The Metropolitan Police has launched a major security operation ahead of the Jewish High Holy Days, following Prime Minister Andy Burnham's decision to sanction Israeli settlers in the West Bank, which senior Conservatives warned could increase hostility towards British Jews. Scotland Yard is boosting patrols, deploying additional plain-clothes officers and increasing visible security around synagogues and community locations across London, working alongside other UK forces. The move comes a year after an Islamist terrorist killed two men in a car and knife attack at a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur, underscoring the heightened risk during this period.

The High Holy Days run from Rosh Hashanah, beginning at sunset on Friday, until Yom Kippur on 21 September. The Met said antisemitism in London has risen by 23% over the past year, with several targeted incidents including arson attacks and a stabbing in Golders Green, prompting more than 30 arrests by Counter Terrorism Policing London; the force also reported a 100% increase in positive outcomes for antisemitic hate crimes over the same period. The Campaign Against Antisemitism welcomed the enhanced security but called on the government to explain and address the underlying rise in antisemitism, rather than relying solely on protective measures.