Antisemitic hate crimes spike against London's Jewish community - Shomrim

Two anti-Jewish incidents occurred last week in Stamford Hill, a neighborhood known for its large hasidic Jewish population. 

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Updated: NOVEMBER 24, 2022 13:47
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)

A number of tweets posted by Jewish volunteer watch group Shomrim have recorded a spike in antisemitic crimes in London over last week.

Two incidents occurred on November 18, according to the posts. The first involved a brick being thrown through a synagogue window during evening prayers in Stamford Hill, a neighborhood known for its large hasidic Jewish population. 

The second reported hate crime, also in Stamford Hill, was described as three Jewish girls being confronted by attackers running towards them while screaming "Jew."  

Another antisemitic incident in east London took place last week, when a minicab driver told a pregnant Jewish woman after picking her up from a hospital on November 15 that he would no longer transport Jews because of Israeli action against Palestinians, the Stamford Hill Shomrim claimed, citing a Hackney Police report.

"This is the last time I am taking Jews as you kill Muslims in Israel," the driver reportedly said after noticing she was Jewish.

On October 28, also in Stamford Hill, a London Jewish male was ambushed by a male on a bicycle, who punched him and knocked off his yarmulke. Several other incidents involving a man on a bike targeting visible Jews followed later that same day, according to reports from the Stamford Hill Shomrim chapter.

“I tried but didn’t manage,” the assailant lamented after failing in his attempt to knock a second Jewish victim’s yarmulke off. While this victim was left unscathed, others were not. Another unnamed victim was similarly ambushed by a man on a bike, who successfully knocked his yarmulke off and punched him in the face, leaving him bleeding and bruised.

Combatting antisemitism in Stamford

“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."

Police Detective Chief Inspector Yasmin Lalani

Not all of the recent assailants have gotten away free of consequence. Earlier this month, a man named Abdullah Qureshi, who is responsible for a spate of August 18 Stamford Hill antisemitic assaults, was convicted of hate crimes. His sentence is to be decided at Snaresbrook Crown Court on December 8. 

“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,” said Hackney Police Detective Chief Inspector Yasmin Lalani in response to Qureshi’s arrest. 

Michael Starr and Boaz Edidin contributed to this report.



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