Antisemitic hate crimes in London surged 72% in May compared to the previous month, according to new figures released by the Metropolitan Police. Officers recorded 255 antisemitic hate crimes during the month, up from 148 in April. The total also represents a 172% increase compared to May 2025, when 91 incidents were recorded.
The highest number of incidents was recorded in Barnet, home to the large Jewish communities of Golders Green, Hendon, and Finchley. Antisemitic hate crimes were reported in 28 of London’s 32 boroughs during May. Barnet recorded 76 incidents, followed by Hackney with 40 and Westminster with 29, highlighting how widely antisemitic incidents were spread across the capital.
Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism and provides security for British Jewish communities, said the figures reflect what many Jews in London are experiencing on a daily basis. “This sharp rise in antisemitic hate crimes reflects the daily experiences of the Jewish community in London and corresponds to similar data recorded by CST over the same period,” a CST spokesperson told The Jerusalem Post.
CST said the increase appears to have followed a series of attacks targeting Jewish individuals and institutions, including arson attacks on Jewish community sites and the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green at the end of April. “Most disturbing of all is that this increase appears to have been triggered by the series of arson attacks on the Jewish community and the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green at the end of April,” the spokesperson said.
The organization warned that similar patterns were seen after Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel and after the terror attack on the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester. “This means that, as we saw after the October 7 attack in Israel and after the terror attack on the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester, attacks on Jews lead to more antisemitism, not less,” the spokesperson said. CST welcomed increased police resources in Jewish neighborhoods, while the Metropolitan Police recently launched a dedicated 100-officer Community Protection Team to help protect vulnerable communities across London.