the capital city.
“I know that this community were heroic during the pandemic, volunteering, helping foodbanks, making sure elderly people weren’t left alone.
“We owe a debt gratitude to the Jewish community. They are one of the reasons I think we are the greatest cities in the world is because of our diversity – and the Jewish community are an integral part of that.
“Happy Chanukah, from my family to yours.”
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