Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised more than £70m over the next four years, as part of the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, to go on security at Jewish buildings such as schools and synagogues. Mr Sunak was speaking at the Community Security Trust’s (CST) annual dinner last night. Among other diners were Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley; and a former commissioner, Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington.
About the CST
The CST is a charity that offers training and advice to the Jewish community and gathers data on online and physical-world abuse and crimes against Jews in the UK. Earlier this month it reported for 2023 the highest annual total of instances of anti-Jewish hate ever reported to CST.
Mr Sunak said: “It is shocking, and wrong, the prejudice, the racism we have seen in recent months. It is hatred, pure and simple. An assault on the Jewish people. We will fight this antisemitism with everything we’ve got.
“As Prime Minister I will lead this government in a long-term effort to strengthen your security, defend our liberal democratic values and change our culture so we tackle the root causes of this hatred. We know CST is going to be needed for many years to come. So tonight, I am changing the way CST is funded to help you plan for the long-term… with the biggest financial commitment that any government has ever made.”
For more on the dinner, the Trust’s first major fundraising event since the October outbreak of war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, visit the CST website.
The Home Office has also been running two schemes for protective security measures for places of worship: the Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme, for grants towards physical kit such as bollards; and the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme, which grants money towards guarding by personnel.
