The British government has announced an exceptional plan worth over £250 million (nearly €293 million) to bolster the security of the Jewish community in the face of a rise in antisemitic acts. This funding, to be distributed over three years, will finance increased police presence, enhanced security measures, and prevention initiatives.
Some 500 additional police officers will be deployed in areas with large Jewish communities, including 300 in London. Authorities plan to increase patrols around synagogues, schools, and community centers, while also increasing the presence of plainclothes officers to prevent potential attacks.
A response to the rise in anti-Semitic acts
In a statement, outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the rise in antisemitism seen in recent years constituted a test of the UK's values. Part of the funding will also be allocated to educational programs aimed at combating antisemitism and preventing hate speech.
According to London's Deputy Police Commissioner Matt Jukes, British Jewish communities face "an exceptional threat," marked by an increase in hate crimes, the risk of terrorism, and interference from hostile states.
A series of attacks in recent months
This announcement comes after several attacks targeting the Jewish community in the United Kingdom. At the end of April, two men were stabbed in the Golders Green area of London in an attack described as terrorism by police. Since the end of March, several synagogues in northwest London have also been targeted by arson attacks or attempted arson.
In October 2025, an attack on a Manchester synagogue left two people dead. Following the Golders Green attack, the UK raised its terror alert level to "severe," while Keir Starmer accused states like Iran of posing a threat to British Jews.
Among the measures announced, £59 million will be specifically allocated to counter-terrorism policing to strengthen the fight against terrorist threats and foreign interference. The Community Security Trust (CST), the main organization responsible for the security of the British Jewish community, welcomed this significant increase in resources, stating that it comes at a crucial time for the protection of Jews in the United Kingdom.
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