Jewish leader says children are being asked 'what side are you on?'

How abuse of young Jewish children has become a ‘daily occurrence’: Community leader claims children are being asked ‘what side are you on?’ in the playground, having their kippahs removed and seeing Nazi salutes as anti-Semitic incidents skyrocket

Young Jewish children at primary schools in Manchester are being subjected to Nazi salutes and asked ‘What side they are on?’ as a result of a huge rise in anti-Semitism in the wake of the Israel – Hamas war, a Jewish community leader has claimed.

According to the Community Security Trust, Manchester has seen an 880 per cent increase in anti-Semitic incidents since the conflict began on October 7 last month with 266 reported cases. 

Reported incidences of the abuse include children having their kippah’s taken from them in the street and fireworks being fired at young Jewish girls.  

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today program this morning, the Northern Regional Director for the CST Amanda Bomsztyk said that she had never seen a more troubling time for British Jews with abuse now a ‘daily occurrence’. 

She said: ‘It is the worst I’ve ever seen here, the numbers speak for themselves. Greater Manchester has had an 880% increase [in anti-Semitic incidents].

Northern Regional Director for the CST Amanda Bomsztyk said that she had never seen a more troubling time for British Jews

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham agreed the rise in anti-Semitic attacks was ‘troubling’

‘We’re seeing lots of young people being abused in the streets with some really disgusting words used. Kids having their skull caps removed and Nazi salutes. 

‘We’re having children as young as primary school who are having kids coming over to them and asking them “What side are they on?” and when they tell them they’re Jewish they tell them they hate all Jews. It’s quite abhorrent.

READ MORE: Schoolchildren take to the streets in co-ordinated protest strike across UK – as Jewish group fears ‘genocidal hate chanting and anti-semitic rhetoric’

Around the bonfire time, fireworks have been thrown towards people. It’s becoming an increasingly daily occurrence. We’re seeing with University student aged people for what should be the time of their lives. 

‘They’ve got friends that they’ve met and they’re on WhatsApp groups reading messages that are so hateful from people they thought were their friends. It’s been a real shocking period for the young people.

‘People need to call it out for what it is. Jew Hatred is not acceptable at any level. We’re seeing people being silent bystanders and now is the time not to be.’ 

Greater Manchester has the second highest population of Jewish people in Britain after London. 

Reflecting on the rise on the same program, the mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham agreed the rise was ‘troubling.’ 

He said: ‘There have been 156 incidents over October and November. That would have compared to about 10 in the same period last year so you can see a huge increase. 

‘I must say as well there’s been a similar rise in Islamophobia, well I say similar, a similar number of incidents, it’s less of a rise but still a huge number of incidents. 

 ‘We work extremely closely with the CST but we talk to all communities and we’re trying to maintain public safety as we go through and the events we’ve had here have been largely peaceful.’ 

MailOnline has approached the Campaign against anti-Semitism (CAA) and the Greater Manchester Authority for comment. 

Since the conflict began there has been a staggering increase in documented incidents of anti-Semitism across the country both at schools and at the numerous pro-Palestinian demonstrations. 

This is the shocking moment a vandal walks up to a Jewish girls school and hurls paint over the property, in what is being investigated as an anti-Semitic attack

Police confirmed they were treating the incident as a hate crime 

Paint was thrown over four parts of the school building, including the front door, before the vandal walked away

In October, a vandal was filmed hurling paint over a Jewish Girl’s School before fleeing the scene in what police investigated as an anti-Semitic attack.

The school of target – Vishnitz Girls’ school in Hackney – has 446 students – many of whom were reportedly traumatised by the incident. 

A vandal, suspected to be a woman, wearing a mask and a hooded coat while carrying an umbrella, can be seen on closed circuit TV footage smearing the school just before 6am.

Paint was thrown over four parts of the school building, including the front door, before the vandal walked away.

According to the Jewish News, local sources said several girls, upon arrival in the morning, were so upset by what they saw that they ran home. 

Last week, after waves of schoolchildren walked out of their classes as part of a coordinated ‘school strike for Palestine’ the CAA voiced fears that ‘genocidal hate chanting and antisemitic rhetoric’ would once again be heard on Britain’s streets. 

The CAA filmed several protesters comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, with one branding Benjamin Netanyahu ‘worse than Hitler’. 

The next major march through central London will take place on November 25. 

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