ByJonathan Kalmus, Jonathan Kalmus
Antisemitic attacks now account for over a third of all religiously motivated hate crime in Greater Manchester, according to police figures released at the start of a hate crime awareness week.
Eighty-one of the 244 hate crimes recorded in the period between April and December 2013 were against Jews. The Jewish community accounts for less than one per cent of the Greater Manchester population.
Incidents in Manchester are disproportionately high compared to the number of hate crimes against Jews reported in London.
Sgt Kate Crompton of GMP’s equality team said the awareness week had focused on promoting hate crime reporting centres.
“Any form of hate crime and antisemitism is distressing and abhorrent and GMP does not tolerate this type of behaviour,” she said. “Members of the Jewish community should always regard antisemitic abuse as a hate crime — not as something that they should have to endure.
“When offenders are put before the courts, we seek enhanced sentences for hate crime wherever possible.
“If people lack confidence in the ability of the justice system to deal with the issues they face, we will work with the Community Security Trust and other community groups to break down any barriers. Victims can report incidents either directly to police or via a third party reporting centre, like the Manchester Jewish Federation.”
CST’s Mark Gardner said: “There seems little doubt that antisemitic incidents are an important part of the overall hate crime picture in Greater Manchester. CST and GMP have worked together for many years to ensure that incidents are properly reported and this will certainly continue.”
Members of Manchester Jewish Representative Council gave out kosher food at a hate crime awareness event at Manchester Cathedral on Tuesday, one of 60 across the region organised by the city council and police.