Police say 10-year-old girls are ‘requesting armed police officers’ to guard Hanukkah parties
‘Armed police officers’ requested to guard children’s Hanukkah parties
- Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson reported that ten-year-old girls requested armed officers for their Hanukkah parties due to heightened fear following recent antisemitic violence.
- Sir Stephen condemned reports of individuals in the UK 'celebrating' the deadly terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, Australia, which resulted in the deaths of 15 Jewish people, including a 10-year-old girl.
- He described these celebrations as 'intolerable' and 'sickeningly distasteful', noting that the fear within Jewish communities has become more realistic.
- Following the Bondi Beach attack, Sir Stephen Watson and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley announced that protesters chanting 'globalise the intifada' will now be arrested, citing a changed threat context.
- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded to the attack by announcing a crackdown on hate speech and a proposed gun buyback scheme, the largest since 1996.