Attacks because of race or religion are soaring, several British newspapers reported.
Figures to be released this week by the Ministry of Justice show that 41,000 such offenses were committed in 2005-06, a rise of 12 percent over the previous year.
These figures corroborate statistics compiled by the Community Security Trust, the agency entrusted with protecting Britain’s Jewish community. According to the CST, 594 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded in 2006, the highest annual total since the CST began recording anti-Semitic incidents in 1984.
The latest total represents a 31 percent rise from 2005, as well as a 12 percent increase from the record high of 532 incidents in 2004.
The Ministry of Justice is withholding comment on the statistics until they are officially released.
