The United Kingdom has experienced the most significant increase in antisemitic incidents among major countries with large Jewish diaspora populations outside of Israel, according to a new report from the J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism. The study warns that anti-Jewish attitudes are becoming "more widespread" and expresses "alarm about the deadly reality of antisemitism that Jewish communities worldwide confront at levels unprecedented since World War II."
The report, which analyzed developments across seven nations including Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the UK, and the US, found that antisemitic incidents remained at elevated levels in 2023 compared to the period before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. While incidents fell in four of the J7 countries last year following 2024 peaks, the UK, alongside Argentina and Germany, saw a rise, with Britain's five percent increase being the largest.
Across the seven nations, a combined total of over 91,000 antisemitic incidents were recorded last year. The UK reported 3,700 incidents, while the US recorded 6,274, Germany 8,725, Australia 1,654, France 1,320, Canada 788, and Argentina 713. Overall, reported antisemitic incidents in these nations increased by 136 percent since 2022, with violent incidents up by 97 percent.
Marina Rosenberg of the Anti-Defamation League, involved in the report, noted that social media and now artificial intelligence are contributing to radicalization that can precede violent attacks. The J7 task force stated that antisemitism in these countries is "no longer a surge; it is our new normal," calling for governments to implement proactive security funding and stronger laws, and for social media platforms to enforce their rules.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism criticized inaction from British authorities, calling the findings an "embarrassment" and highlighting a need to confront perpetrators of hatred. While acknowledging recent government actions to increase protective measures for the Jewish community and ban Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the group stressed these would have limited impact without forceful action against extremists.
In response to the rising incidents, the UK government has pledged new legislation to act against state-backed groups and has proscribed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had previously promised a "zero tolerance" approach to antisemitism on university campuses and in the arts, with universities expected to publish data on antisemitic incidents and the steps taken to address them. The Arts Council is set to withdraw funding from those promoting antisemitism. An independent audit of how antisemitism allegations are handled has also been ordered.
Additionally, Jewish communities across England were promised an extra £1 million earlier this year to fund community safety work and initiatives countering antisemitic narratives. A review into antisemitism in schools and colleges in England was also launched, with the Community Security Trust recording 204 school-related antisemitic incidents in 2023, double the pre-2023 levels.
The report comes amid a series of incidents in London, including the firebombing of four Jewish charity ambulances in Golders Green in March, which caused explosions from stored gas canisters and damaged a nearby historic synagogue. Investigations into this and other suspected arson attacks at synagogues and Jewish community buildings in Finchley, Hendon, Harrow, and Whitechapel are ongoing, with some incidents linked by investigators to groups suspected of being backed by Iran. Four individuals have been charged in connection with the ambulance firebombing, and others have been charged in relation to attempted arson attacks.