Monday, London’s Metropolitan Police (a/k/a Scotland Yard) released hate crime figures for the year that ended 30 June 2015. During that period, there were 816 anti-Muslim crimes, up 71% from the 478 crimes the year before. There were 499 anti-Jewish hate crimes, up 93% from the 258 crimes the year before.
Westminster was reportedly the borough with the highest number of anti-Muslim incidents during this time period, with 54 instances. Hackney and Barnet were reportedly the boroughs with the highest incidence of anti-Jewish incidents, with, respectively, 122 and 120 instances. About 60% of the anti-Muslim hate crimes targeted women. Details about the anti-Jewish crimes were a bit more difficult to come by.
According to the 2011 census, there were 1,013,000 Muslims and 149,000 Jews living in London, as Islamist Watch reported previously. Based on these numbers, per capita, there was one hate crime incident for every 1,241 Muslims and one for every 299 Jews in London last year.
Troubling numbers all around. Unfortunately, the police announcement and coverage by British media (e.g., here, here, here, and here) have focused heavily on the anti-Muslim component and underreported the rise in anti-Jewish crime.
Johanna Markind is associate counselor at the Middle East Forum
