Met announces new dedicated Community Protection Team as further antisemitic hate crime arrests made this weekend

The Metropolitan Police is announcing today a new dedicated Community Protection Team of initially 100 extra officers, as further arrests were made this weekend for antisemitic hate crime.

The new team brings together neighbourhood policing, specialist protection and counter terrorism capabilities, providing a more visible, intelligence‑led and coordinated presence focused on protecting Jewish communities across London.

This approach reflects what we know works best: officers who are locally based, understand their communities, and have strong relationships with residents, schools, faith leaders and volunteers. This new team brings together some of the experienced local officers already working in these areas, who will be joined by additional officers as funding allows. It marks the beginning of a new, more sustainable and consistent model of protection built around local knowledge, visibility and partnership, rather than relying solely on repeated short‑term surges.

The announcement comes as officers are investigating another suspected arson attack at a synagogue this morning and made a number of arrests over the weekend in connection with racially and religiously aggravated offences. These included the arrest of a 57‑year‑old man on Friday, 1 May, on suspicion of causing fear or provocation of violence following reports he threatened a Jewish man while using racially offensive language. On Saturday, 2 May, a 35‑year‑old man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated criminal damage after rocks were thrown at an ambulance belonging to the Jewish community while it was transporting a patient in Edgware. Further arrests were also made on the same day for racially aggravated harassment, criminal damage and public order offences in Brent and Croydon. All have been released on bail pending further investigation.

These arrests form part of an intensive and sustained response. In the past four weeks alone, the Met has arrested around 50 people for antisemitic hate crimes, with eight individuals charged. This is in addition to 28 arrests linked to arsons and other serious offences investigated alongside Counter Terrorism Policing. In total, more than 80 arrests have now been made.

The Met welcomes the Government’s announcement last week of £25 million in one‑off funding to support protective policing, including the decision to ringfence £18 million specifically for the Met. This funding is extremely needed and has already made a difference. It will retrospectively cover the significant costs incurred to date which were necessary to surge protective policing in North West London at a time of unprecedented threats to the community. The Met is already deploying an additional 1,000 officer shifts per week, relying on overtime and the short‑term redeployment of officers from across London.

We are grateful for this support and will continue to work closely with Government to ensure funding arrangements are sustainable over the longer term. While this one‑off funding underpins the initial standing up of the Community Protection Team and helps stabilise the immediate position, the enduring nature of the threat means continued discussion is needed about the future shape and scale of investment to maintain and build this capability over time. The creation of this team therefore represents a strong foundation and an important step forward.

In its initial phase, this new team will be primarily focused on protecting the Jewish community, which faces some of the highest levels of hate crime alongside significant terrorist and hostile state threats. However, it is also intended to provide a blueprint for how policing responds when tensions rise, so that other communities feel equally supported and protected when they face spikes in hate crime or targeted hostility.

This focus does not mean the Metropolitan Police is deprioritising other communities. Hate crime in all its forms – including ongoing efforts to tackle racism, anti‑Muslim hate crime, homophobia and other forms of hatred in the capital – remains a core policing priority.

British Jews now appear on the hate lists of every major extremist movement: extreme right‑wing groups, Islamist terrorists, elements of the extreme left and hostile state actors. It is a deeply concerning convergence, and Jewish communities are living with the consequences of that risk daily.

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said:

“The creation of a new Community Protection Team of around 100 officers is an important step in strengthening our response to the sustained threats Jewish communities are facing. It brings together experienced local officers who know their communities, supported by specialist capabilities, to provide more visible, consistent and intelligence‑led protection.

“I welcome the Government’s £18 million funding, which has already paid for thousands of additional officer shifts at a time of exceptional pressure. But this funding is short term and requires investment to sustain our policing response to this growing threat.

“We are working with Government and the Mayor to ensure the approach we are building can be sustained over time, not just for Jewish communities, but as a model that can support other communities across London when facing elevated risk.

“A settled, long‑term model built around local teams will be far more effective than repeated emergency responses, reducing risk and delivering lasting reassurance.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

“I welcome this support for a new dedicated Community Protection Team. The appalling attack in Golders Green was just the latest in a series of antisemitic acts of violence that have targeted Jewish people, synagogues, homes and charities, creating ripples of fear in our Jewish communities.

“The new team will combine Met neighbourhood policing officers - who know their communities best - with dedicated specialist Met protection teams working around the clock to reassure and protect London’s Jewish communities. The Met Commissioner and I have set out a detailed proposal to the Government for a new, long-term approach.

“Working with the police and others, I am determined to bear down on antisemitism and ensure Jewish Londoners feel safe and are safe in our city. Alongside the police action we need a relentless approach to tackling all hate crime in London and we all have a role to play in calling out hate in all its forms to build a safer London for everyone.”

The Metropolitan Police will continue to pursue offenders relentlessly, disrupt threats and protect communities, while working with Government and partners to secure a long‑term, sustainable funding settlement that strengthens resilience across London.