DAN JARVIS: ‘I used to be horrified by Golders Green assault – we should all sort out evil of antisemitism’
‘Scenes such as those that unfolded in Golders Green on Wednesday, when Jews were attacked in an antisemitic act of terror, are not only terrifying,’ Security Minister Dan Jarvis writes
Two Jewish men were stabbed in an antisemitic terrorist attack in Golders Green(Image: Xinhua/Shutterstock)
Every decent person across our country will have been horrified by the events of this week.
Now, they must mark a turning point. Scenes such as those that unfolded in Golders Green on Wednesday, when Jews were attacked in an antisemitic act of terror, are not only terrifying. They are not who we are.
My thoughts today remain with the two victims of this vile attack. I hope and pray for their full recovery, and for their families at this incredibly difficult time.
In the face of the worst of humanity, we also saw the best. I am immensely grateful to the Shomrim and Hatzola volunteers, members of the local community and emergency services who responded. Thanks to their courage, lives were saved and an even worse outcome was averted. They are, and forever will be, heroes.
We would have recoiled in horror even if this had been an isolated incident. Yet the dismal truth is that it was not. We have been grappling with a vicious torrent of antisemitism unleashed in the wake of the October 7 attacks in 2023.
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Two years later, two men were killed during a deadly terrorist assault on a synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur. Within weeks, horror struck once more on Bondi Beach – again on a Jewish holiday. And this year, synagogues and Jewish property have been hit by a series of suspected arson attacks in London.
This dreadful escalation has left British Jews shaken, afraid and even questioning whether their future lies away from this country. We cannot let that happen.
Jewish life is indivisible from our national life. It is an essential part of who we are – and must be shielded from harm.
The government is taking action by providing an additional £25million for specialist police activity to detect and prevent attacks as well as enhanced security measures at synagogues, schools and other sites. This injection takes our overall commitment to £58million – the largest such investment by any government in this country’s history.
It is not enough, however. No one should have to live a smaller Jewish life behind ever higher walls. Alongside strengthened security measures, we must act to prevent foreign powers projecting or fomenting threats against our citizens.
We have already specified Iran on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, and sanctioned hundreds of Iranian individuals and entities, including the IRGC in its entirety.
But we must go further – and we are. We will fast-track legislation to crack down on hostile action on British soil and hand the Home Secretary proscription-like powers to tackle state-backed organisations that threaten our national security.
Through the government’s new social cohesion strategy, we have committed to expand the reach of our visa taskforce to stop extremists entering the UK. And as we face down the dangers emanating from abroad, we are also sharpening our response at home by bolstering efforts to disrupt extremism domestically.
Public order is another key area of focus. The right to protest is a sacred one. But it is not – and will never be – an excuse to spread antisemitism and hate. I know this issue is a source of deep concern for many, especially within the Jewish community.
That is why the Home Secretary has strengthened police powers for dealing with repeat protests. She has also commissioned a review to examine how public order laws can be further improved. It will report to her soon.
But to defeat antisemitism, we must address its root causes and the permissive environment that allows it to fester. Now, more than ever, our public institutions must show the way.
Work is ongoing to drive antisemitism out of the NHS, with strengthened, mandatory training and an urgent review led by Lord John Mann.
And in recognition of the vital importance of protecting young minds from warped and hateful ideologies, the government has committed £7 million to tackle antisemitism in schools, colleges, and universities.
Antisemitism is a deep-seated and pervasive evil that has afflicted our society for too long. The time has come for a true national effort, driven forward by action, and involving every member of our society.
Together, we must show solidarity with our Jewish community, stand with them, and call out hatred wherever we see it. Because this land is their land, and the safety of British Jews is the yardstick by which we must now measure ourselves as a nation.
