Dozens of Jewish people were attacked or racially abused in Greater Manchester last year, according to a new report.

They were among more than 200 racists incidents aimed at Jewish people in the region last year.

The figures were revealed by a charity which represents Britain’s Jewish community - who say there has been an alarming rise in anti-Semetism across the country.

Incidents in Greater Manchester included vandalism against synagogues, adults and children being attacked on the street, and thugs making Hitler ‘salutes’ at passers-by.

The Community Security Trust (CST), which advises and represents the Jewish community, recorded 205 incidents in Greater Manchester in 2016 - a nine per cent fall on the year before.

However reports of anti-Semitic crimes nationally rocketed by 36 per cent - and Greater Manchester had the most reports of anywhere in the country outside London.

(Image: Ze'ev Barkan/Flickr/Creative Commons)

Bury South MP Ivan Lewis has now raised the alarm over the alarming racist incidents He added: “This disturbing increase in anti-Semitic incidents nationally should be of serious concern.

“I commend Greater Manchester Police and the CST for their excellent partnership working in our region.

“However, we must send the strongest possible message of zero tolerance to all forms of racism in our communities.”

The CST report said a number of school children were targeted in our region.

Many Jewish schools in Greater Manchester have been forced to employ private security guards in recent years to protect pupils from abuse and attacks.

Some have even introduced dog patrols around school perimeters.

CST bosses said reports were spread relatively evenly through the year, with no ‘trigger events’ leading to spikes, such as in 2014 and 2009 with conflicts in Israel and Gaza.

They say a ‘combination’ of events and factors are likely to have contributed to the overall rise, including terrorist attacks across the globe; high-profile allegations of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party; and a ‘perceived climate of increased racism and xenophobia’ in the UK following the EU referendum.

In around a third of incidents, Jewish people were abused in public by strangers, identified by their religious or traditional clothing, jewellery or school uniform.

CST chief executive David Delew said: “While Jewish life in this country remains overwhelmingly positive, this heightened level of anti-Semitism is deeply worrying and it appears to be getting worse.

“Worst of all is that, for various reasons, some people clearly feel more confident to express their anti-Semitism publicly than they did in the past.

“CST will continue to support the victims of this hatred and we call on others to join us in confronting it wherever it appears.”

GMP Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan, who leads nationally on the policing of Jewish communities, said the entire country needs to unite to tackle anti-Semitism.

He added: “Hate has no place in our country. It undermines the strengths our diversity brings.

“Anti-Semitism causes worry in our Jewish communities which must be confronted.”

Boy covered in curry and man called 'baby killer' by stranger

Racist attacks on Manchester’s Jewish community include a schoolboy being covered in curry and a man being called a ‘baby killer’ by a complete stranger.

The Community Security Trust (CST) report outlines numerous hate-fuelled crimes, with innocent people berated or attacked by strangers in the street.

According to the report, a Jewish woman and her three children were walking home from a synagogue when a man made a ‘Heil Hitler’ salute at them in March.

In May, a Jewish man at a synagogue was told by a man: “I am going to f****** stab you.”

The same month, 16 gravestones were vandalised at a Jewish cemetery and a stone was thrown through a synagogue window.

(Image: STEVE ALLEN)

Later in May, a Jewish man was on the bus when two teenagers behind him said: “I hate Jews.

“When is the Jew getting off the bus? The Jew will probably want to get off the bus because he probably has not paid.

“Oh we are going past a dirty stinking Jewish area.”

In June, a victim received a text saying: “You stupid Jew, go back home.”

Later the same month, a traffic warden told a Jewish man, who had parked illegally: “You Jews are all the same, they think they can get away with anything.”

In July, two teenagers walked past a Jewish school, approached a Jewish boy and poured curry over him.

The same month, eight youths approached a Jewish boy, shouted ‘Dirty Jew’ at him, before assaulting him.

Later in July, a Jewish girl was playing with friends in the street when three white youths shouted: “I will call Hitler. We will call Hitler to shoot you.”

In August, a group of youths shouted ‘Jewish b******s’ at guards at a Jewish school.

Later the same month a man, walking down the street in broad daylight with his wife, was called a ‘f****** Jew’.

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In September, a man working at a Jewish book shop received a call in which a man called him a ‘Jew’ and a ‘baby killer’.

In October, a Jewish man was assaulted and berated with anti-Semitic slurs in a car park after his car was dented.

Greater Manchester Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd said: “I hold in high regard the work undertaken by the CST and value this report. We will continue to work with the CST, building a stronger partnership between them and GMP. We will work together in building community confidence to report incidents of hate crime.

"This report details some horrific incidents of both verbal and physical assaults, targeted in some cases at young children and their families. Anti-Semitic hate crime has no place in Greater Manchester and we have demonstrated that we stand together against hatred and prejudice.

"I urge anyone who has been a victim, or has witnessed anti-Semitism, to report it, either directly to GMP or through the CST.”

Rabbi says education key to stopping anti-semitic abuse

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

A rabbi staunch in the face of anti-Semitic attacks says education is the key to stopping abuse - and has urged members of the Jewish community to remain resolute.

Rabbi Arnold Saunders - based in Salford - has been punched in the face outside his synagogue, pelted with eggs and berated with horrific slurs.

He said incidents in the last couple of years in Greater Manchester are fewer, but insisted more needs to be done to tackle the scourge of anti-Semitism in our region.

“It is still a big problem,” he said.

“Security and being vigilant against attacks and abuse is one thing, but that doesn’t tackle the root of the issue.

“Education is very important. Holocaust Memorial Day, which we had recently, has a tremendous impact.

“Education is the only way to make people more tolerant, but that is in the long term. It doesn’t happen over night.”

Rabbi Saunders appealed for victims of anti-Semitic crime to report it to police to show the Jewish community will not tolerate hate.

He added: “Everybody should report every incident, no matter how big or small. It’s the best way to build up a picture.”