'I've been punched, threatened and pelted with eggs but I won't let anti-Semitic thugs win', says Salford rabbi

A rabbi has told of how he has been physically attacked and verbally abused by anti-Semitic thugs.

Rabbi Arnold Saunders has spoken out as new figures reveal the extent of anti-Semitic incidents in the city.

Rabbi Saunders said he was punched in the face outside his synagogue by a man who then ran away.

On another occasion a teenage boy walked up to him and yelled in his face.

And, while driving in Salford, he was shocked to see a man wearing a football shirt bearing an anti-Semitic slogan referring to the gas chambers during the Holocaust.

Rabbi Saunders, of the Higher Crumpsall and Higher Broughton Synagogue, has also been pelted with eggs and has witnessed abuse aimed at other members of the Jewish community.

He is urging people to report all incidents of violence, abuse, vandalism and assaults.

He said: “Even if you’re not going to get the perpetrator, it’s still important that the police can log the incident.

“I was threatened by someone who said ‘I’m going to kill you’. But I thought ‘I’m not going to let you win’.”

Data collected by the Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors anti-Semitism in Britain and works to protect Jewish people, reveals that Salford has seen the highest number of anti-Semitic attacks in Greater Manchester in the first half of the year. Of 98 incidents that occurred between January and June, 43 were in Salford.

There were four assaults, seven incidents of damage and desecration of Jewish property, one threat and 31 incidents of abusive behaviour.

Salford has the second highest Jewish population in Greater Manchester after Bury.

In the 2011 Census 7,687 people in Salford said they were Jewish.

Superintendent Stuart Barton, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “We, and our partner agencies in Salford, do a lot of work to engage with our local communities with the aim

 to reduce hate crime. I believe our existing strong relationship with our neighbourhoods is going from strength to strength with dedicated staff patrolling the areas and developing those ties.”

Mark Gardner of the CST said: “Salford is home to a relatively large and visible Jewish community, that is thriving and happy.

“Unfortunately, however, it does suffer on occasion from criminal and anti-social behaviour that often has a racist anti-Semitic element to it.”

People are urged to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and to report incidents to the CST on 0800 9800 668.