British police are establishing a specialist unit of 100 officers — including counterterrorism experts — to bolster protection for Jewish communities across London following a surge in antisemitic
incidents, among them a recent stabbing attack that left two men injured.
The Metropolitan Police announced the initiative on Wednesday alongside further arrests linked to hate crimes. Among them was a 35-year-old man detained over the weekend after stones were thrown at a Jewish community ambulance.
Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley warned that Jewish communities are facing “sustained threats” from a range of sources, including hostile state actors, far-right groups, elements of the far left, and Islamist extremists.
Authorities are also investigating possible international links behind a series of arson attacks, with security officials raising concerns that Iran may be operating through criminal proxies to carry out hostile acts in the UK.
Since late March, several high-profile incidents have been reported, including the burning of four Jewish ambulances and attacks targeting synagogues. In a separate incident last week, two Jewish men were stabbed; both survived.
Police say around 50 arrests have been made in connection with antisemitic hate crimes over the past month, with eight individuals formally charged. An additional 28 arrests have been carried out in coordination with counterterrorism units investigating arson and other serious offences.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said the new unit would focus primarily on protecting Jewish communities, which it described as facing “some of the highest levels of hate crime” alongside ongoing terrorist and state-linked threats.
The move comes amid broader government efforts to address rising antisemitism. Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened a meeting earlier this week with leaders from business, healthcare and the cultural sector to discuss strategies to counter the trend. Photo by UK Prime Minister, Wikimedia commons.
