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UK police note 1,353 percent and 140 percent increase in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic offenses – JURIST

The UK’s Metropolitan Police made a statement Friday outlining a spike in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic hate crimes across London between October 1 and 18 in light of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict The Met says that during this period it saw ‘218 anti-Semitic offences compared to 15 in the same period last year, and an increase in Islamophobic offences from 42 to 101.’ The statement pointed out, “These represent percentage rises of 1,353 per cent and 140 per cent respectively.”The Met also said that it is putting in place enhanced securities and protections across London. Last week, the Met deployed 1,000 officers throughout London in order to protect communities after news of the military conflict. In its statement, the Met outlined that it is focusing protections in the vicinity of ‘faith schools, places of worship, and in communities where the levels of concern are highest’.The statement outlined that any support of Hamas is strictly prohibited. The prohibition on the support of Hamas has been discussed by the UK’s independent reviewer of terrorism and Home Secretary Suella Braverman. Hamas has been proscribed by the UK Government as a terror group in accordance with the Terrorism Act 2000.Friday, Conservative party MP Robert Jenrick announced that he wrote to the Chief Constables in England and Wales to support the revocation of UK visas from any parties who demonstrate support and ‘glorification’ of Hamas and anti-Semitism.