Antisemitic incidents rise 21% in first half of 2026, CST reports

The Community Security Trust (CST) recorded 1,926 antisemitic incidents across the UK in the first six months of 2026, a 21% increase on the same period in 2025, the organisation said.

CST described the total as the second-highest number it has recorded for the first half of any year since it began collecting data in 1984. The incidents include arson attacks on Jewish organisations and synagogues in London, notably four volunteer ambulances set alight in Golders Green in March and a double stabbing of two visibly Jewish men in April that was treated as terrorism.

The CST reported spikes in incidents following those attacks, with the highest daily total occurring after the 29 April double stabbing. The charity noted that 41% of incidents referenced the conflict in the Middle East—mentioning Israel, Palestine or Hamas—alongside anti-Jewish language or motive.

CST chief executive Mark Gardner said the attacks were directed against British Jews and represented a broader threat to society, citing state-directed threats from Iran and internal drivers including Islamist, far-right and far-left extremes.

Separate research from the J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism indicated the UK recorded the largest rise in antisemitic incidents last year among countries with major Jewish populations outside Israel, and that 2025 was the deadliest year for Jews in the diaspora in more than three decades.

Government figures and officials also responded: Policing Minister Sarah Jones called the numbers “appalling” and said people were living in fear, while the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, Lord John Mann, said the figures showed anti-Jewish racism remained at an all-time high and was increasingly violent.

The CST’s sector analysis found antisemitic incidents in schools reached a record level for the first half of a year, rising 59% from 112 incidents in the first half of 2025 to 178 in the same period of 2026. An independent review into antisemitism in schools and colleges, led by Sir David Bell, is expected to report in the autumn.

Sarah Jones said the government is investing a record £250m to boost policing in Jewish neighbourhoods and reiterated work with the CST to protect synagogues, Jewish schools and community centres. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp described antisemitism as a national emergency and called for measures including increased police presence, urgent prosecutions and maximum sentencing.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The CST data show a marked rise in antisemitic incidents in the UK in early 2026, with specific surges following arson attacks and a stabbing in London. The reported link between many incidents and references to the Middle East conflict is reflected in the CST’s finding that 41% of incidents mentioned Israel, Palestine or Hamas. The record increase in school incidents is highlighted by the rise from 112 to 178 cases in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• 1,926 antisemitic incidents recorded in the UK in H1 2026, a 21% increase on H1 2025
• Incidents include arson attacks in London and a double stabbing treated as terrorism
• 41% of incidents referenced Israel, Palestine or Hamas alongside anti-Jewish language