Antisemitic hate soars to record levels in Scotland as first 'extreme violence' case reported

The new statistics, published annually by the Community Security Trust (CST), show the number of antisemitic incidents reported in Scotland surged from 74 in 2024 to 101 in 2025 - a 36 per cent increase.

The latest figures represent a 197 per cent increase in hate cases in Scotland since 2022 - the year before the October 7 attacks in Israel.

The Jewish Council of Scotland said the new statistics from the CST reflect the “ever-increasing threats” faced by Jewish communities in Scotland in recent years.

CST recorded a total of 3,700 antisemitic incidents in the UK last year - the highest number reported in a calendar year other than 2023.

The charity found reports of antisemitism incidents spiked after the deadly Manchester synagogue attack in October, with 40 incidents recorded on the day of the attack and another 40 the day after.

The antisemitic incidents counted in the report include hate-crimes as well as hate incidents which may not meet the criminal threshold but where evidence suggests there was an antisemitic motivation.

A breakdown of the figures for Scotland show the majority of the incidents, approximately 93, fell into the category of “abusive behaviour” - which encompasses a wide range of incidents including social media posts and verbal abuse.

Most seriously, the CST said there was one recorded incident of “extreme violence”, defined as an antisemitic attack which has the potential or intention to cause loss of life or grievous bodily harm.

The Jewish Council of Scotland said this was the first case of such seriousness reported in Scotland.

Of the remaining incidents, three were classed as “damage and desecration”, for example antisemitic graffiti, one as assault, two as direct antisemitic threats and one as “literature” - a category which includes mass produced leaflets and emails.

Greater Glasgow saw the highest number of incidents at 37 cases, followed by Edinburgh at 19 and Aberdeen at 5.

Argyll and West Dunbartonshire, Fife, Inverness, and Lanarkshire all recorded three incidents, while Dundee and the Highlands each recorded one case.

The remaining 26 took place online where the location was unclear.

According to CST figures, the number of antisemitic incidents has soared in Scotland by 197 per cent since 2022, when 34 cases were recorded.

The number doubled from 34 to 68 in 2023 - the year of the Hamas attacks and the beginning of the war in Gaza.

In response to the latest figures, Carmen McPherson, Director of the Jewish Council of Scotland, and Chair Timothy Lovat said: “We have raised awareness of this issue on numerous occasions at the highest level across Government and with all relevant public bodies throughout Scotland, urging them to take action robustly and decisively to protect the Jewish population of Scotland.

“This unchallenged hostility has now reached unprecedented levels, and the Jewish Council of Scotland reiterates its call to our political leaders to demonstrate their commitment to the safety of the Jewish community by taking a public stance against all forms of antisemitism and Jew Hatred.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “The Scottish Government deeply values the role Scotland’s Jewish community plays in our society and it is vital that they feel safe, supported and welcomed. There is no place for antisemitism or hatred of any kind in Scotland.

“The Scottish Government engages regularly with the Jewish community to reinforce this commitment, and deepen our understanding of the issues affecting them and work collaboratively to address them.”

The CST is a UK-wide charity working to protect Jewish communities from hate and terrorism. It publishes an annual report on antisemitic incidents recorded in the UK.