Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers has strongly condemned the increase in antisemitic incidents revealed by a report published today by the Community Security Trust (CST) who work to protect the Jewish community.
CST recorded 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2023, the highest total ever reported to them in a single calendar year. This is an increase of 147% from the 1,662 anti-Jewish hate incidents recorded by CST in 2022, and is 81% higher than the previous annual record of 2,261 incidents, reported in 2021.
Responding to the CST findings, Theresa said “This increase in antisemitic incidents is shocking and appalling. No one should be attacked, abused or harassed because of their faith or ethnicity. It is absolutely repellent that this upsurge in antisemitism started to occur on the day of the Hamas terror atrocity.”
“We must all redouble our efforts to stamp out anti-Jewish racism wherever it occurs. Social media has become a place where hatred can thrive and it is important that all elected representatives speak out against antisemitism and racism wherever it occurs.”
“I have a track record going back 20 years of campaigning against antisemitism. Never has it felt so important to be able to raise these issues in Parliament and speak up both for the Jewish community and for Israel.”
Theresa Villiers co-authored a ground breaking APPG report on antisemitism in 2006 and has spoken up in Parliament in support of the Jewish community many times. That includes urging the PM to maintain the UK’s support for Israel during the Gaza conflict. In the very last Prime Minister’s question of 2023, she called on the Government to keep up the pressure for hostage release. She has reported a number of antisemitic incidents at recent pro-Palestinian protests to the police, urging them to take a tough line on hate crime.
Digital imprint: Promoted by Theresa Villiers MP of 163 High Street, Barnet, EN5 5SU.
