On Yom HaShoah, we remember the six million Jews who were killed, and we acknowledge the deep grief and anguish that remembrance brings for Jewish communities today.
I know this comes at a time of profound anxiety. Conflicts overseas, pressures at home, and uncertainty about the future weigh heavily – compounded by a troubling rise in antisemitic attacks and terrorist plots targeting Jewish communities across the country.
Let me be clear: this government will always act decisively to protect Jewish communities and to stamp out antisemitism wherever it appears. We will not hesitate, and we will not look away.
That is why the government blocked Kanye West’s entry to the UK. His catalogue of vile, antisemitic abuse made it completely unacceptable for him to headline Wireless.
It went far beyond controversy – it was hateful, dangerous, and could not be allowed to go unchecked. I understand just how distressing it was for many Jewish families to see someone like that given a platform in an area they call home.
It’s also why we’ve just announced £5 million for the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police to deploy specialist officers under Project Servator, delivering highly visible patrols to detect threats early and tackle antisemitism and hate crime head-on.
Remembrance must come with responsibility – to honour the past, to protect the present, and to ensure that ‘never again’ is not just a promise, but a duty we uphold.
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