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The UK's chief rabbi has stated that many individuals of the Jewish community and outside it are questioning why protests such as those challenging the ban on Palestine Action are allowed to take place.

Sir Ephraim Mirvis stated: “A portion of them feature overt anti-Jewish sentiment, blatant support toward Hamas. Not every individual, yet we see a great deal of such behavior, which proves undoubtedly dangerous to many within our community.”

Talking before his arrival into Manchester last Friday to stand with grieving families the deaths of two men during a terror incident near a synagogue, he emphasized an “urgent need for national soul-searching.”

The assault took place following what he called a constant surge of hostility targeting Jewish people” throughout Britain’s streets, campuses, digital networks and in certain parts in the press, Sir Ephraim informed a national radio broadcast.

Pointing out the phrase “spread the intifada worldwide” – considered by many as an appeal for violent acts targeting Jewish individuals – he said the UK had witnessed “in tragic detail” this past Thursday what those words meant.

Coming back to his characterization as expressed on public grounds and in digital forums, he said: “So much of this content is deeply offensive and also, when present the unjustified demonisation toward Israel that leads straight into anti-Jewish feelings across the climate of Britain and subsequently encourages extremism. Our government should take note of this.”

When asked concerning protests organized by advocates for Palestine calling for a halt to hostilities within Gaza and protests calling for the revocation of the prohibition on the banned group the activist network Palestine Action, he answered that “a significant portion” of these actions were risky for numerous within the nation.

“Since October 7th, 2023 there are numerous individuals who have asked the reason those protests are permitted to occur across our cities.”

“You cannot separate the words on our streets, the deeds of people in such manner and what necessarily occur … These factors are closely connected and therefore we call on national authorities again to take control on these demonstrations as they are dangerous.”

Spiritual guides also had a distinct responsibility to fulfill, the chief rabbi added, saying: “We must speak about controlling our words, the opinions we share, the manner we convey such opinions and also a faith leader ought to foster harmony and peace in our communities and in domestic settings.”

His comments came as the head from Israel, President Herzog, commented that the day proved to be “horrific day” for the Jewish community within the United Kingdom, Britain at large, and Jews worldwide.

“It is a stark warning regarding what we have been warning for a long while, that this wave of anti-Jewish sentiment and hostility to Jews worldwide ultimately leads to violence,” he stated on a national broadcast.

Within the group urging additional state measures toward combating antisemitism were Danny Cohen, the past director at the BBC channel, who commented to Times Radio we need a national investigation regarding anti-Jewish sentiment established straightaway” since “a problem has become badly wrong across our community, and it needs urgently addressing.”