Jewish Charity Reports 21% Rise in UK Antisemitic Incidents Since Iran War Began

The Community Security Trust (CST), a Jewish charity that monitors antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom, reported a 21 percent rise in anti-Jewish hate incidents in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Its figures, as reported by bssnews.net and freemalaysiatoday.com, show 1,926 incidents between January and June 2026, including assaults, arson attacks and the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green, a London suburb with a substantial Jewish population. Bssnews.net reported that the CST described this as the second-highest number of incidents ever recorded for the first half of a year.

The Golders Green stabbing was followed by a sharp increase in reported incidents. The CST said 71 antisemitic incidents were recorded in the three days after the stabbing, and 16 of them directly referenced the attack, according to bssnews.net. The source reports do not give the date of the stabbing.

In March, four Hatzola ambulances were set on fire in Golders Green. Both reports identify the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (HAYI), a group linked to Tehran, as having claimed responsibility for seven attacks. The reports describe the group’s links to Tehran but do not establish how that link was verified.

The UK government has attributed responsibility to Iran’s state apparatus. It accused members of Iran’s IRGC Qods Force of orchestrating antisemitic attacks through HAYI. The reports differ on timing. Bssnews.net says the government sanctioned HAYI in response to the March ambulance arson. Freemalaysiatoday.com says the sanctions were imposed in July. Neither report gives further detail on the sanctions themselves.

Mark Gardner, CST’s chief executive, said the attacks are directed not only against British Jews but also represent a broader threat to British society, as reported by freemalaysiatoday.com. Protecting people who are targeted for their faith and their neighbours alike matches the call to defend the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8-9).

Policing minister Sarah Jones called the figures “appalling,” according to freemalaysiatoday.com, and announced a record £250 million investment to enhance policing in Jewish neighbourhoods.