The PM gave an emotional plea
Prime Minister Keir Starmer gave an urgent address the nation this afternoon in which he appealed to the goodwill of the country.
At around 15:30 BST, reports emerged that the PM would be giving a speech “imminently”, after ITV’s Paul Brand posted on X: “The PM will address the nation from Downing Street in the next few minutes”.
Starmer has been no stranger to a speech addressing the nation during his almost two-year tenure at the head of government.
The PM gave his message at Downing Street in which he addressed the recent rise in antisemitic attacks in the UK.
Attack in Golders Green declared a terrorist incident
Two men were stabbed on Wednesday morning in Highfield Avenue in Barnet, near Golders Green Road. The victims were named as Moshe Shine, 76, and Shlome Rand, 34.
A 45-year-old man, a British national born in Somalia, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He was initially taken to hospital before being discharged into police custody.
Counter Terrorism Policing Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor confirmed the attack had formally been declared a terrorist incident, with officers investigating whether it was deliberately targeting the Jewish community.
It is the second declared terrorist attack on Britain’s Jewish community in seven months, following an attack at Heaton Park Synagogue in October in which two men were killed
Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, who visited the scene, said the suspect “has a history of serious violence and mental health issues” and was stunned with a Taser after refusing to show his hands to officers who feared he may be carrying an explosive device.
What did Keir Starmer say?
Taking to the plinth at Number 10, Starmer made a plea to the nation as he called on “everyone decent in this country to open their eyes to Jewish pain, Jewish suffering and Jewish fear.”
Meanwhile he also took aim at take the marches that happen regularly across Britain.
Starmer says Britain’s Jewish community suffered “yet another vile, terrorist attack” yesterday as two men were stabbed “because they were Jews”.
The PM highligted that “the truth is, this attack is not a one-off, there have been a series of attacks”.
The PM says the increase in antisemitic attacks mean Jewish people are “scared to show who they are”, scared to go to the synagogue or go to university as a Jew, or send their children to school or tell colleagues they are Jewish.
“Nobody should live like that in Britain, but Jews do,” he added.
“Yesterday this anxiety, that is always there, went to another place, to terror, frankly. That is the right word.”
Starmer added that “we often say this is not Britain, that these attacks are an affront to British values”.
“But they keep happening, don’t they?”
Starmer also took aim at some of marches going on across the UK.
He says: “Take the marches that happen regularly across Britain. Of course, we protect freedom of speech and peaceful protest in this country.
“But if you are marching with people, wearing pictures of paragliders without calling it out, you are venerating the murder of Jews.
“If you stand alongside people who say globalise the intifada, you are calling for terrorism against Jews. And people who use that phrase should be prosecuted.
“It is racism, extreme racism, and it has left a minority community in this country scared, intimidated, wondering if they belong.”
The paragliders are in reference to the 7 October attacks.
He says while these antisemitic attacks are often characterised as “not British”, he points out “they keep happening, don’t they?”
He adds: “This government will do everything in our power to stamp this hatred out. We will strengthen our security and protect our Jewish community.
“But I also call on everyone decent in this country to open their eyes to Jewish pain, Jewish suffering, and Jewish fear.
“I call on everyone to come together and fight antisemitism, and I call on everyone to fight for the decent, respectful, tolerant Britain that I and millions of people love.”
You can watch the whole speech here:
Why has there been an increase in attacks?
With the increase in attacks, it has become evident that community divides are becoming more and more apparent.
The rabbi described the attack as cowardly.
The increase in attacks and antisemitism can be attributed largely to continued tensions in the Middle-East as well as actions of political groups having repercussions for larger communities.
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