Police investigating attack on bus of Jewish teenagers celebrating Chanukah on Oxford Street as hate crime

The Metropolitan Police are investigating as a hate crime an attack on a bus travelling down Oxford Street yesterday carrying a group of Jewish teenagers celebrating Chanukah.

The attack was filmed by passengers on the bus and appeared to show a group of men hitting the vehicle with their hands and then their shoes, spitting on it, trying to break windows and performing Hitler salutes.

The assailants were told that the passengers are Jewish and then hurled antisemitic insults and slogans.

The men appear to be of Middle Eastern heritage and hitting an object of antipathy with one’s shoes is common in that region.

The teenagers were on their way to a candle lighting ceremony in central London to celebrate Chanukah.

Campaign Against Antisemitism and others publicised the video and called on the police to investigate. We are also in contact with the victims.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “These are shocking images of an abhorrent attack on a bus carrying Jewish passengers at the heart of London during the festival of Chanukah. We are in contact with the victims. Police must investigate and identify suspects.”

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 more than four times likelier to be targets of hate crimes than any other faith group.