Man convicted in British court for string of antisemitic attacks

Abdullah Qureshi was a suspect in the investigation of three antisemitic attacks that were committed within a two-hour period in the Stamford Hill area

NOVEMBER 20, 2022 06:18

A photo of a traditional "blue lamp" as located outside most English police stations. This one is outside the Charing Cross Police Station of the Metropolitan Police in London. (photo credit: CANLEY/PUBLIC DOMAIN/VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS) — A photo of a traditional "blue lamp" as located outside most English police stations. This one is outside the Charing Cross Police Station of the Metropolitan Police in London.

(photo credit: CANLEY/PUBLIC DOMAIN/VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

Abdullah Qureshi, 30, was convicted last week in a British court of one count of racially or religiously aggravated grievous bodily harm and two counts of racially or religiously aggravated common assault for committing multiple assaults motivated by antisemitism, the Metropolitan Police Service said.

Qureshi was a suspect in the investigation of three antisemitic attacks that were committed within a two-hour period in the Stamford Hill area on August 18, 2021.

In the first assault, a 30-year-old man was hit in the head with a bottle on Cazenove Road but was uninjured.

Next, a 14-year-old boy was attacked while walking on Holmdale Terrace; he was mildly injured.

Finally, a 64-year-old man was hit in the face while he was at the Colberg Road junction. He suffered injuries to his face and broke a bone in his foot when he fell down. He was treated at a hospital and later released.

Qureshi is set to appear for sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court on December 8.

Jewish men talk in Golders Green, London, January 10, 2015. The Community Security Trust (CST), which provides security advice to Britain's estimated 260,000 Jews, said police in London and Manchester in northern England had agreed to increase patrols at synagogues and other venues over the next day (credit: REUTERS/PAUL HACKETT)

Detective Chief Inspector Yasmin Lalani condemns discrimination, abuse

“London is an incredible and diverse city and it is completely unacceptable for certain sections of our communities to be subjected to deplorable abuse and harassment.”
Detective Chief Inspector Yasmin Lalani

"This outcome demonstrates that the Met will not tolerate any form of discrimination or abuse," said Detective Chief Inspector Yasmin Lalani. "London is an incredible and diverse city and it is completely unacceptable for certain sections of our communities to be subjected to deplorable abuse and harassment."

"I would like to thank Shomrim, the Community Security Trust, Hackney Independent Advisory Group and the Crown Prosecution Service for their support throughout our investigation, Lalani added. "Together we have achieved justice for the victims. Our message is clear – we will not tolerate hate crime. Do not come to Stamford Hill to commit offenses against our community – we will hold you to account."

The Metropolitan Police Service urged citizens to report incidents of hate and abuse, stating that "Crimes of this nature will not be tolerated."

Abdullah Qureshi has been found guilty today of religiously aggravated GBH and religiously aggravated assault following a string of attacks on Jewish people in Stamford Hill, north London, in Aug 2021. We want to thank all those who gave evidence & made this prosecution possible.
— CST (@CST_UK) November 10, 2022

The CST charity, which assists the Jewish community in the United Kingdom with security and antisemitism matters, tweeted about the attacks, saying, "Abdullah Qureshi has been found guilty today of religiously aggravated GBH and religiously aggravated assault following a string of attacks on Jewish people in Stamford Hill, north London, in Aug 2021. We want to thank all those who gave evidence & made this prosecution possible."