A growing wave of antisemitic attacks in the UK is increasingly being driven by lone actors radicalised online rather than organised terror networks, according to security experts, reports The Jerusalem Post.
Dave Rich, head of policy at the Community Security Trust (CST), said that while attackers often act alone operationally, they are influenced by wider ideological movements and online subcultures.
“Today, it tends to be lone actors,” Rich explained, noting that individuals may not be directed by a central organisation but are shaped by extremist narratives consumed online.
The warning comes shortly after the alleged arson attack on Jewish ambulances in London, claimed by the group Ashab al-Yamin. While the group is believed to have links to Iranian-backed factions, some analysts suggest it may function more as a loose network or as a source of inspiration for independent actors.
Rich said that modern extremist violence — whether Islamist, far-right or far-left — increasingly follows this pattern. Individuals absorb ideology online and act independently, making attacks harder to predict and prevent.
He added that some foreign-linked threats now operate through what he described as a “gig economy” model, where local criminals are recruited to carry out attacks for payment rather than ideological commitment. This makes detection more difficult but may also reduce the scale of potential attacks compared to past, highly coordinated terrorist operations.
CST plays a key role in monitoring threats against Jewish communities across the UK. According to Rich, the organisation received around 750 reports of suspicious behaviour at Jewish sites last year. While many reports proved harmless, some indicated hostile reconnaissance — a critical early warning sign of potential attacks.
“We tell people: if you see anything suspicious, report it,” Rich said. “Almost all terrorists carry out some form of information gathering before an attack.”
Authorities have also raised concerns about espionage targeting Jewish communities. Recently, British prosecutors charged two Iranian nationals with spying on individuals and locations linked to Jewish organisations.
While major Jewish populations in London and Manchester receive the most attention, Rich stressed that smaller communities are also vulnerable. Lone actors often target locations close to where they live, meaning attacks can occur anywhere.
He cited a past attempted arson attack on a synagogue in Exeter as an example of how unpredictable such threats can be.
Beyond physical attacks, Rich warned that antisemitism is increasingly appearing in mainstream environments since the October 7 attacks. Incidents are being reported not only at protests and universities, but also in schools, workplaces and public institutions.
He highlighted the growing difficulty of addressing antisemitism that is framed in political or cultural language. While overt hate speech may be easier to identify, more subtle or coded forms can evade legal thresholds and enforcement.
Rich argued that law enforcement alone cannot solve the problem. “We can’t police our way out of this,” he said, describing antisemitism as a broader societal issue requiring a response from civil society, institutions and communities.
While he acknowledged efforts by police and government, he criticised what he described as a lack of engagement from wider society. In some cases, he said, institutions have failed to recognise or challenge antisemitic content when it appears in cultural or political contexts.
The analysis suggests that the evolving nature of antisemitism — driven by decentralised actors and amplified online — presents new challenges for both security services and society as a whole.
Photo credit: HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
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