Sharp rise in recorded antisemitic hate crimes in Leeds and West Yorkshire following Hamas-Israel conflict

The number of antisemitic hate crimes recorded by many of the UK’s largest police forces jumped sharply in the same time period.

Jewish charities called the findings "shocking" and called on perpetrators to be identified and prosecuted.

Figures obtained by the PA news agency from Freedom of Information requests sent to all forces in the UK show 53 antisemitic hate crimes were recorded by West Yorkshire Police between October 7 and November 7.

This was up from 10 in the same time period the year before.

Meanwhile, 49 Islamophobic hate crimes were recorded by police in West Yorkshire in the month following Hamas' attack – up from 29 the year before.

The Community Security Trust said the figures made clear "the extent of the unacceptable rise in anti-Jewish hatred across the country since the Hamas terror attack on October 7".

A spokesman for the Jewish charity said: "This wave of antisemitism was triggered by the mass murder, rape and kidnapping of Jews in Israel, and is fuelled and sustained by extremist hatred online and on our streets.

"It is essential that perpetrators are identified and prosecuted, and that wider society shows its disgust for this racist hate crime."

Methods for recording hate crime are not consistent across forces, so the data cannot be used to compare the number of offences between different areas or provide an overall total for the whole of the UK.

But the figures do point to a jump in antisemitic offences recorded by forces concentrated mostly in cities or across built-up areas.

Tell Mama, which monitors and works to tackle anti-Muslim sentiment and abuse in the UK, said "levels of anti-Muslim hatred and discrimination are deeply worrying, impacting trust in authorities and their sense of identity and belonging".

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: "Any rise in hate crime is a concern and our officers are continuing to engage with their communities, particularly during the current Israel and Hamas conflict.  

"Our local neighbourhood teams are also carrying out increased visible patrols to provide reassurance.  

"Everyone has a right to live their life, and practice their religion, without the fear of targeted abuse for who they are.

"Anyone who has been subjected to a hate crime should not suffer in silence.

"We would urge anyone with concerns, or who has witnessed any offences, to please report it. "

A spokesperson for the Home Office said: "There is no place for hate in our society and we condemn the recent rise in reported antisemitic and anti-Muslim hatred.

"We expect the police to fully investigate all hate crimes and work with the CPS to make sure the cowards who commit these abhorrent offences feel the full force of the law.

"Following recent events, we have also made further funding available to Jewish and Muslim communities, to provide additional security at places of worship and faith schools."