Yorkshire among worst regions as anti-Semitic attacks increase

More than 924 reports of bigoted violence and abuse nationwide were received last year by the Jewish Community Security Trust (CST) which monitors anti-Semitism in Britain.

The catalogue of incidents across the country included one in West Yorkshire where strips of bacon were arranged in the shape of a star of David and stuck to the fence of a family's home, along with derogatory graffiti.

Leeds was among one of the areas reporting the highest number of incidents – 35 of the region's total of 43 in figures which the charity said were the worst since records began in 1984.

Researchers said the surge was fuelled by the ground invasion of Gaza by Israeli forces in January 2009.

Almost a quarter of incidents included some form of reference to the controversial conflict. The fighting was marked by protests around the world.

In a statement released through the charity, Mr Brown condemned the attacks and said more must be done towards securing Israel and creating a Palestinian state.

He said: "The increase in anti-Semitic incidents recorded by CST in the early part of last year is deeply troubling and I want to be unequivocal today.

"I am a proud friend of Israel and welcome a robust debate about how we ensure both a secure Israel and a viable Palestinian state existing side by side.

"The debate is welcome, but no strength of feeling can ever justify violent extremism or attacks and we will stand firm against all those who would use anti-Israeli feeling as an excuse or disguise for anti-Semitism and attacks on the Jewish community."

Most of the incidents recorded by the CST – from violence to desecration of property – took place in London (460), followed by Manchester (206), Hertfordshire (48), then Leeds.

Dan Cohen, president of the Beth Hamidrash Hagadol Synagogue in Leeds, said: "There is no doubt that many of us in the Jewish community have seen an increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the last 12 months."

He also attributed the rise to the ground invasion of Gaza last year and an increase in the level of support for nationalist parties such as the BNP.

Mr Cohen said: "One of the factors was the fact that yes, there was the ground assault in Gaza in the early part of 2009 and some people mistakenly link Jewish people with Israeli people. They forget that the two are not synonymous. But history has shown that people take out their anger with Israel on Jewish populations."

Anti-Semitic incidents from across the country last year included violent street attacks, arson, egg-throwing, racist graffiti, website hacking and hate mail.

In one case, a 12-year-old girl was attacked by a mob of up to 20 fellow pupils who pulled her hair and chanted abusive taunts.

In Yorkshire, vandalism at the Sinai Synagogue in Roundhay, Leeds, was among the incidents recorded, a rise of 10 on the numbers in 2008. Nationally, the record number of anti-Semitic incidents in 2009 marked a 69 per cent increase from the 546 recorded in 2008.

Mark Gardner, of the CST, said: "These record figures show that anti-Semitism is an increasingly significant problem for British Jews. The trend must be reversed and we call upon decent people to speak out against anti-Semitism in all its forms."

n Detectives were yesterday investigating claims that anti-Semitic remarks were posted on an internet page set up by a student. More than 500 members joined a group – created on the social networking site Facebook – which boasted of attacks on the Jewish community in Ilford, east London, it was reported.