British Jews need comprehensive action against antisemitism from government, police, and society
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/dave-rich. "After Golders Green, this is what British Jews need from the government, the police – and the rest of society | Dave Rich | The Guardian." April 30, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that British Jews are under attack from both foreign terrorists and homegrown hate, and that stopping these attacks requires everyone - government, police, and regular people - to crack down on violent anti-Jewish rhetoric wherever it appears. He says we can't just increase security; we need to stop tolerating the hate speech that leads to violence in the first place.
Conclusion
Protecting British Jews from rising antisemitic attacks requires a whole-society approach that addresses both state-sponsored terrorism and the normalization of violent anti-Jewish incitement in public discourse
Premises
- British Jews are facing unprecedented attacks, including recent stabbings in broad daylight, representing the biggest national security emergency in almost a decade
- Attacks come from two distinct sources: Islamic State supporters and Iranian-backed operations like HAYI
- State-sponsored attacks require forceful diplomatic responses, including expelling Iranian ambassadors and proscribing state-linked entities
- A wave of violent incitement against 'Zionists' in protests and cultural spaces creates an atmosphere that leads to attacks on Jews
- Unlike other conflicts (such as Ukraine-Russia), Israel-related anger is uniquely accompanied by calls for globalized violent resistance that goes unchallenged
- Artists and cultural figures promoting violent anti-Zionist rhetoric are being platformed and funded rather than sanctioned
- Extremist violence emerges from ideas and language that demonize target groups, and flourishes when society fails to act against it
Assumptions
- Anti-Zionist incitement inevitably translates into antisemitic violence against ordinary Jews
- Government has both the authority and responsibility to regulate artistic expression that promotes violence
- The connection between inflammatory rhetoric and subsequent violence is direct and causal
- Society's tolerance of extremist language directly enables physical attacks
- State actors like Iran are deliberately orchestrating attacks on British soil