Robert Halfon MP said existing legislation is sufficient for police to tackle antisemitism and Hamas-inspired terrorism
Incidents of hatred against Jews at universities in the UK has gone up by 400% over the past three weeks, Education Minister Robert Halfon has said.
He told GB News: “It's right that Israel has the ability to defend itself because they need to root out Hamas. It's both to protect Israel but also ensure that the Palestinian people have a peaceful future.
“I have seen online the [scenes] in Dagestan against the Jewish population there and the flight that came in from Israel. It's pretty horrific.
“I have to say, Jews are fearful around the world, Jews are fearful in the United Kingdom and antisemitic incidents over the past few weeks since the Hamas massacre in Israel have gone up by huge amounts.”
In a discussion during Breakfast with Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster, he continued: “I'm the universities minister - antisemitic incidents at universities have gone up by over 400% in the last three weeks alone.
“It is disturbing to see extremists chanting jihad, or ‘from the river to the sea’, both regarded as antisemitic slogans.
“We the Government do believe that the police have the necessary legislation. There’s prevention of terrorism acts in Parliament, there are the new public order acts that were recently passed, there's racial harassment legislation.”
Halfon said he there may be statements later after an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss an accelerated terrorism threat in the UK linked to Gaza.
He said: “I'm sure that there will be announcements made, if necessary, once that meeting has taken place.”
