Britain raised its national threat level to 'severe' on Thursday, a day after an antisemitic stabbing attack in north London. Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed stronger action to protect Jewish people and said they were living in fear.
The increase to the second-highest threat level out of five means a terrorist attack within the next six months is highly likely, news agency Reuters reported.
On Wednesday, Jewish men in the Golders Green area were stabbed after a knifeman was seen running down a street near a synagogue.
Starmer said that the decision to raise the threat level was made independently by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre.
The interior minister, Shabana Mahmood, said the assessment reflects the larger trend of a rise in extremist threats.
Starmer promised more police in Jewish areas, a crackdown on those spreading antisemitism, and new legislation to deal with state-sponsored threats from the likes of Iran.
He said that people are scared to show who they are in their community, and are 'scared to go to synagogue and practice their religion.'
The Starmer government has been criticised for their inaction towards violence against Jews.
