There is a “deeply troubling rise” in antisemitic incidents across the country, the Director of Public Prosecutions has said, as he vowed to use the “full force of the law” against perpetrators.
The UK terrorism threat level was raised to “severe” by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, meaning a terror attack is “highly likely”, after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green on Wednesday.
Alleged attacker Essa Suleiman, 45, is accused of trying to kill Shloime Rand, 34, and Norman Shine, 76, during a knife rampage through the streets of the north London suburb.
In a statement on Friday afternoon, Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions, said: “Recent events, including the appalling attack on members of the Jewish community in London, come against a deeply troubling rise in antisemitic incidents across the country.
“I recognise the profound fear, distress, and anger that many Jewish people and families are experiencing and my thoughts remain with the victims of Wednesday’s attack. No one should feel unsafe because of who they are or their faith.
“Antisemitic hate crime is not only an attack on individuals — it is an attack on the values of respect, tolerance and the rule of law that underpin our society.
“Let me be clear: those who commit antisemitic crimes will be held accountable. The CPS will use the full force of the law to ensure those responsible are prosecuted robustly and swiftly and justice is done.”
Earlier, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley warned of a growing “pandemic” of antisemitism in the UK and said he is “very concerned” about the sustainability of the force’s current approach to protecting Jewish communities in the capital following the double stabbing.
He also said “everybody should reflect on the levels of antisemitic attitudes in society”.
In his statement, Mr Parkinson said prosecutors are working closely with police partners to ensure that cases are “built strongly from the outset and that perpetrators are brought before the courts swiftly”.
He added: “There is a strong public interest in taking a zero-tolerance approach to these hate-infected crimes.
“Accordingly, where offences are proven to be motivated by hostility based on religion or ethnicity we will make full use of the powers open to us to prosecute these as aggravated offences which attract longer sentences in court.
“We are engaging directly with Jewish communities to ensure their voices are heard and concerns addressed.
“To anyone who has experienced or witnessed antisemitic abuse or violence, I encourage you to report it to police. Your reports matter – they enable us to work with policing to take action and ensure that offenders face justice.”
Sir Mark said he is “concerned” about the scale of upcoming protests in the capital, and said police are looking at what conditions and powers should be used in respect of those events.
“Protests can’t be banned, Parliament has made it clear, but they can’t be,” he told LBC.
“What we can do, we can restrict how a march takes place and, in the most extreme circumstances – and it’s a very high bar – we can restrict it to a static event alone, and we’re looking at all possibilities and what’s appropriate in this circumstance.”
Asked about a temporary pause on demonstrations, Sir Mark said: “That’s a matter of Parliament, that’s not within the law, I have no power to do that.
“If Parliament wants to do that then, of course, we would sort of execute on the decision they made.”
Suleiman appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning and was remanded in custody.
