UK's Starmer convenes community leaders to fight antisemitism after attacks
Government Response and Community Impact
By Muvija M
Overview of Recent Antisemitic Attacks
LONDON, May 4 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged leaders from across society on Tuesday to work together to eradicate antisemitism "from every corner", as he convened a meeting following the stabbing of two Jewish men and a string of other attacks.
The attacks have left Jewish communities fearing for their safety and piled pressure on Starmer to show he can tackle them. The opposition Conservative Party has called antisemitism a "national emergency".
Arson Attacks and Police Investigation
Moments after Starmer began speaking, counter-terrorism police confirmed they had launched an investigation into an arson attack at a former synagogue in east London. The incident was the latest in a series of arson attacks on Jewish targets since March, most of them in north London, some of which authorities are examining for possible Iranian links.
Community Leaders Meeting and Foreign Involvement
Starmer told the meeting - which brought together representatives from business, health, culture, higher education and policing for talks with members of the Jewish community - that investigators were examining whether a foreign state could be behind some of the incidents.
"Our message to Iran or to any other country that might seek to foment violence, hatred or division in society, is that it will not be tolerated," Starmer said, adding that the government was fast-tracking legislation to tackle threats.
Measures to Combat Antisemitism
Rising Threats and Increased Funding
TERRORISM-RELATED DEATHS ON THE RISE
Starmer, whose wife is Jewish, said last week's stabbings formed part of a broader pattern of rising antisemitism against Britain's 290,000 Jews, leaving many feeling frightened and angry.
In response, the government has raised the national terrorism threat level to "severe" and announced an additional 25 million pounds ($34 million) in funding to bolster protection for Jewish communities.
Support Packages and University Requirements
A new 1-million-pound support package was announced to target antisemitism in high-risk areas, with a further 500,000 pounds allocated to the local authority covering the area where the stabbings took place.
Starmer also announced new requirements for universities to publish details of antisemitic incidents on their campuses and the steps being taken to address them.
"Only by working together, we eradicate antisemitism from every corner," Starmer said.
Broader Trends and Data
Global and National Terrorism Statistics
The Global Terrorism Index has said terrorism-linked deaths fell globally in 2025, but surged 280% in Western countries, largely driven by antisemitism, Islamophobia and political terrorism.
In Britain, government data published last year showed sharp rises in hate crimes against both Jewish and Muslim communities in the months following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war.
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(Reporting by Muvija M, Sarah Young and Sam Tobin; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Ros Russell)
