Scotland Yard is investigating reports of antisemitic abuse directed at Jewish individuals during London's Pride march on Saturday. Video clips circulating online appear to show attendees being subjected to verbal harassment, including slurs such as 'go back to your Zionist homeland' and accusations of killing children, in reference to the conflict in Gaza. One confrontation, which reportedly began with chants of 'Free Palestine' in Soho, also included a woman shouting 'f*** you, Jew.'
At least two police officers were visible at the scene during the incidents, but no arrests were made at the time for racist or religious abuse. The Metropolitan Police stated that officers are reviewing the circulating footage to assess and investigate the incidents. The force had previously committed to a significant police presence at the event to ensure the safety of tens of thousands of attendees.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism has called for the identification and punishment of those involved in the alleged abuse. A spokesperson for the organization noted the explicit transition from political slogans to antisemitic slurs in this incident and stated that Jewish people, while accustomed to feeling excluded from certain movements, should still be afforded the same legal protections as all other citizens.
These incidents at Pride follow a recent increase in antisemitic attacks in London. In April alone, the Metropolitan Police logged approximately 140 instances of anti-Jewish hate, a rise from 98 in March and 67 in February. The borough of Barnet, which includes areas with significant Jewish populations, recorded the highest number of incidents, accounting for 36% of the total in April.
Earlier in the year, Barnet experienced other antisemitic incidents, including attempted arson attacks on synagogues and a memorial wall. The recorded 140 offences in April marked the highest monthly figure since the Metropolitan Police updated its hate crime recording methods in March 2024. Data from before this change showed a substantial surge in antisemitic hate crimes after the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel conflict in October 2023, with figures rising sharply from 61 in September to 518 in October and 411 in November of that year.
In response to these trends, the Met announced plans for a dedicated community protection team of 100 officers to combat anti-Jewish hate crime. This unit is expected to require significant expansion and an annual cost of £35 million. A Met spokesman confirmed that officers have made over 90 hate crime arrests across London since the end of March as part of ongoing efforts to tackle all forms of hate crime.