UK sees rise in anti-Semitic incidents

LONDON Anti-Semitic incidents in the U.K. have seen a sharp rise in the first six months of 2017, according to a report released on Thursday by a Jewish charity. A record number of 767 incidents were reported between January and June, the Community Security Trust (CST) report said. The recorded number of anti-Semitic incidents for last year was 589. According to the report, 80 incidents were physical assaults -- almost double last year’s figure of 45. Over 140 incidents occurred over social media and Jewish schools were the target in 22 anti-Semitic attacks, up from 10. Home Secretary Amber Rudd responded to the report and said people should be encouraged to report these kind of incidents. “Anti-Semitism has no place in this country, which prides itself on openness, diversity and tolerance,” she said. “This government’s Hate Crime Action Plan has improved the response of law enforcement to these deplorable crimes, including encouraging more victims to report incidents directly to police or via trusted organizations such as CST,” Rudd added. Rudd also said the U.K. government was providing £13.4 million ($17.6 million) to protect Jewish sites and £900,000 ($1.2 million) for "innovative schemes to tackle various types of hate crime". CST chief executive David Delew said it was "sadly clear that the overall situation has deteriorated" with figures almost twice as bad as they were five years ago. "Anti-Semitism is having an increasing impact on the lives of British Jews and the hatred and anger that lies behind it is spreading," he added.