Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent potential intimidation of people of the Jewish faith during protest marches past synagogues.

This Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion at their chosen place of worship.

The police have a range of powers to deal with any behaviour that causes harassment, alarm or distress to others. They also have the power to impose conditions on protests where the purpose of the protest is to intimidate others. The Metropolitan Police utilised these powers this weekend, placing conditions on a planned protest to ensure it did not interrupt or interfere with Shabbat services and other communal events at central London synagogues.

While the use of these powers is of course an operational decision for police, the Government is in regular contact with the police on a range of issues, including on the steps they are taking to prevent intimidation to communities.

The Government currently provides support to Jewish communities through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant which is managed on behalf of the Home Office by the Community Security Trust. This grant provides protective security measures at synagogues, such as security personnel services, CCTV and alarm systems. The Community Security Trust will receive funding of £18 million per year through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant from 2024/25 to 2027/28.