Suella Braverman warns ‘full force of the law’ will be used against those who support Hamas and ‘intimidate’ Jews in Britain – as the Met Police steps up patrols in London after Israel attacks
Suella Braverman today warned that the ‘full force of the law’ will be used against those who support Hamas or ‘intimidate’ Jews in Britain.
The Home Secretary delivered the stark message as the Met Police stepped up ‘reassurance’ patrols in London following the horrific attacks on civilians in Israel.
Images of people waving Palestine flags and celebrating the bloody assault in the city have been shared on social media, including by Countdown presenter Rachel Riley.
Ms Braverman posted on X this morning to say the government was doing ‘everything necessary’ to protect Jewish communities.
‘Whenever Israel is attacked, Islamists and other racists use Israeli defensive measures as a pretext to stir up hatred against British Jews,’ she wrote.
‘There must be zero tolerance for anti-semitism or glorification of terrorism on the streets of Britain.
‘I expect the police to use the full force of the law against displays of support for Hamas, other proscribed terrorist groups or attempts to intimidate British Jews.’
Scotland Yard said it would increase the presence of officers in response to a ‘number of incidents’.
Suella Braverman delivered a stark message as the Met Police stepped up ‘reassurance’ patrols in London following the horrific attacks on civilians in Israel
Ms Braverman posted on X this morning to say the government was doing ‘everything necessary’ to protect Jewish communities
Images of people waving Palestine flags and celebrating the bloody assault in the city have been shared on social media, including by Countdown presenter Rachel Riley
People celebrating the Hamas atrocity in Israel outside a café in Acton, West London yesterday
The Met said that ‘an appropriate policing plan’ will be put in place as the force anticipates protests over the coming days.
Militant Islamist group Hamas launched an attack on Israel overnight on Friday, claiming to have fired 5,000 rockets before militants poured across the border, seemingly taking Israel completely by surprise.
Civilians have been slaughtered and hostages taken.
In just 12 hours almost 400 people are confirmed to have died, with a further 2,610 injured in both Israel and the Gaza Strip.
In just 12 hours almost 400 people are confirmed to have died, with a further 2,610 injured in both Israel and the Gaza Strip
Hamas militants began their attack early on Saturday and appeared to take the Israelis completely by surprise
The Met Police has confirmed that officers will step up patrols in London amid fears of antisemitic attacks and protests
Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel from the occupied Gaza Strip, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
In a statement, Scotland Yard 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.’
It added: ‘We are aware that the ongoing conflict may lead to protests over the coming days. We will ensure that an appropriate policing plan is in place in order to balance the right to protest against any disruption to Londoners.’
The news comes amid fears the new escalation could seriously destabilise the region and result in an extended conflict after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu told Hamas they are now ‘at war’.
During the 2021 Gaza-Israel conflict, which began in early May, the CST documented a record 628 hate incidents directed towards British Jews between early May and early June, a fourfold increase on the same period the previous year.
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.
Israeli police officers evacuate a family from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Saturday, October 7, 2023
Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, October 7, 2023
A woman and child are evacuated from the site of a rocket attack in southern Israel on Saturday
Islamophobia results in the highest number of religious-based hate crimes per year, and made up 39 percent of them, the latest data shows.
After the scale of the Hamas attack became clear, British politicians rushed to support their own communities and the public.
Rishi Sunak said: ‘I am shocked by this morning’s attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens.
‘Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We’re in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.’
Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer said: ‘I utterly condemn the ongoing attacks on Israel and her citizens.
‘There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region. Israel has a right to defend herself.’
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan explicitly acknowledge the risk of increased levels of antisemitism.
He said: ‘The news coming out of Israel is deeply distressing. I condemn the terrorist acts of Hamas and my thoughts are with those affected and those who have lost loved ones.
‘Tragically, we know that violence in the Middle East can lead to a rise in hate crime in London. I’m in touch with senior officers at the Met and communities across our city. Let me be clear – hate crime in London will not be tolerated. Now or ever.’
Ugly scenes from Israel appear to show Hamas militants abducting women, children and even entire families off the streets and ferrying them back towards the Gaza strip.
Meanwhile both sides are continuing to fire rockets at one another, with active fighting going on in 22 different locations.
Rockets appear to have hit targets in both the Gaza Strip and Israel itself, with multiple reports of fires and explosions in Tel Aviv.
Meanwhile the Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure has ordered the immediate suspension of power to the Gaza Strip.
Palestinians celebrate after an Israeli tank was hit by Hamas gunmen who infiltrated the south of the country, on the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border
Israeli medical teams evacuate an injured person from the southern city of Sderot, close to the border with the Gaza Strip
A man carries a crying child as they walk past a building destroyed by an Israeli air strike in Gaza City
People flee as clashes flare between Palestinian groups and Israeli forces in Gaza City following the earlier air strikes
Palestinians are greeted by crowds after returning from crossing the border into Israel
Gaza’s power authority says 80 percent of Gaza electricity supplies have been shut following Israel’s announcement.
The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated places in the world, with around two million people packed into 140 square miles. But it depends on Israel for water, electricity, telecommunications, and other utilities, and imports are carefully controlled by the occupying country.
Conflict between Israel and Palestinians has been going on for decades, but this is the deadliest attack in years, leading to fears it could start an ongoing war.
From Israel’s perspective, the surprise attack has been ‘humiliating’, undermining intelligence efforts and overwhelming the Iron Dome defence system, which is far superior to Gaza’s own anti-missile defences.
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