Jewish communities to be protected by UK with £250 million fund

LONDON, U.K.: Britain will spend more than £250 million (US$335 million) over the next three years to better protect its Jewish communities, the government said on July 13, after a series of recent antisemitic attacks.

The government said the funding will provide more than 500 additional police officers across England and Wales. These officers will help improve security in Jewish neighborhoods and around schools, synagogues, and community centers.

There have been several attacks on Jewish-linked sites in London, including an incident in March when four Jewish community ambulances were set on fire. In April, Britain raised its national terrorism threat level to “severe” from “substantial” after an antisemitic stabbing attack in north London.

The new funding package comes on top of £25 million that was announced after the April stabbings. It includes about 300 extra officers in London and around 80 in Greater Manchester, where a synagogue was attacked last year. It also includes £43 million for police forces in other areas with large Jewish populations.

Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the rise in antisemitism in recent years was a test of the country’s values and that tackling it had been a key priority since the start of his leadership.

The Metropolitan Police in London will receive £86 million from the new funding, while £59 million has been set aside for counter-terrorism policing.

The government said police will increase patrols during times of higher risk. This is meant to reassure the public and help prevent hate crimes and antisemitic incidents.