Met Police Launch "Community Protection Team" Amid Surge in Antisemitic Attacks
The Metropolitan Police has announced the formation of a dedicated 100-officer "Community Protection Team" to safeguard Jewish communities across London. The move comes as new data reveals a disturbing spike in antisemitic hate crimes, with 140 offences recorded in April alone. This is the highest monthly total in two years.
The new unit will merge neighborhood policing with specialist protection and counter-terrorism expertise. By focusing on officers who are locally based and have established ties with residents, schools, and faith leaders, the Met aims to move away from temporary "surges" in security toward a more sustainable security model.
The announcement follows a string of serious incidents, including a double stabbing in Golders Green that is currently being treated as a terrorist act, and multiple arson attacks targeting synagogues and Jewish charities.
Over the past weekend, police made several more arrests:
- Arson: Officers are currently investigating a suspected arson attempt at a synagogue on Tuesday morning.
- Threats of Violence: A 57-year-old man was detained on suspicion of using racially offensive language to threaten a Jewish man.
- Criminal Damage: In Edgware, a 35-year-old man was arrested on Saturday after stones were hurled at a Jewish community ambulance while it was transporting a patient.
In the last month, approximately 50 people have been arrested for antisemitic crimes, bringing the total number of recent arrests to more than 80. The North West London borough of Barnet, which includes Golders Green, Hendon, and Finchley, remains the epicenter of the crisis, accounting for over a third of all incidents in April.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley noted that British Jews are currently being targeted by a "deeply concerning convergence" of threats, appearing on the "hate lists" of far-right groups, Islamist terrorists, elements of the extreme left, and hostile state actors.
“The creation of a new Community Protection Team of around 100 officers is an important step in strengthening our response to the sustained threats Jewish communities are facing,” Sir Mark said. He welcomed a recent £18 million government funding boost but warned that "this funding is short term and requires investment to sustain our policing response to this growing threat."
While the team's initial focus is the Jewish community, the Met intends for this unit to serve as a "blueprint" for protecting any London community facing a sudden spike in targeted hostility. Mayor Sadiq Khan echoed this sentiment, stating that the team will work "around the clock to reassure and protect London’s Jewish communities" as part of a relentless approach to tackling all forms of hate.
Last week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened an antisemitism summit at Downing Street, promising that the government is "determined to make Jewish people in this country feel safe again." New measures discussed included clawing back funding from arts organizations that platform antisemitism and requiring universities to publish data on campus-based incidents.
