The London police announced the creation of a new specialized unit of approximately 100 officers aimed at strengthening the security of Jewish communities, following a significant increase in anti-Semitic attacks in recent weeks.
The measure is framed in a context of growing concern for safety, following several serious incidents, including arson, physical aggression and acts of vandalism against institutions linked to this community.
The new team, called “Community Protection Team”, will be comprised of Metropolitan Police officers with experience in community patrolling, specialized protection and counter-terrorism. Its deployment seeks to provide a more coordinated and visible response to what the authorities describe as a sustained threat
.The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Mark Rowley, warned that Jewish communities in the city are being subject to risks from various actors, including extremist groups and radical left-wing sectors, Islamist terrorist organizations and even possible operations linked to hostile states. In this regard, the authorities are investigating whether some of the recent arson attacks could be related to activities promoted by Iran through criminal intermediaries
.
Since the end of March, there have been several high-impact episodes, such as the burning of four ambulances belonging to Jewish organizations and attacks on synagogues in different parts of the British capital. Added to this is a knife attack that occurred in the Golders Green neighborhood, where two Jewish men were stabbed in an act that is being treated as a terrorist act. Both victims survived
.Official figures reflect the magnitude of the problem. During April, 140 anti-Semitic hate crimes were registered, a significant increase from 98 cases in March and 67 in February. The district of Barnet was the most affected, with 51 incidents, accounting for more than a third of the total. This area is home to important Jewish communities, especially in areas such as Golders Green, Hendon and Finchley, where several of the recent attacks have occurred
