British police ramp up security around synagogues ahead of Jewish High Holidays

Last Yom Kippur, at Manchester’s Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue, a terrorist carried out a stabbing attack, killing two Jewish men and critically injuring at least three others.

By Ailin Vilches Arguello, The Algemeiner

British authorities are stepping up security around synagogues and Jewish community sites ahead of the High Holy Days, with police forces increasing patrols and security measures as fears persist over potential threats and targeted violence against Jews and Israelis across the country.

Thames Valley Police, the regional force responsible for policing communities west of London, announced on Tuesday a new security operation ahead of the Jewish holiday season to protect Jewish communities in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire.

The intelligence-led operation will focus on high-visibility police patrols, engagement with local communities, and enhanced protection for synagogues and other Jewish community sites, with armed officers and additional measures in place to respond to any emerging threats.

Local residents can also expect to see armed and unarmed officers on patrol, with specialist teams and community officers on the ground, while additional security measures remain out of sight.

Beginning with Rosh Hashanah on Friday, the operation will remain in place through the Jewish holiday season, covering Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah, running until early October.

The heightened security measures come as Jews and Israelis across the country continue to face an increasingly hostile environment, with antisemitic violence, harassment, and anti-Jewish hatred fueling alarm over the community’s safety.

During Yom Kippur last year, a man drove a car onto the grounds of the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester, northern England, and went on a stabbing spree, leaving two Jewish men dead and at least three others critically injured.

Assistant Chief Constable Christian Bunt, who is leading the operation for Thames Valley Police, stressed that the heightened security is intended to protect Jewish communities, deter criminal activity, and ensure officers can respond quickly to any incidents, reassuring worshippers that police are prepared for potential threats.

“We have a dedicated operation to protect our Jewish communities … so people can expect to see an increased police presence near synagogues and the local areas during this period,” Bunt said in a statement.

Like most countries across Europe and the broader Western world, the UK has seen a shocking rise in antisemitic incidents over the last three years, in the wake of the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

According to a recent report by the Community Security Trust (CST), a Jewish charity that monitors antisemitism and provides security for Jewish communities across the country, antisemitic incidents nationwide surged 21 percent in just the first six months of 2026, reaching the second-highest total ever recorded for the period.

Preliminary 2026 figures show 1,926 anti-Jewish hate incidents between January and June, up from 1,598 during the same period last year.

With an average of 321 antisemitic incidents recorded every month, the latest figures represent nearly double the levels seen before the Oct. 7 atrocities.

CST also reported a sharp escalation in the severity of antisemitic attacks, with physical assaults soaring 82 percent to 135 cases, school-related incidents climbing 59 percent to 178, and antisemitic acts targeting synagogues increasing 31 percent, underscoring growing fears for the safety of Britain’s Jewish community.

AntisemitismBritainHigh Holidayspolice