The rise in antisemitic violence across Western Europe has led to growing concerns within Jewish communities, prompting some to seek refuge in Eastern European countries, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. While antisemitism has historically been present across Eastern Europe, this shift in perceived safety has been partly attributed to demographic shifts due to Muslim immigration. 

Western European countries, including the UK, France, the Netherlands, and Germany, have experienced a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. The European Commission recently highlighted that “the conflicts in the Middle East have led to levels of antisemitism unprecedented since the founding of the European Union.” Reports indicate that Jewish sites in cities like Berlin, Paris, and Brussels now require constant law enforcement protection, with government officials advising Jewish citizens to conceal their identity in public for safety.

The most recent example was seen in Amsterdam, where a number of Israeli soccer fans visiting the country last week were attacked by a mob. The incident was labeled by Jewish leaders as a “pogrom.”

On Thursday, France was forced to deploy over 5,5000 police and security guards for a soccer match between Israel and France. The game was limited to about 20,000 spectators but even with high security measures, a fight broke out during the game. Visitors were also able to sneak in smoke bombs and deploy them when the national anthem played. 

Nearly 10 percent of France’s population is Muslim. Per the Wall Street Journal, a survey from December 2023 found that almost half of French Muslims thought the October 7, 2023 attack  on Israel by Hamas was an “act of resistance against colonization.”

Statistics reported by the Wall Street Journal further revealed a significant rise in antisemitic acts since Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7. France saw an increase from 436 incidents in 2022 to 1,673 in 2023, including stabbings which nearly doubled from 43 to 85. Incidents in the UK also rose from 1,662 to 4,103 over the same period, with physical attacks increasing from 136 to 266.

“This is what a globalized intifada looks like,” commented Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League.

According to ADL public opinion surveys, antisemitic attitudes are more common in Eastern European countries like Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine compared to Western Europe. Despite this, the number of violent incidents there has been relatively low since October 7. Hungary and Poland, which have Jewish populations of approximately 45,000 and 17,000 respectively, each reported only one violent incident during this period. Agnieszka Markiewicz, director of the Central Europe office of the American Jewish Committee, highlighted this contrast, noting that Central and Eastern Europe are now seen as safer places for Jewish communities compared to the West.

“There is now a huge, huge difference between the West, and Central and Eastern Europe, which is now definitely a safer place for Jews today,” said Markiewicz.