Jewish man kicked and told 'you kill Palestinians' in Manchester

A Jewish man walking in Manchester city centre was kicked in the leg and told he would be 'killed', a charity has revealed. The man asked his attacker why he had assaulted him - and was told 'you kill Palestinians'.

The Community Security Trust, which works to protect Britain's Jewish communities from anti-Semitism and offer support, said today it recorded 3,528 anti-Jewish hate incidents in the UK last year - the second-highest annual total ever reported.

It represents, however, a fall of 18 per cent from the 4,296 incidents recorded by the charity in 2023. Fuelled by responses to the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel that year, the figures for 2023 remain the highest ever.

Across Greater Manchester, home to the UK's largest Jewish community outside Greater London, 480 cases of anti-Jewish hate were reported in total, a fall of 13 per cent from 2023, but still the second-highest level on record.

The CST said the latest figures indicate 'sustained levels of anti-Semitism' across the country and the situation in the Middle East 'impacted both the volume and content of anti-Semitism in 2024'.

The shocking attack in Manchester in August last year was cited by the charity as just one of a number of case studies in its annual report.

The man, described by the charity as 'visibly Jewish', was approached from behind and kicked. The CST said: "The victim turned around to see his attacker walking away, and said 'why did you do that?' The offender replied 'you kill Palestinians'. He added 'if you come near me, I'll kill you' when the victim attempted to catch up with him."

In December, a 'Free Palestine' sticker was also plastered onto a sign attached to a public chanukiah, a candelabra used during the festival of Chanukah, in