Met launches new Community Protection Team

The Metropolitan Police has announced a new dedicated Community Protection Team of 100 extra officers after a series of arsons and antisemitic hate crime arrests.

The new team brings together neighbourhood policing, specialist protection and counter terrorism capabilities, providing a more visible, intelligence‑led and coordinated presence focused on protecting Jewish communities across London.

The approach includes officers who are locally based, understand their communities, and have strong relationships with residents, schools, faith leaders and volunteers.

The new team will bring together some of the experienced local officers already working in these areas, who will be joined by additional officers as funding allows.

The announcement comes after an arson at a synagogue on Thursday morning and a number of arrests over the weekend in connection with racially and religiously aggravated offences. These included the arrest of a 57‑year‑old man on Friday, 1 May, on suspicion of causing fear or provocation of violence following reports he threatened a Jewish man while using racially offensive language. On Saturday, 2 May, a 35‑year‑old man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated criminal damage after rocks were thrown at an ambulance belonging to the Jewish community while it was transporting a patient in Edgware. Further arrests were also made on the same day for racially aggravated harassment, criminal damage and public order offences in Brent and Croydon. All have been released on bail pending further investigation.

Over the last four weeks, the Met has arrested around 50 people for antisemitic hate crimes, with eight individuals charged. This is in addition to 28 arrests linked to arsons and other serious offences investigated alongside Counter Terrorism Policing. In total, more than 80 arrests have now been made.

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “The creation of a new Community Protection Team of around 100 officers is an important step in strengthening our response to the sustained threats Jewish communities are facing. It brings together experienced local officers who know their communities, supported by specialist capabilities, to provide more visible, consistent and intelligence‑led protection.

“I welcome the Government’s £18 million funding, which has already paid for thousands of additional officer shifts at a time of exceptional pressure. But this funding is short term and requires investment to sustain our policing response to this growing threat.

“We are working with Government and the Mayor to ensure the approach we are building can be sustained over time, not just for Jewish communities, but as a model that can support other communities across London when facing elevated risk.

“A settled, long‑term model built around local teams will be far more effective than repeated emergency responses, reducing risk and delivering lasting reassurance.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I welcome this support for a new dedicated Community Protection Team. The appalling attack in Golders Green was just the latest in a series of antisemitic acts of violence that have targeted Jewish people, synagogues, homes and charities, creating ripples of fear in our Jewish communities.

“The new team will combine Met neighbourhood policing officers - who know their communities best - with dedicated specialist Met protection teams working around the clock to reassure and protect London’s Jewish communities. The Met Commissioner and I have set out a detailed proposal to the Government for a new, long-term approach.

“Working with the police and others, I am determined to bear down on antisemitism and ensure Jewish Londoners feel safe and are safe in our city. Alongside the police action we need a relentless approach to tackling all hate crime in London and we all have a role to play in calling out hate in all its forms to build a safer London for everyone.”