Far-right forums used to plan UK riots encouraging antisemitic attacks

Online spaces that are being used to incite and organise the far-right-led riots contain messages encouraging followers to consider Jewish people as a target, community security experts have warned.

One forum, which was key to organising the first protest that turned into a riot last Tuesday in Southport, is allegedly jointly run by a suspected neo-Nazi. He is believed to be based overseas.

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He is alleged to have called previously for attacks overseas on Jewish places of worship, according to research by the Community Security Trust (CST). Last year he was reported to the police for alleged encouragement of violent antisemitism.

One message in the forum insults “Gypsies” as well as Jews.

The CST monitors and investigates antisemitism in Britain and provides safety advice to Jewish communities. It works closely with the police and Muslim groups.

Generally, there is heightened fear and tension across communities that have already been attacked, as far-right organisers call for at least 30 sites around England to be targeted on Wednesday. Some are linked to immigration and asylum locations.

Those at the gatherings have directed their violence towards people perceived as not being white or British.

Organisers claim the gatherings are a protest over immigration, but the police are adamant that it is a “masquerade” for violent intent to physically harm minorities and asylum seekers, damage property and steal.

A CST spokesperson said: “There are some people in this movement and their online spaces encouraging others to consider Jews as a target, as well as everyone else they have identified so far, such as ethnic minorities, Muslims and asylum seekers.”

Some targets on the list for Wednesday are near Jewish community venues.

The spokesperson said: “We have been advising them about Wednesday night and about appropriate security measures.”

“We can not ignore the potential it might affect the Jewish community.”

The CST says security for places such as synagogues, Jewish schools and community halls is already high.

The CST recorded a large spike in antisemitic incidents after the current conflict in Gaza began last October. The number of antisemitic incidents recorded from October 2023 to December was up to five times higher than over the same period the previous year.

The British far right is using propaganda that spreads lies about Muslim people and asylum seekers to gain supporters. It is less vocal in its public rhetoric about its historic enmity towards Jewish people.

But the CST is now concerned that the antisemitic rhetoric now being seen on far-right forums is linked to the violence seen on Britain’s streets over the last week.

The CST spokesperson said: “We see this kind of antisemitic chat from the far right all the time in a variety of online forums. The difference is it is now in online spaces which are also being used by people who are going out and who are actually involved in violent disorder.”

On Sunday the Guardian revealed hate crime incidents against Muslims in Britain had increased threefold in the last week , as recorded by the charity Tell Mama which combats anti-Islamic hatred.