British Jews face a rise in hostilities, says director of UK Campaign Against Antisemitism

In a recent interview with Christian journalist Paul Calvert, Stephen Silverman, the director of Investigations and Enforcement at the Campaign Against Antisemitism, spoke about the growing hostility faced by Jews in the United Kingdom and described a climate of fear and discrimination within the Jewish community. Silverman outlined his organization’s efforts to fight antisemitism through legal action, education, and advocacy.

“We have learned, sadly – to our cost – that we cannot trust the criminal justice system to do what it should do where Jewish interests are concerned,” Silverman said, explaining why his team often launches private prosecutions when police or prosecutors fail to act. He noted that antisemitism in the UK has intensified dramatically since Oct. 7, 2023, causing some Jews to consider emigration.

Silverman cited several incidents, such as Dr. Rahmeh Al-Adwan, a British-Palestinian trauma and orthopedic surgeon who was allowed to continue practicing despite being accused of glorifying Hamas propaganda. He also recounts a recent event where a Jewish man was arrested because he was wearing a Star of David symbol.

“If the sight of a Jewish man is hateful to a mob, the problem is the hateful mob, not the Jewish man,” he stated, highlighting the point that these cases reflect the double standards present in the British government.

He reminded listeners that pro-Palestinian marches featuring protestors chanting “from the river to the sea” are not peaceful demonstrations but “hate marches,” pointing out that they aim for the destruction of Israel rather than coexistence. The violence, he said, has already crossed borders.

“We always knew it was just a matter of time before the intifada arrived at these shores and all its violent horror…and it did. And the fear is that, you know, this is not the end of it.” 

Silverman stressed that his organization’s mission is not only to defend Jews but to awaken wider society to the dangers of allowing antisemitism to spread unchecked. “It's about getting the silent majority – and there is a very large silent majority who does not like what it's seeing...to understand that this is something that affects the very fabric of society, that completely undermines the liberal democratic values that everyone relies on to keep them safe. And if we get to the point where all the Jews leave, someone else is going to be next.”

According to recent polling conducted by YouGov, 21% of the British public now hold multiple antisemitic views, rising to 40% among those aged 18 to 24, Silverman said. “They are our future judges, our future MPs, our future lawyers…So, it's no wonder that most Jews are really concerned about what future they have here.”

He said he hopes that “there is still a Jewish community in the UK in 10, 20 years’ time,” but said it will depend on the government taking decisive action “with an iron fist rather than just talking about it.”

Click below to listen to the full interview.