Antisemitism in Britain surges by a fifth as Jewish community faces rising violence
The number of antisemitic incidents recorded across the United Kingdom has risen by a fifth in the first half of this year, according to figures released by the Community Security Trust (CST). The data, which covers January to June 2026, shows 1,926 incidents of anti-Jewish hate — a 21% increase on the same period last year and the second highest total ever recorded by the CST since it began collecting data in 1984.
Policing Minister Sarah Jones described the numbers as “appalling” and said they showed people “living in fear just for being who they are.” But for many, the statistics are a stark reminder of a deeper, more troubling trend: hatred against British Jews has not abated since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent war in Gaza. Indeed, it has intensified.
What is driving the rise in antisemitic incidents?
The CST recorded noticeable surges in incidents following specific violent events. In March, four volunteer ambulances were set alight in Golders Green, a traditionally Jewish area of north London. The following month, two visibly Jewish men were stabbed nearby in an attack treated as an act of terrorism. The highest daily total of antisemitic incidents came after the double stabbing on 29 April.
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East remains a key driver. Some 41% of all incidents recorded by the CST used anti-Jewish language or motive while also making reference to the conflict, Israel, Palestine, or Hamas. This suggests that events abroad are being used to justify hatred at home.
How does this compare to global trends?
Separate data released last week by the J7 Large Communities' Task Force Against Antisemitism found that the United Kingdom recorded the biggest rise in antisemitic incidents last year of any country with a major Jewish population outside Israel. The report also noted that 2025 was the deadliest year for Jews in the diaspora in more than three decades.
Mark Gardner, chief executive of the CST, said: “These attacks are directed against British Jews but they are also attacks on Britain and our society. They should concern everyone who cares about Britain and the threats against it, whether state-directed from Iran, or internally driven by Islamist, far-right, far-left, or other ideological extremes.”
What is happening in schools?
Perhaps most alarming is the rise in antisemitism in schools. The CST found that incidents in educational settings reached the highest level ever recorded for the first six months of any year, jumping by 59% from 112 reported incidents in the first half of 2025 to 178 over the same period in 2026.
A government-commissioned independent review into antisemitism in schools and colleges, led by Sir David Bell, is currently underway and is expected to report in the autumn. Lord John Mann, the government's independent adviser on antisemitism, said the new figures “demonstrate that anti-Jewish racism in the UK remains at an all-time high and continues to pose a significant threat to our democracy.” He added that he is especially concerned “to see the nature of antisemitism in the UK becoming increasingly violent.”
What does this mean for Britain?
These figures are not just statistics. They represent a real and growing threat to the fabric of British society. The CST has recorded 1,926 incidents in just six months — a figure that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. The arson attacks, the stabbings, the daily abuse: all point to a country where hatred is becoming more brazen and more violent.
As Mark Gardner put it, this is an attack on Britain itself. The question now is whether the government will respond with the seriousness and urgency that this crisis demands.