Police investigate after video released showing spate of physical attacks by one assailant against religious Jews, including a child

Police are investigating after a spate of physical attacks against religious Jews in North London, all apparently at the hands of one assailant.

At least two of the attacks against religious Jews in the heavily Jewish neighbourhood of Stamford Hill have been caught on video.

One incident took place at 19:10 on 18th August on Holmdale Terrace, where the suspect slapped the back of the head of a child (crime reference number CAD6568 20/08/2021).

Another incident took place at 20:30 on the same day at the junction with Colberg Road, where the 64-year-old victim was on his way to synagogue before being struck and left unconscious on the ground. He suffered facial injuries and a broken foot (crime reference number CAD4492 20/08/2021).

Both incidents were reported by Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol.

The suspect in each video is a man dressed in religious Muslim garb with a black beard, dark skin and dark and thick-rimmed glasses. He was wearing a dark green bomber jacket, white kufi and thwab.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, condemned “this appalling attack,” adding: “Let me be clear, racist abuse and hate crime, including antisemitism, have absolutely no place in our city.” He urged anyone with information to contact the Metropolitan Police.

If you have any more information, please contact the police on 101 or Stamford Hill Shomrim on 0300 999 0123, quoting the relevant reference number (listed above).

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “These attacks are not ‘random’ in the usual sense: these victims were chosen because they are Jews. Violent antisemitic crimes have surged in recent months, but they have already been prevalent against religious Jews for some time, particularly in Stamford Hill. We applaud the Shomrim for reporting these incidents and urge the police to act swiftly to apprehend the assailant and deliver justice for the victims.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s analysis of Home Office statistics shows that an average of over three hate crimes are directed at Jews every single day in England and Wales, with Jews almost four times more likely to be targets of hate crimes than any other faith group.