Recorded antisemitic incidents in Hertfordshire have almost tripled in one year according to new figures.

The data, obtained by the PA news agency from Freedom of Information requests sent to all forces in the UK, showed that the county faced three antisemitic incidents in 2021, six in 2022, and 17 in 2023.

Herts police specified that the figures provided to PA are for crimes that have a “Religion – Jewish” flag attributed to the investigation record.

Nationally, the number of antisemitic hate crimes recorded by many of the UK’s largest police forces jumped sharply in the weeks following the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel conflict.

British Transport Police had one of the largest increases, recording 87 antisemitic offences in the month after October 7, up from eight in the same period in 2022 and 11 in 2021.

A spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said the findings “provide further evidence of the huge upsurge in antisemitism following the Hamas massacre of October 7”.

They added that this has “caused enormous anxiety for Jewish people, particularly children and Jewish students on campus or indeed anyone easily identified as Jewish by their dress”.

 

 

The Comet: The flag daubed in red paint outside Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council.The flag daubed in red paint outside Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council. (Image: Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council)

On October 10, Herts Police were called with reports of a man believed to be carrying an imitation firearm in Watling Street, Radlett. Members of the public linked this to one of the synagogues in the road, however this was not confirmed and no suspect was identified.

Then, at the beginning of the next month, an Israeli flag hung outside Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council was daubed in red paint in the early hours of November 2.