Jewish children in the UK, fearing terror attacks, ask for police protection at Chanukah parties

The force serves an area that includes the largest Jewish community in Britain outside London.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Jewish children in the UK are requesting armed police presence at Chanukah celebrations, a sign of how fear has taken hold within Jewish communities amid rising antisemitism and recent terrorist attacks, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said this week.

Watson’s comments came as police forces in Manchester and London announced a tougher enforcement posture toward protest language they say now carries heightened risk.

He said slogans such as “Globalize the intifada,” when chanted at demonstrations, will be treated as grounds for arrest given the current security environment. “What I can tell you is that if you do that this weekend, my officers will arrest you,” Watson said. “Words have meaning and consequence. We will act decisively and make arrests.”

Speaking at a Policy Exchange event in London, Watson described how concerns once discussed in abstract terms have become immediate and personal.

He said the shift was especially evident in the way children now talk about safety. “You’ve got a group of 10-year-old girls wanting to go to a Chanukah party … making a request for armed police officers,” he said.

Watson said the heightened anxiety reflects a broader reality Jewish families have lived with for years, including schools protected by fencing and guards.

What has changed, he said, is the intensity and visibility of the threat. “October 7 started to lift the heat dramatically, in terms of the actual threat posed to our Jewish communities and the perceptions of the threat posed against our Jewish communities,” Watson said. “The level of fear increased and suddenly, it wasn’t an abstract issue.”

He also addressed reports that individuals in Manchester celebrated the recent mass shooting at Bondi Beach during Chanukah. Watson called the reports “sickeningly distasteful” and said Greater Manchester Police is investigating the incidents.

The force serves an area that includes the largest Jewish community in Britain outside London.

Police leaders say the firmer stance on chants and placards is not about limiting lawful protest but about recognizing changed circumstances following terrorist attacks and a rise in antisemitic incidents. Watson said officers are being instructed to consider the real-world impact of language used in public demonstrations.

The remarks highlight how security concerns have become embedded in everyday Jewish life in Britain. For police, Watson said, the challenge is responding decisively while ensuring communities — including children attending religious events — feel protected rather than exposed.