Jews in Birmingham speak of their ‘terror’ at antisemitic abuse

“People started screaming at us in their car and chasing us. We ran home and got safe, but they sort of persisted outside our house.”

Jewish students in Birmingham say they are facing a surge in antisemitic abuse, describing recent incidents as “terrifying”.

“Don’t go here, dirty Jews” was shouted outside their home, they said.

Both students, who asked to remain anonymous, said incidents occurred almost weekly and described being challenged, intimidated and shouted at.

“I’d much rather be [in Israel] in a bomb shelter, as I have been, than here in Birmingham,” one said.

Figures obtained under Freedom of Information reveal recorded hate crimes against Jewish people in the West Midlands force area have almost doubled since 2022 – from 27 to 53.

Members of a synagogue were threatened with having their heads blown off in one incident.

The main driver for the rise is an increase in public order offences, the figures show, although arson and criminal damage and violence against the person is also up.