UK Police record rise in religious hate crimes after Israel-Gaza war

Antisemitic hate crimes rose sharply in the month after the Hamas attack on Israel, figures from some of the UK’s largest police forces suggest.

Some forces also recorded a rise in Islamophobic offences, though the picture is more mixed.

The Community Safety Trust, a Jewish charity, has called the figures “shocking”.

Meanwhile, campaigners against anti-Muslim abuse have described them as “deeply worrying”.

The figures, obtained by PA news agency, show antisemitic offences rose significantly in the larger police force areas in the month following the 7 October attacks.

Greater Manchester Police recorded 74 antisemitic incidents compared with 15 during the same period the previous year, while the number of Islamophobic offences dropped to 34 from 43.

Read more: BBC News