I was relieved on the morning of Monday 6 October. Following the terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester on 2 October, my worst fears had not come to pass. There were no more attacks while British Jews observed the Sabbath. No large-scale, misplaced riots against British Muslims for the deranged, murderous actions of Jihad al-Shamie, who sought to kill and maim Jewish people praying on Yom Kippur – the holiest day of the religious year. British Muslims bear as much responsibility for the actions of al-Shamie as British Jews do for the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government: none. Though there was a despicable arson attack on a mosque in Peacehaven, East Sussex, thankfully no one was hurt.
But that is where my relief ends. The government’s proposed response to the 2 October attack – restricting protests against the war in Gaza – makes me feel extremely uneasy. The government says it will amend the Public Order Act 1986 to allow police to consider the “cumulative impact” of repeat protests and restrict them if necessary. A press release from the Home Office explained that if “a protest has taken place at the same site for weeks on end, and caused repeated disorder, the police will have the authority to… instruct organisers to hold the event somewhere else”. The Home Secretary. Shabana Mahmood, will also be reviewing existing legislation, which “will include powers to ban protests outright”.
What is going on? Keir Starmer and Mahmood asked those planning to protest on 4 October to reconsider, arguing it was basic “humanity”. It would be “un-British”, Mahmood said, to fail to show sympathy when, for the first time in centuries, Jews had been killed in Britain for simply being Jewish. It was not an unreasonable request. But alongside this was the admission that the police could not cope. They couldn’t be both on the streets – upholding the freedom to protest – and at synagogues protecting Jewish people. This is extraordinary and it reflects a complete failure of the state.
Add into the mix the Guardian’s revelation that concerned neighbours had reported al-Shamie to the police in the summer of 2020 or 2021. Those living near him had apparently grown increasingly disturbed that he and another family member had begun to show a “fanatical interest in Islam”. Rather than undermining the fundamental rights that make us free, I would prefer that those responsible for protecting us as citizens do their job properly. The authorities are not responsible for the murder of British Jews on Yom Kippur. The blame lies solely with al-Shamie. But the proposed response to 2 October smacks of authoritarian overreach in response to state weakness.
It is striking how casually anti-Semitism has become engrained in British society. Jewish schoolchildren face daily abuse. Successive governments have failed to tackle it. It is unsurprising to British Jews that this low-level, acceptable-in-polite-society bigotry has grown into a loathing of Jews. No doubt the majority of those attending pro-Palestine marches are peaceful: they want an end to the suffering in Gaza. But it is equally certain that among them are those who hate Jews.
I agree with Mahmood that British Jews are “justified in asking for more from their government”. I think it was in poor taste that so many were unwilling to pause protesting as a sign of respect. And I am equally repulsed that some university students chose 7 October, the anniversary of the murder of 1,200 Jews and the kidnapping of 251 more, to hold pro-Palestine protests, and, in one case, even “a night of remembrance and resistance”. It would have been nice if they could have considered those murdered by Hamas for just one day, before going back to criticising Israel. But I still defend their right to speak and protest as they wish. Even more “un-British” than this is a world in which our freedoms are taken away.
I know that some – perhaps many – British Jews welcome plans to curtail pro-Palestine protests. I understand why. They are frightened to leave their homes on the Sabbath wearing a kippah – the Jewish skull cap – or other visible signs of their faith during these protests. The streets of central London, Manchester and Edinburgh feel like no-go zones for many. Honestly, I don’t know what the answer is. No one should be effectively imprisoned through fear of hatred and violence. But I do not believe restricting our fundamental freedoms is the way forward. The danger is too great. The police will have the power to judge when the “cumulative impact” of a protest warrants restrictions. But what cause might be the next target? And what would a government with more authoritarian tendencies do with these powers?
Worst of all, I think these plans will backfire and harm Jews – and us all – further. Those who support the proscribed Palestine Action have vowed a “major escalation” in their activities in response. The most cynical of anti-Semites will interpret the proposal as politicians being “controlled by the Zionist lobby” – an anti-Semitic trope. More fundamentally, curbing protests will do nothing to address the actual problem: virulent anti-Semitism and radical Islamism. It is a giant leap to move from an attack on a synagogue by an Islamist to restricting the right to protest.
These plans will push problems further under the carpet, making us less, not more, safe. They are a sign of a weak government, unable to protect its citizens without curtailing the freedom of others.
[Further reading: What it’s like to be Jewish in Britain now]
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This article appears in the 08 Oct 2025 issue of the New Statesman, The truth about small boats