Jewish leaders have called for community sites to be protected as protesters plan a massive demonstration in London next month following riots in France.
The Board of Deputies says it is “engaging with the UK police and other authorities to ask for action to prevent the disruption seen in France and elsewhere”.
The move comes after a protest movement calling itself Youth International Strike (YIS) urged youth organisations and other groups to “mobilise” in the capital on November 20.
Pro-Palestine supporters are due to take part in the demonstration.
Around 500,000 protesters joined demonstrations across France, 2,400 arrests have been made, and 3,000 businesses have been looted.
Buildings have also been damaged including the 19th century city hall in Limoges.
A synagogue in Paris was also targeted in the riots.
The Ohalei Yaakov Synagogue in the capital's 19th arrondissement was broken into on Saturday night with prayer books, tefillin and other objects taken out of drawers and cupboards and scattered on the floor. The Rabbi’s office was also raided.
The YIS site has issued a statement stating: “Now is the time to escalate.”
Demonstrators plan to gather in Trafalgar Square on November 20.
One group promoting the event is London’s School of Oriental and Asian Studies (SOAS) Liberated Zone, which has consistently protested against Israel in the capital over the last three years.
Another is the Stop the War Coalition which works in collaboration with several anti-Israel groups.
The YIS advert reads: “Over the past year, students across Europe and beyond have organised walkouts, strikes and coordinated actions against genocide, militarisation, conscription and fossil imperialism [imperialism based on fossil fuels].
“Our future will not be given to us. Now it is time to escalate.
“On November 20, students and young people across Europe will strike. We will leave our classrooms, organise assemblies, walkouts, actions and demonstrations.
“We call on student and youth organisations across Europe to join this strike. We call on trade unions and social movements to stand with us and mobilise from 20 to 22 of November.”
Their demands include an end to militarisation, an end to “colonialism, occupation, apartheid, and genocide”, and the “cut of all ties with genocidal states”.
They cite Israel as an example. Israel has consistently denied accusations of genocide.
The Board told the JC: “The right to freedom of speech is not a carte blanche for mob violence and looting.
“Our community has suffered from the significant disruption and hate speech which has taken place at marches over the last three years, and we are engaging with the UK police and other authorities to ask for action to prevent the disruption seen in France and elsewhere.
“We are also asking for consideration to be given to protecting Jewish locations and other sensitive sites.”
A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said:
“Rioters in France ransacked a synagogue and there are multiple reports of other Jewish sites being hit, showing once again that Jews are fair game.”
Susan Hall, leader of City Hall Conservatives told the JC: “The terrible rioting we have seen in France, which looks to be little more than the violent outburst of the bored, the restless, and the criminally-minded, has been shocking to see.
“If the organisers of such protests are seeking to expand to trigger events in London, I would hope in the first instance that Londoners would happily tell them where to go; but more importantly, that the Government - the Mayor of London, the Police, Border Guard, and Whitehall - are prepared to be robust in their response to ensure that we do not see a repeat here of what is occurring on the continent.
“Whatever legitimacy the protests in France had burned to a crisp the second that they turned into a spree of looting and arson. Those scenes must not be allowed to repeat here, in Britain, and I will support the authorities in taking the necessary steps to keep us safe.”
Sadiq Khan, the Metropolitan Police and the Home Office have all been contacted by the JC.
To get more news, click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.