LONDON: British police are setting up a new team of 100 officers, including counter-terrorism specialists, to help protect Jewish communities across London after a series of anti-Semitic attacks, including the stabbing of two men.
The plan, announced on Wednesday, for a dedicated protection team comes as officers also reported more arrests linked to anti-Semitism, including the detention of a 35-year-old man after rocks were thrown at an ambulance belonging to the Jewish community.
London’s top police chief Mark Rowley said Jewish communities were facing “sustained threats” from hostile state actors, as well as extreme right-wing groups and elements of the extreme left.
Detectives are also examining whether recent arson incidents have possible Iranian links, after British security officials warned that Iran was using criminal proxies to carry out hostile activity.
Since late March, there have been a number of high-profile arson attacks, with four Jewish ambulances burned and synagogues targeted. Last week, two Jewish men were also stabbed, though both victims survived the attack.
Over the past four weeks, police said they had arrested around 50 people in connection with anti-Semitic hate crimes and charged eight individuals.
In addition, 28 arrests have been made as part of investigations involving counter-terrorism policing for arson and other serious incidents.
“This new team will be primarily focused on protecting the Jewish community, which faces some of the highest levels of hate crime alongside significant terrorist and hostile state threats,” said a statement from London’s Metropolitan Police force.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also convened a meeting on Monday with business, health, and cultural leaders aimed at addressing and tackling anti-Semitism.