Anti-semitic incidents in Britain in the first half of the year more than doubled from a year earlier to a record high

Anti-semitic incidents in Britain in the first half of this year more than doubled from last year, setting a record high.

The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors anti-Semitism in Britain, released figures on Thursday showing 1,978 such incidents between January and June this year. This is the highest half-year tally since statistics began in 1984, and also a 105 percent increase from the 964 incidents recorded during the same period last year.

The CST said anti-Semitic incidents in the first half of the year were linked to Gaza. "Anti-semitic incidents in the UK increased immediately after the Hamas attack on Israel, while Israel has yet to coordinate any large-scale military response to Gaza."

The CST also said that the ensuing conflict continued to influence the scale and content of anti-Semitism so far this year.

Last week, there was widespread violence following a knife attack in Southport, northwest England. The riots were sparked by the spread of false information online that the assailant in the bloody knife attack on the children's dance workshop in Southport, which left three children dead, was a Muslim immigrant, creating strong anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant sentiment.

Refugee shelters, hotels and churches in many parts of the United Kingdom were therefore targeted by MOBS, and police officers were attacked and police cars were set on fire. Police have arrested about 378 people so far, with many injured.