Keir Starmer is facing criticism as antisemitism fears grow across the UK.
Keir Starmer receives frosty reception at Golders Green
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was booed as he and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood arrived in Golders Green after two Jewish men were stabbed on Wednesday. Sir Keir was heckled with chants of “Keir Starmer, Jew harmer” as he met emergency services who responded to the terrorist attack.
A video shows crowds of people lining a road as the Prime Minister and Home Secretary arrived in Golders Green. They were heckled by protesters who shouted “shame on you” as they drove into the area. It comes after the double stabbing in the area yesterday, which has since been declared a terrorist incident. Two Jewish men, aged 76 and 34, were rushed to hospital while a 45-year-old British national, who was born in Somalia, was arrested.
Starmer was booed (Image: Getty)
Protesters heckled as the Prime Minister arrived in Golders Green (Image: Ben Whitley/PA Wire)
Starmer was met with shouting and booing as he arrived in Golders Green as pressure mounts on him to tackle ongoing anti-Semitism and attacks on the Jewish communities. While some shouted “Keir Starmer, Jew harmer”, others urged him to “show your face” while some slammed him as a “traitor”.
Pictures also show crowds of protesters holding up signs showing Jeremy Corbyn holding a Sir Keir Starmer mask to his face. Others held flags as they were held back by police officers.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has discussed plans to support the Jewish community in Britain. This includes an additional £25 million to strengthen police measures to protect them.
The government has also announced plans for a new terror-like law to ban state-backed groups, such as those with links to Iran, and individuals. Starmer said it is “our fight” rather than the fight of the Jewish people.
Starmer was met by protesters at Golders Green (Image: Getty Images)
The stabbings in Golders Green come just over a month after four Hatzola volunteer ambulances were set on fire. The incident, which has seen three men and a teenager charged, is being treated as an anti-Semitic hate crime.
The Home Secretary has also condemned the “spate of attacks” on the Jewish community. She said: “Some of those have been claimed by groups that claim to be linked to the Iranian regime, those claims are also being investigated. We have seen this spate of attacks, I think it’s right that the police have the space to get on with their job.”
It was revealed on Thursday afternoon that the suspect in the Golders Green terror attack had previously been referred to the counter-extremism Prevent programme. The Metropolitan Police said: “We can confirm the suspect was known to the Prevent programme and was subject to a Prevent referral in 2020, which was closed in the same year.
“Given the investigation remains ongoing, we will not be providing any further information in respect of this matter at this time and we remain focused on securing justice for the victims of this attack.”