Speaking out on rising antisemitism in the South West
This month our director Tom Godwin appeared on ITV News West Country to speak about something we see in our work every day, but which too often goes unseen by the wider community: the rise in antisemitism across Devon and Cornwall, and the quiet erasure of Jewish identity that comes with it.
The figures are sobering. Devon and Cornwall Police recorded 56 antisemitic crimes in the 12 months up to 31 March 2026, compared to 36 the previous year — and more than 200 hate crimes linked to Jewish people or antisemitism over the past five years. But numbers only tell part of the story. As Tom explained in the interview, much of what we encounter never reaches the official statistics at all.
Speaking to ITV, Tom described how, for many people in the region, this is the first time they have ever encountered Jewish life: many people have never met someone Jewish, or understood what it means to be connected to a people and a story. The consequence, he said, is a kind of erasure — people not feeling safe to share their Jewish identity, students taking down their mezuzahs, and not congregating at Jewish events. Perhaps the most striking figure of all came from our own casework: 92 per cent of the cases the CIC has supported have not been reported to the police, pointing to a problem far larger than the official record suggests.
This is exactly why the work of the CIC matters — supporting victims, building understanding, and creating spaces where Jewish life can be celebrated openly rather than hidden away. It's also why projects like Klezmer by the Sea are about so much more than music: they are an invitation to the whole of Plymouth to meet, understand and stand alongside its Jewish community.
We were encouraged that the police acknowledged the need to do more. Devon and Cornwall Police said their Plymouth Commander and hate crime lead will meet with representatives of the Plymouth Jewish Community CIC and the Community Security Trust later this month to explore ways to increase trust and encourage reporting. We look forward to that conversation, and to continuing to push for the issue to be taken seriously. itv
If you have been affected by a hate incident, you don't have to face it alone. Please get in touch with us — and know that support is available.
Watch Tom's full interview with ITV News West Country above.
