The Met said it has “refreshed” its approach to tackling hate crime following a rise in antisemitic attacks in 2021.
The Community Security Trust (CST) report, published on February 10, found that reported antisemitic incidents in the UK had hit record numbers in 2021, with Barnet and Camden among the worst areas.
In response to the report, Barnet council leader Daniel Thomas (Con, Finchley Church End) said: “I was appalled to read that so many antisemitic incidents had happened in Barnet in 2021, and that the number had nearly doubled compared with 2020.
“Nobody should be made to feel unsafe in Barnet, and I will continue to make sure the council does all it can, alongside our partners in the police – and of course the community – to root antisemitism out from the borough.
“I am proud that more Jews have decided to make Barnet their home than in any other local authority in the UK, and will do everything within my power to make sure that Barnet is and remains the best place in the country to be Jewish.”
The Met said that cases of transphobic and disability hate crimes, alongside antisemitic attacks, had also risen in recent months, and that it had updated its approach “in order to provide better support to victims, to enable a stronger response towards offenders of hate crime and to improve accessibility of our service to Londoners across all communities”.
The spokesperson added: “The Met does not tolerate any form of discrimination or abuse. We continue to increase victim referrals to CATCH, a group of charities who give specialist help and advice to victims and witnesses of hate crime.
“The CST form part of this alliance that protects British Jewish communities from antisemitism and related threats.
“We are also working closely with Crown Prosecution Service hate crime leads to explore all opportunities to increase our sanction detection rates and positive outcomes around hate crime.”
Anyone in London who is a victim of a hate crime is asked to report it to the police via 101 or tweeting @MetCC.
Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online, or via the TruVision website: https://www.report-it.org.uk/
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