Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to crack down on protesters who chant or display antisemitic slogans, vowing to do “everything in our power to stamp this hatred out” following a stabbing attack in Golders Green that left two Jewish men injured. The UK terror threat level has been raised to “severe” by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, meaning a terrorist attack is now considered “highly likely”.
Speaking after visiting the scene in north-west London, Starmer condemned those who “venerate the murder of Jews” at protest marches, stating that people using phrases like “globalise the intifada” should be prosecuted. He acknowledged the fear among British Jews, highlighting a series of recent antisemitic attacks including an arson attempt in Hendon and a firebomb at a Harrow synagogue.
The suspect in the Golders Green attack, understood to be 45-year-old Essa Suleiman, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody. It emerged that he was referred to the government’s Prevent deradicalisation scheme in 2020 but was cleared as a terrorist danger within six weeks, raising questions about the programme’s effectiveness.
Starmer announced £25 million in additional funding for Jewish security services and stronger powers to shut down charities promoting antisemitic extremism. He also promised to prevent hate preachers from entering the country and to speed up sentencing for antisemitic attacks. The government is reviewing laws on public order and hate crime, with recommendations expected within weeks.
Police are reviewing whether planned pro-Palestine marches should go ahead, but the government has not called for a pause, despite suggestions from the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation that such marches are incubating hatred towards Jews. Stop the War, an organiser of the marches, rejected any link between the demonstrations and recent antisemitic attacks.
