Almost half of Britons believe the UK is ‘very unsafe’ for Jews: poll

Most Britons say they avoid discussing the Israel-Gaza war due to fear of social backlash.

By World Israel News Staff

A new poll of the British public reveals that most people in the UK oppose the raucous anti-Israel demonstrations organized by groups such as Palestine Action — recently designated a terror group by the UK government — and that nearly half of Britons believe the country is not safe for Jewish people.

The survey, conducted by the British think tank More in Common UK, questioned roughly 2,000 British adults shortly after the Yom Kippur terror attack in Manchester, in which two Jewish men were killed by an Islamic terrorist outside a synagogue.

According to the results, 44% of respondents said they believe the UK is “mostly or very unsafe” for Jewish people. Those who agreed with the statement included individuals who identified themselves as pro-Palestine.

The survey results revealed public frustration with the large-scale anti-Israel marches that have swept through major UK cities since October 7.

About 67% of respondents agreed that some of the pro-Palestine demonstrations were so disruptive and raucous that they should have been banned from taking place, especially given repeated violent clashes with police.

“Public patience for protest is wearing thin — two-thirds of Britons now believe some protests are too disruptive to be allowed, with sustained demonstrations over Gaza contributing to broader backlash against activist movements,” More in Common UK researchers said in a media statement.

The poll also found that most Britons view the Israel-Gaza conflict as an explosive topic they prefer to avoid, largely due to fears of social backlash. Three out of four respondents — 75% — said they would not feel comfortable discussing the war on social media, and 30% said they would not bring up the topic even in face-to-face conversations with friends.

A slight majority, 56%, said they either do not take a side in the conflict or are unsure which side they feel more aligned with.

More than a quarter — 26% — said they sympathized mostly with the Palestinians, while 18% expressed sympathy for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Only 14% said they sympathized mostly with Israel.