Police patrols could be stepped up across the country to protect Jewish communities following incidents of vandalism, Number 10 has said.
Rishi Sunak is hosting an emergency COBRA meeting on the ongoing situation in Israel and Gaza in the aftermath of an unprecedented multi-pronged attack by Hamas at the weekend.
On Monday, a Kosher restaurant in Golders Green, north London, had its window smashed and cash register stolen, while “Free Palestine” was graffitied on a nearby railway bridge.
The graffiti – in an area of London with a prominent Jewish population – is being investigated as a potential hate crime by British Transport Police (BTP).
Dave Rich, from Jewish safety charity the Community Security Trust, said: “This graffiti is a deliberate attempt to intimidate the Jewish community.
“It is disgraceful and should be roundly condemned by all sides. We expect the police to fully investigate because this cannot be allowed to continue.”
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Number 10 said it would be “utterly despicable” for anyone to use the events in the Middle East as a “pretext” to threaten or attack Jewish communities in Britain.
Asked whether Mr Sunak was worried about a potential rise in antisemitism following the escalating conflict, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “We take any threat to the Jewish community extremely seriously.
“It would obviously be utterly despicable for this weekend’s attacks to be used as some kind of pretext to threaten or to attack communities in the UK.
“The home secretary has already held a meeting with the Community Security Trust to ensure we have taken all steps necessary to ensure our Jewish community feels safe and secure.
“I believe that includes surging police patrols where necessary.
“We want the police to use every available aspect of the law against displays of support for Hamas, other proscribed terrorist groups or attempts to intimidate British Jews.”
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The UK has stood staunchly beside Israel since the Hamas incursion began on Saturday, with the prime minister, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Home Secretary Suella Braverman among those to share their support.
“We already have a very longstanding relationship with Israel, we’re one of their strongest allies,” Mr Sunak told reporters in Nottinghamshire on Monday.
“We’ve provided in the past the kinds of equipment that they’ve used to defend themselves over the past couple of days, and as I said to the prime minister (Benjamin Netanyahu), we will continue to provide – whether that’s diplomatic, intelligence or security support – as they need.
“I’m chairing a COBRA [meeting] with my ministerial colleagues this afternoon, when we’ll continue to discuss the situation, but we’re in close dialogue with our Israeli counterparts,” he added.
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The Metropolitan Police has said it has increased police patrols across London after receiving reports of people appearing to celebrate the attack on Israel by Hamas.
The police force was urged to intervene by immigration minister Robert Jenrick, who shared a video posted on social media by Countdown presenter Rachel Riley.
In it, she wrote: “I just passed two cars in West London driving with Palestinian flags flying from each window, bouncing up and down in their cars, seemingly celebrating like they were having a party.
“Make no mistake, this is a dangerous and terrifying time for all Jews around the world.”
She later posted a video which seemed to show people waving Palestinian flags, beeping car horns and clapping.
Mr Jenrick shared Riley’s post on X, formerly known as Twitter, and said: “These disgusting people are glorifying the terrorist activities of Hamas, a proscribed organisation.
“There is no place for this in the UK.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he had been in touch with senior officers at the Met.
He also responded to the incidents of vandalism in north London.
“There is no tolerance for hate in our city. I remain in close contact with the Met Police. Whoever did this will face the full force of the law,” he wrote on social media.
“I stand with Jewish Londoners, today and always.”
Earlier communities minister Lee Rowley urged protesters not to attempt to glorify Hamas’s attack on Israel.
He told Sky News: “You cannot support proscribed organisations like Hamas within the United Kingdom, and if that’s the case then I would expect police to take action accordingly.
“I would encourage people not to go out and to protest in a way that they can. But, ultimately, there is a right to protest, but there is not a right… to glorify terrorism.
“People shouldn’t break the law. People should also have the decency to recognise that over 1,000 people have died over the weekend in a completely unprovoked attack, and I would be very cautious about what people are doing.”
