£14 million funding for security at Jewish institutions

The Home Office has provided the Community Security Trust with £14 million to provide security measures at Jewish schools and synagogues.

The grant will cover protective security for the next financial year at Jewish institutions, after the Community Security Trust charity recorded 1,805 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2019, a seven per cent increase on the previous year.

The grant was introduced in 2015 following a series of terror attacks against Jewish targets across Europe. It has been renewed yearly following security assessments by the Home Office. In addition to the protective security grant, the Home Office also runs the Places of Worship Scheme, which provides funding to improve physical security for non-Jewish places of worship.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Antisemitic incidents are not just an attack on the Jewish community, but on everyone who believes in a free and open society. This funding will help Jewish people practise their religion and way of life without fear of attack or persecution.”

Minister for Countering Extremism Baroness Williams added: “No one should feel afraid for practising their religion. We are committed to ensuring our places of worship remain safe spaces for worship, contemplation and reflection. Only by working together can we ensure that hateful behaviour like antisemitism can be fully eliminated from our society.”

All synagogues remain closed and schools only remain open for the children of those conducting essential work, as part of government efforts to tackle coronavirus.