Jewish man competing in the Great Manchester Run told by racist to 'go back to the gas chambers'

A Jewish man competing in the Great Manchester Run was abused by a racist who shouted 'go back to the gas chambers' at him, a charity said as it revealed a sickening surge in antisemitism in Greater Manchester.

The yob - a complete stranger to him - was later jailed for eight weeks. The Community Security Trust (CST), which works with Jewish communities to provide safety and security and offer advice, revealed details of the awful case in its latest report mapping out reported antisemitism across the UK.

The charity said the man approached the runner after he had completed the event in May and 'shouted that he should go back to the gas chambers' - a clear reference to the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis.

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The CST highlighted a number of other shocking cases. Gravestones at a Jewish cemetery in Manchester were desecrated, windows smashed and benches moved in April.

The charity also revealed an image of a far-right sticker featuring a Swastika reported to have been found in Salford.

The CST said it recorded 803 anti-Semitic incidents across the UK in the first half of 2023, the sixth-highest total reported in the first six months of any year. And for the second consecutive year, and the sixth time in the last seven years, they said more than 100 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded in each month from January to June.

Some 132 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded in Greater Manchester between January and June 2023, representing an increase of 29 per cent from the 102 incidents reported in the corresponding area and period last year. Only in the Greater London area were more overall incidents recorded than in Greater