London: The UK government has announced a security package worth more than $338 million (£250 million) to strengthen protection for Jewish communities following a series of violent attacks and a rise in antisemitic incidents across the country.
The three-year plan includes the deployment of more than 500 additional police officers in areas with large Jewish populations.
Around 300 officers will be stationed in London, while police patrols around synagogues, Jewish schools, and community sites will be increased. The package also provides for more plainclothes officers to improve surveillance and response.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the increase in antisemitism poses a serious challenge to the country’s values and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to tackling hate crimes and protecting Jewish communities.
A portion of the funding will also support educational programs to prevent antisemitism and promote awareness.
According to Matt Jukes, Deputy Commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police, Jewish communities are facing heightened risks from hate crimes, terrorism, and threats linked to hostile foreign actors, making stronger security measures necessary.
The announcement follows several attacks targeting Jewish people and institutions in recent months. In late April, two Jewish men were stabbed in the predominantly Jewish area of Golders Green in London in an incident police described as a terrorist attack. Other cases included arson and attempted arson attacks on synagogues and Jewish community sites.
Last October, an attack on a synagogue in Manchester claimed the lives of two people, further raising concerns over the safety of Jewish communities across Britain.
The government stated that $80 million (£59 million) from the package will be allocated to Britain’s counter-terrorism policing network to strengthen its ability to respond to terrorism and threats linked to hostile states.
Following the April attack in Golders Green, Starmer announced additional security support and accused Iran of seeking to target British Jews. In May, London’s Metropolitan Police established a dedicated unit focused on protecting Jewish communities after a series of hate-related attacks.
