UK police plan tougher action against antisemitic chants and protests
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 17, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 17, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
UK police announce tougher measures against antisemitic protests following violent incidents targeting the Jewish community.
LONDON, Dec 17 (Reuters) - British police on Wednesday said they would take tougher action against people who use placards and chants to target the Jewish community, saying recent violent incidents had changed the context around such protests.
The move comes days after 15 people died in a mass shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach targeting an event for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, and following an attack at a synagogue in Manchester in northern England in October in which two Jewish worshippers were killed.
"We know communities are concerned about placards and chants such as 'globalise the intifada' and those using it at future protests or in a targeted way should expect the Met and GMP to take action," London's Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police said in a joint statement.
"Violent acts have taken place, the context has changed - words have meaning and consequence. We will act decisively and make arrests."
Jewish groups have been calling for tougher action over the language used at pro-Palestinian protests, while the Community Security Trust (CST), which works to provide security to protect British Jews, says antisemitic incidents have been soaring in Britain.
"Is there a connection between this embrace of a call for death in the name of Palestinian rights, and people inflicting actual death apparently in the name of the same cause? As soon as you ask the question, the answer seems obvious," Dave Rich, the CST's director of policy, wrote this week.
(Reporting by William James, editing by Ed Osmond)
Antisemitism refers to prejudice, discrimination, or hostility against Jewish people. It can manifest in various forms, including hate speech, violence, and social exclusion.
A protest is a public demonstration or gathering of individuals expressing their opposition to or support for a particular cause, policy, or issue.
The police are responsible for maintaining public order during protests, ensuring the safety of participants, and enforcing laws related to public demonstrations.
A violent incident refers to an event where physical force is used against individuals or property, often resulting in injury or damage.
Community security involves measures taken to protect individuals and groups from threats, ensuring their safety and well-being within a community.
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