There has been a several hundred percent rise in “reported incidents” of Islamophobia and Antisemitism in the UK since 7/10. The police have been doing the best they can. Per capita, the Jewish people have more tax payer money spent on their protection than any other minority or majority group in the UK. Is that justified though, and is that sucking up all the bandwidth away from other equally vulnerable groups?

We have seen a vast increase in reported hate crimes against Muslims since 7/10, and against Jews since 8/10.

We know from previous years, where the data has shown that every time there was a spike in violence by Israel against the Palestinians, then the reported antisemitic incidents in the UK spiked up.

There is a direct correlation between the aggression of Israel, to the spikes in reported antisemitic hate crimes in the UK.

Presumably because some people blamed some British Jews for the crimes of Israel.

We often heard media commentators and Israel supporters say they couldn’t understand this phenomenon. “Why do British people, living in the UK feel this way when something is happening in a far flung country”.

“Why are British Muslims blaming British Jews for what the Israelis are doing”.

Weed some of the things we see used to hearing.

This was previously all pretty one sided, because the Palestinians were always being attacked and oppressed.

But since 7/10, one of the effects of this in the UK has been a sharp increase in Islamophobic hate crimes being reported. There is an understanding by those in the media and elsewhere about why this is happening. They are able to rationalise it as: when Jews in Israel get attacked, then it is quite reasonable to understand why some Jews in the UK feel like lashing out at Muslims in the UK.

That rationalisation, is presumably no different to why some Muslims have historically felt like behaving in ways they normally wouldn’t, when they have seen Muslims in Palestine being attacked.

It is hypocrisy and double-standards to rationalise reported “hate crimes” against Muslims, but to take reported “hate crimes” against Jews by Muslims and perceive them as already prosecuted offences which are real crimes.

There is a clear distinction to be made between a “reported incident”, and a “reported incident” that has gone through the legal system and has resulted in a successful conviction i.e. where a crime has actually been proven to have taken place.

The conviction figures are the correct figures to look at in order to get an understanding of the reality.

We have sought to get the figures from Simon Myerson, who is a very vocal accuser of false antisemitism on social media against pretty much anyone who supports Palestinian rights. He ought to be able to obtain the figures given that he is a Barrister and a Recorder (a part-time circuit judge).

Nothing was forthcoming from Mr Myerson.

Looking at “reported incidents” is superficial – they are the figures we see across government websites and official documents – because we already know from social media accusations of “antisemitism” that we see every day – that the overwhelming majority of them don’t even come close meeting the legal bar of what really constitutes a religious hate crime.

And it is particularly pertinent here, because other restrictions such as a lack of evidence that we can often come up against in other crime types, that prevent a successful prosecution, don’t really exist with “hate crimes”. A large portion of religious hate crimes occur on-line. All the evidence is there for the police and prosecutors, to make full and well informed judgements.

This is materially different from other crime types such as sex crimes or rapes, which often happen behind closed doors or away from others – with no written evidence, witnesses or CCTV cameras.

Where a lack of evidence is a major problem that prevents prosecutions from going ahead, and convictions being registered.

And so therefore, looking at the figures of “reported incidents” for hate crimes that we always see being brandished around, will never provide the true picture.

It isn’t the true picture.

In fact, taking those figures as if they are actual crimes is harmful for society. It provides an incentive for bad people, with nefarious intent, to amplify a false reality with incessant false reporting and accusations.

It does a lot of harm to inter-communal unity.

One thing is for sure – when Jews are attacked in Israel, it induces a reaction from Jews in the UK against Muslims.

And when Muslims are attacked in Palestine, it induces a reaction from Muslims in the UK against Jews.

That much is clear.

What is not clear is the real extent and effect of those reactions by either side.

I know many pro-Palestine activists don’t even report “incidents” and just ignore them.