Violence against Jews in Britain

Anti-Semitic violence is apparently on the increase in Britain:

The Jewish community faces a growing threat on British streets, a report claimed this week, with the number of abusive and violent attacks on Jews reaching an all-time high.

The Community Security Trust (CST), which advises synagogues and other Jewish organisations, revealed the number of anti-Semitic incidents had rocketed by almost 50 per cent to 532 across the UK the highest total since records began in 1984 with 90 incidents in Barnet.

Last year, 83 violent assaults took place in the UK, compared with 54 in 2003, including four incidents that were so ferocious they almost claimed the victims' lives.

Among the damage and desecration of Jewish buildings, four fires were started in a community centre belonging to Aish UK a Jewish educational charity in Hendon Way, Hendon, in June.

The blaze was started in two Torah scrolls, which had been torn apart, and damage was estimated at £250,000.

Anti-Semitic threats also increased three-fold to 93, mainly as a result of one man, Riaz Mohammed Burahee, who was convicted of making 218 abusive phone calls to synagogues in Barnet and across London. March, June, April and September saw four out of five of the highest monthly totals recorded by the CST.

Michael Whine, director of communications for the CST, said: "This increase is extremely alarming. The transfer of tensions in the Middle East to the streets of Britain has resulted in an unprecedented level of anti-Semitic incidents."

The CST defines an anti-Semitic incident as any malicious act aimed at the Jewish community or Jewish individuals as Jews.

Around the Blogosphere:

How the British left is in bed with radical Islamists

Anti-Semitism in Britain: blame the BBC!

British Anti Semitism Watch

British anti-semitism

RISING ANTI-SEMITISM IN UK BLAMED ON MEDIA

Why the fuss?