Trump's Antisemitism Envoy Warns UK Faces 'Tremendous Breakdown' Under Starmer
Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the 57-year-old antisemitism tsar appointed by US President Donald Trump, has issued a stark warning that antisemitism is 'running amok' across the United Kingdom. During a two-day visit organised in response to urgent pleas from British Jewish communities, Rabbi Kaploun urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to implement a decisive crackdown on protests and hate incidents targeting Jews.
Record Incidents and Alarming Statistics
Rabbi Kaploun emphasised that his office prioritised the visit to England due to being 'inundated by calls from people within the UK' seeking assistance to combat rising antisemitism. He cited a report by The Community Security Trust, which revealed that since the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, Britain has experienced more recorded antisemitic incidents than at any time since reporting began. In the last year alone, 3,700 incidents of hate towards Jews were documented.
Describing these figures as alarming, Rabbi Kaploun stated they represent a 'tremendous breakdown in law and order' under Starmer's leadership. He lamented, 'It's a record that is sad because we're dealing in a society that, instead of being able to work on programmes that decrease antisemitism, we're seeing a tremendous rise. It's kind of a sad indictment that we're not learning from history to protect our children and give them a better future.'
Manchester Synagogue Attack and Escalating Tensions
The rabbi linked the rising antisemitism to the tragic terrorist attack on October 2, 2025, when Jihah Al-Shamie targeted the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester. Al-Shamie rammed his car into the place of worship and stabbed Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, to death before being shot dead by police. In a 999 call after the killings, he reportedly declared, 'I have killed two Jews in the name of the Islamic State.'
Rabbi Kaploun accused UK authorities of allowing antisemitism to fester in the lead-up to the attack, which he deemed inevitable given the unchecked escalation. 'It didn't come in a vacuum,' he explained. 'If you're going to have three years of rising incidents of antisemitism, it escalates. And if it goes unchecked, and if it goes without law and order, which is the basic premise for people to be able to live freely, then you're going to get unfortunate results that occurred in Manchester on Yom Kippur.'
Controversial Protests and 'Jew Hunt' Allegations
Recent incidents have further highlighted the tensions. Police launched an investigation this week after pro-Palestine canvassers from the Sheffield Apartheid-Free Zone (AFZ) campaign were accused of engaging in a 'Jew hunt' while going door-to-door in Sheffield, urging locals to boycott Israeli products. Campaigner Jean Hatchet and her partner confronted the activists, leading to an altercation where one man allegedly headbutted Hatchet's partner, and another grabbed a sign reading 'no tolerance for Jew hatred'.
Ms Hatchet, who is not Jewish, stated they acted after being alerted to the activities on social media, filming the confrontation with body-worn cameras. She alleged the activists were targeting Jews, even if not explicitly named. The Sheffield AFZ, part of grassroots groups opposing Israeli businesses amid the war with Hamas in Gaza, claims its boycotts aim to pressure Israel economically, inspired by historical anti-apartheid movements.
Broader Campaigns and Rising Antisemitism
Similar campaigns have emerged elsewhere, such as in Brighton, where Jewish activists accused pro-Palestine canvassers of a 'campaign of intimidation' by knocking on doors to boycott Israeli goods. These groups have proliferated following Israel's incursion into Gaza after the October 7 attacks by Hamas, which killed over 1,200 Israelis. The conflict has since resulted in an estimated 72,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Authority, with accusations of genocide denied by Israel.
The rise in antisemitic incidents across Britain correlates with these tensions. A YouGov poll commissioned by the Campaign Against Antisemitism found that half of young Brits feel uncomfortable spending time with people who openly support Israel, and half believe Israel treats Palestinians similarly to how Nazis treated Jews.
Rabbi Kaploun's warnings underscore a critical challenge for the UK government, as calls for action against antisemitism intensify amid ongoing geopolitical conflicts and domestic protests.
