London Jewish school cancels detention and tells students they do not have to wear blazers as the Metropolitan Police confirm they will be increasing patrols outside schools to provide reassurance after spate of anti-Semitic attacks
- It comes as the Metropolitan Police has ramped up its patrols across the capital
A Jewish school in London has cancelled its detention and told students they do not have to wear blazers as the Metropolitan Police ramp up their patrols outside educational institutions following a spate of anti-Semitic attacks.
The precaution comes as fighting between Israel and Palestine moves into its third day, with the death toll on both sides climbs to more than 1,000.
Patrols across the capital have ramped up since the terrorist organisation Hamas began a wave of cross-boarder surprise attacks and kidnappings in Israel on Saturday.
The London police force today said it is working with the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity that works for the protection of Jewish people, to bring in extra security within the area.
Pupils were encouraged to continue wearing the badge of the school, however, were told wearing the school blazer would become optional over the next week.
Metropolitan Police patrols across the capital have ramped up since the terrorist organisation Hamas began a wave of cross-boarder surprise attacks and kidnappings in Israel on Saturday
The precaution comes as fighting between Israel and Palestine moves into its third day, with the death toll on both sides climbs to more than 1,000. Pictured: Smoke and flames rise following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza
The Home Secretary Suella Braverman pictured with Dame Lynne Owens, deputy commissioner of the Met Police during a visit to the Community Security Trust in London today
In an email to concerned parents a spokesperson from the school reportedly said: ‘The most important thing is to ensure the safe passage of students between home and school and to make sure that this school is set up to care for our children during the school day.
‘To that end, there will be no after-school detentions this week so that we can make sure everyone is able to access the school buses should this be their normal route home.
‘In addition, I think the badge of our school, which has been a safe haven for Jews for nearly 300 years, is important, but should students wish to not wear a blazer then I would understand that decision.’
The headmaster of the school told the Times: ‘In conjunction with increased patrols from the Metropolitan Police, CST has deployed extra security to ensure the safe travel of our students to and from school.
‘We are indebted for their support and our thoughts are with all those families who have been impacted by the terrorist attacks.
Graffiti on a railway bridge this morning next to Golders Green Underground station
A local Kosher restaurant had its windows smashed over night, but the Met Police is treating this as a burglary rather than a hate crime
People celebrating the Hamas atrocity in Israel outside a café in Acton, West London yesterday
MailOnline has contacted the school.
This evening parts of the Israeli embassy in west London appear to be boarded up as pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered outside the building.
Hundreds gathered in Kensington on Monday afternoon, chanting ‘Israel is a terrorist state’, ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Allahu akhbar’.
Large groups of police officers watched on as placards calling for Israel to ‘end the occupation’ were waved.
Boards of wood and gates were placed around the entrance to the embassy.
Palestine Solidarity Campaign, one of the groups behind the demonstration, said in a statement: ‘The offensive launched from Gaza can only be understood in the context of Israel’s ongoing, decades long, military occupation and colonisation of Palestinian land and imposition of a system of oppression that meets the legal definition of apartheid.
‘This is the context in which we need to understand the cycle of violence. If violence is to end, both that of the oppressor and the oppressed, then we must all take action to end the root cause – Israeli apartheid and oppression of Palestinians.’
Earlier on today a bridge in Golders Green – home to London’s largest Jewish community – had ‘Free Palestine’ daubed onto it.
Meanwhile a local Kosher restaurant had its windows smashed overnight. But Met Police said it is being treated as a burglary rather than a hate crime.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: ‘We are aware of a number of incidents, including those that have been shared on social media, in relation to the ongoing conflict in Israel and the border with Gaza.
‘The Met has increased policing patrols across parts of London in order to provide a visible presence and reassurance to our communities.’
Home Secretary Suella Braverman called for police to ‘use the full force of the law’ against displays of support for Hamas in the UK – which the Government prescribed as a terrorist organisation in 2021.
Today she urged police chiefs to step up to prevent anti-Jewish disorder following the renewed violence, writing to forces in England and Wales telling them to ‘use all available powers to prevent disorder and distress to our communities’.
She said officers should ‘act immediately to crack down on criminality, both in our streets and online’.
Despite the intervention, however, displays of support for Hamas have been seen across the country.
Rivkah Brown, commissioning editor at Novara Media, wrote on X to call the first day of the bloody rampage ‘a day of celebration’.
She said on Saturday: ‘Today should be a day of celebration for supporters of democracy and human rights worldwide, as Gazans break out of their open-air prison and Hamas fighters cross into their colonisers’ territory.
‘The struggle for freedom is rarely bloodless and we shouldn’t apologise for it.’
Images and videos of people in London waving Palestine flags and celebrating the bloody assault were also shared on social media.
Rachel Riley, the Countdown presenter who is Jewish, posted a video on her X account, which showed a number of people celebrating the Hamas atrocity outside a café in Acton, West London.
She tweeted: ‘People have been brutally murdered and kidnapped and there are people in London dancing.’
On London’s Edgware Road, nicknamed the capital’s ‘Arab Street’, cars were draped with the Palestinian flag and horns blaring as if there was a football match victory.
Posting a video, a social media user said: ‘Islamists in London celebrating the deaths and captures of innocent civilians. Monsters.’
Motorists were also seen in other parts of London waving the Palestinian flag in celebration.
The latest statistics on hate crimes, released this week, show a rise in religious-based hate crimes in 2022-23 in the UK.
Jewish communities are the second-most hit by religious-based hate crimes, accounting for 17 percent of all those recorded.
Islamophobia results in the highest number of religious-based hate crimes per year, and made up 39 percent of them, the latest data shows.
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