Antisemitic incidents across the UK rose by 21% in the first six months of 2026 compared to the previous year, according to a newly published report by the Community Security Trust. The watchdog recorded 1,926 anti-Jewish hate incidents between January and June, marking the second-highest total on record for the first half of a year and pointing to a sharp escalation in hostility.
The data highlights a concerning shift toward physical violence, with recorded antisemitic assaults surging by 82% year-on-year. The organisation behind the report, which was set up to provide protection for Jews in Great Britain—for instance by handling security outside Jewish schools—also noted that school-based incidents rose 59% (from 112 to 178).
The sharp uptick in assaults appears linked to major geopolitical events, where a confirmed 41% of incidents referenced the current Middle East conflict. Both the number of incidents and the amount of violence in the first half of 2026 remained significantly above the UK baseline set in the aftermath of the Hamas-led pogrom of October 7th, 2023.
Violent domestic episodes recorded include a terrorist double-stabbing in London and a series of arson attacks targeting Jewish community sites and local properties.
Government officials and community leaders have strongly condemned the figures, characterising the wave of hatred as a critical national issue. In response to the growing security threat, authorities have emphasised ongoing funding initiatives aimed at reinforcing protective measures around synagogues, schools, and Jewish community centers across the country.
Sadly, the new figures tend to confirm the recent findings published by the J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism, which identified 2025 as the most deadly year for Jews outside Israel in more than three decades (with Britain especially problematic). Little wonder a recent UK-wide survey claims that Jews in Britain “consistently described a profound sense of being unheard, dismissed and abandoned by institutions they expected to protect them.”
