Sir Mark Rowley has said the Metropolitan Police requires a new specialist unit to protect Jewish communities from anti-Semitism following the recent attack in Golders Green.
Speaking on Friday, the Met Commissioner revealed he had put forward a proposal to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, calling for government funding to establish a permanent unit of around 300 additional neighbourhood and armed officers. The unit would be dedicated to tackling what he called an “epidemic of anti-Semitism.”
He added that it is not “sustainable” for the force to continue diverting officers and resources from across London to safeguard the community, particularly in the wake of Wednesday’s stabbing of two Jewish men in north London and a rise in arson attacks targeting synagogues and other Jewish organizations.
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The Telegraph reports: Sir Mark said he was considering whether to seek to ban two marches next month, one pro-Palestinian and one anti-immigration.
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He also accused Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, of undermining his officers by criticising their use of force in arresting the Golders Green suspect.
It came as Essa Suleiman, 45, a Somali-born British man, was charged with attempted murder over the Golders Green attacks. He was Tasered and arrested by police on Wednesday.
“We’re facing a building pandemic of anti-Semitism in society,” said Sir Mark. “My problem is we’re dealing with the policing. We’re dealing with the symptoms of that disease. We need work done to tackle those attitudes in society which are far too prevalent.
“But I need the strength in my resources to be able to tackle those symptoms to best effect and reassure Jewish communities that we’re doing everything possible to keep them safe.”
Sir Mark said the extra officers would require “sizeable” annual funding from the Home Office, larger than the £25m announced on Thursday to boost policing and other community measures.
The money would expand neighbourhood policing teams in Jewish communities, create a new community policing hub and increase teams of detectives to speed up hate crime investigations.
This year, the Met has been forced to cut 1,700 officers, police community support officers and staff after it was left with a £260m funding black hole.
Sir Mark continued: “We need to target those most at risk. The Jewish community suffers far more hate crimes per capita than any other community in London. We’re going to tip more resources towards it, and we need government support to make that sustainable.”
