CAM Data: Amid Overall Drop in Antisemitic Incidents in June, Far-Left Jew-Hatred on the Rise

The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) tracked a total of 175 media reports of antisemitic incidents worldwide in June 2021, a 31.6% drop from May’s sharp spike linked to the outbreak of Israel-Gaza violence. 

However, while Islamist and far-right antisemitism both decreased in June, by 66.3% and 16.4% respectively, the number of far-left incidents rose 32.6%.

CAM’s monthly antisemitism report — the latest edition of which can be viewed here — classifies incidents of Jew-hatred (including physical assault, verbal harassment, vandalism, and hate speech) by the ideologies of the perpetrators.

In total, June’s incidents broke down as follows: Far-Left — 57 incidents (32.6% of total), Far-Right — 46 incidents (26.3% of total), Islamist — 36 incidents (20.6% of total), and Unidentifiable — 36 incidents (20.6% of total).

In Los Angeles, California, for example, a young Jewish boy was punched by an adult passerby while playing with friends, while in Tucson, Arizona, a Chabad-affiliated synagogue was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti.

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, threats made by pro-Palestinian activists against an Israeli food truck sparked a controversy that led to the cancellation of a culinary festival.

In Montreal, Canada, a kosher bakery and a restaurant were targeted in potential hate crimes, and in Frankfurt, Germany, a Torah ark in the Jewish prayer room at the city’s international airport was daubed with a swastika.

These are but a few of the most disturbing occurrences of antisemitism in June.

Meanwhile, with more attention focused on the issue of Jew-hatred following May’s dramatic global surge, CAM is monitoring a steady rise in national, regional, and municipal government entities taking the important step of adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.

June saw five IHRA adoptions by government entities — Switzerland, Quebec Province, Nassau County (New York), Town of New Castle (New York), and Bracknell Forest Council (UK) — and one by a higher education institution — University of Bradford (UK).

Also in June, the Republic of Cyprus — which adopted the IHRA working definition of antisemitism in 2019 — joined the IHRA organization as an Observer Country.

The IHRA now consists of 34 Member Countries, 1 Liaison Country, 8 Observer Countries, and 8 Permanent International Partners.

For more information on CAM’s antisemitism incident data, which is collected on a weekly basis, visit: combatantisemitism.org/newsletters