Hanukkah: Police provide more protection to Jewish community during Festival of Lights
The Met wants to ensure "everyone is safe and feels safe to celebrate with their friends and family."
Thursday 7 December 2023 19:00, UK
Police in London will be offering more protection to the city's Jewish community over the upcoming Hanukkah festival, the Met has said.
Officers will be stepping up patrols, visits and other activities because of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and the rise in antisemitic hate crime in the UK.
In a statement, the force said the capital's Jewish population "will see more uniformed officers in their neighbourhoods as well as around businesses, schools and synagogues".
The aim is to ensure "everyone is safe and feels safe to celebrate with their friends and family."
Chief Superintendent Joe McDonald, who is overseeing the policing plan across London, said Jewish communities "have my full commitment and we are doing everything we can to keep you and your communities safe at this important time of year.
"I am sure that this year will be particularly poignant. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and peaceful Hanukkah, chag sameach."
Antisemitic crime in the UK has risen sharply amid the renewed conflict in Gaza, with more than 1,000 incidents logged by Jewish charity The Community Security Trust since the 7 October attack by Hamas on Israel.
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Hanukkah, which started on Thursday evening and lasts eight days, is also known as the Festival of Lights.