You will not have seen this statement in the mainstream press, but it’s being reported in the Jewish Telegraph for one week only. On Monday, Nicola Sturgeon spoke to a meeting with the Jewish community in Glasgow. Early this year, a qualitative study for the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities revealed mounting disquiet in the Jewish community:
” I would never before have considered it risky to show my Jewish identity in public. However that is changing.”
“For the first time I am considering moving from Scotland.”
“I do not feel as safe as I used to feel here.”
The comments reported from the audience reinforced that.
“Like it or not, we are living in fear and feel terribly threatened.”
“In the streets of Glasgow, the level of antisemitism we are seeing is far too high.”
Nicola Sturgeon acknowledged the problems:
“The SCoJeC survey gave us some cause for concern. I don’t want to be First Minister, or live in a country, in which Jewish people feel that they want to leave or hide their identity.”