Exclusive:Scots polling expert assaulted in 'antisemitic attack' in Edinburgh as Jewish community tell of fears
Scotland’s Jewish community has spoken of increasing safety fears as Mark Diffley, who is not Jewish, was the target of shocking abuse
Scotland’s Jewish community is considering bringing in private security amid growing safety fears, as it emerged a leading polling expert was assaulted in an antisemitic attack.
Mark Diffley, who is not Jewish, was walking to a business dinner in Edinburgh when he was approached by a man who shoved and spat at him while shouting antisemitic abuse.
The incident occurred the day after two Jewish men were stabbed in London’s Golders Green.
The Jewish Council of Scotland said concerns are now so heightened it is considering private security as standard at all Scots synagogues.
Director Carmen McPherson said the community is feeling “complex emotions and this incident will heighten those”.
Shuls have been subject to patrols from Police Scotland and security outside Friday night and Saturday service following recent antisemitic events in England.
The Community Security Trust (CST) gives protocol advice to synagogues and the wider Jewish community.
Some synagogues will pay for private security services. However, the Jewish Council of Scotland is in talks with a private security firm as to whether this needs to be introduced as standard policy across the country.
Mrs McPherson said: “We had recent conversations with a private security firm about whether we needed to think about that as a wider policy across Scotland, and what that might look like.
“We are in very close contact with the Scottish government, including directly after the attack this week in Golders Green, and additional resources that are needed are very much on the agenda, and part of those ongoing conversations.”
Mr Diffley, who runs polling company the Diffley Partnership, was walking along Morrison Street to a business dinner at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
He described seeing someone “out of the corner of my eye” running at him.
As the man - who was white and in his mid-20s - came closer, Mr Diffley, who is Catholic, realised he was the target.
The assailant yelled repeatedly “You f****** Jew, you f****** Jew” before barging into Mr Diffley and pinning him to a wall while shouting “are you a f****** Jew?”
“He was shouting so that spit was going in my face, and it was obviously quite intimidating,” Mr Diffley said.
The businessman managed to push him off and carried on walking but the man pursued him while continuing to shout.
“He was right behind me then came in front of me again and repeated the same thing - cornering me and shouting, ‘You’re a f****** Jew, you f****** Jew” over and over again,” Mr Diffley added.
“It was broad daylight. There must have been people who were wondering what was going on. But no one came over, which I find quite astonishing but maybe there were just a bit scared of the guy or felt he was totally out of control.”
Mr Diffley said the man did not appear to be under the influence and persisted in his attack.
When he retaliated and told the man to leave, he then switched to telling Mr Diffley he was “just joking” and that Jewish people “have no f****** sense of humour”.
Finally he called the pollster a “c***”, spat towards him and walked off.
Mr Diffley waited to see if he would return and checked whether he was with anyone else before continuing to the awards event.
“I can’t speak for the motivation of someone like that,” Mr Diffley added.
“I didn't at any time think he might have a knife on him, that never really occurred to me, but I did think it might end up in something physical.
“I can totally and utterly understand why Jewish people would remove any obvious signs that they are Jewish, which is just horrible.
“The notion that it can’t happen here is obviously wrong.”
Mrs McPherson said the incident served to highlight that “Scotland is not immune to this poison”.
“It quite literally now is on our streets. And that is incomprehensible and a completely devastating reality for us.
“Some of us feel afraid and at the same time determined,” she added.
“Some of us feel very resilient and at the same time very angry.
“For our older population, first and second generation Holocaust survivors, there’s a lot of trauma in the mix of this.
“The shadows of the past are creeping back in.
“One of the phrases usually attached to Holocaust Memorial Day is never again.
“And we can't say that anymore in terms of antisemitism.”
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Jewish Council of Scotland and the Scottish government recently announced a joint working group on combating antisemitism and enhancing Jewish life.
Police Scotland, following the incident in Golders Green, said there is no evidence of increased risk in in Scotland.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell was quoted asking for people to remain alert but not alarmed.
Mrs McPherson said: ”That doesn't mean there is no increased worry.
“That doesn't mean that there isn’t an increased concern, and more importantly, it doesn't mean that the security systems we have in place are fit for purpose.
“What it means is that we've got gentlemen who are 60 or 70 years old in a high vis vest outside our synagogue, and that Police Scotland have said they will drive by a little bit more.
“It's a deterrent. I understand that. And on the whole, Police Scotland are excellent, but please let us not think that everything here is as it needs to be.
“And please let us not forget we shouldn't have to do it in the first place.”
There have been a number of attacks on Jewish sites in London, including an arson attack on Jewish community ambulances and attempted arson attacks at synagogues.
Around 5,800 people who identify as Jewish live in Scotland.
Mrs McPherson added: ”You feel a degree of separation. It's at arm's length when it's never happened in Scotland.
“We're not separate from what's been happening in London. We never were because the Jewish community is all family.
“The reality is that this has happened here at home.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is aware of this attack, and our sympathies are with the victim and the wider Jewish community who will be understandably concerned following this incident.
“Antisemitic hatred and intimidation have no place in society and we remain steadfast in standing with Jewish communities and in taking action to challenge and confront this behaviour.”
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