6. The Jewish security patrol that protected its Muslim neighbours
Shomrim is an orthodox Jewish neighbourhood security patrol that made headlines this year as the protectors of a large Muslim population in London.
Shomrim are not a group violent vigilantes, but a specialist patrol that receives training and uniforms from the police. By working closely with the police they are able to secure around 200 arrests each year.
Following the murder of British soldier Lee Rigby by extremist jihadis, Britain’s Muslim community found itself under attack by the far-right who launched a wave of violence against them – tragically mosques were firebombed and innocent people murdered just because they were Muslim.
Usually Shomrim only patrol orthodox Jewish neighbourhoods, but after witnessing the rise of Islamophobic attacks on their Muslim neighbours they came to their aid. Setting up patrols in Muslim streets, guards for the mosques and providing any assistance they could to Muslims that came under fire.
