Anti-Semitism appears to be thriving in the British capital, where three attacks on Jews have taken place in as many days — and gee, it’s only Tuesday.
In northeast London, the ‘Shomrim’ civil patrol and local London police were kept busy chasing down at least two attacks against Jews in the mostly Jewish Stamford Hill neighborhood.
The window of a synagogue in the neighborhood was broken in an attack late Tuesday afternoon, according to the Shomrim N.E. London civil patrol. “Several youths were seen fleeing the scene,” the Shomrim service reported.
BREAKING: Window of a Synagogue in has just been vandalised in an unprovoked attack. Several youths seen fleeing the scene pic.twitter.com/jhg7Pt7LJ5
— Shomrim N.E. London (@Shomrim) May 9, 2017
The second attack was far more serious.
A 61-year-old man brandishing a meat cleaver and a large knife was seen striding along the sidewalk in Hackney, according to several British news outlets.
The man attempted to enter one kosher food shop but was blocked when staff locked the door. Enraged, he then stormed into a second kosher shop, swinging around his knives and shouting, “Where is the boss, I will kill him!”
Upon being told the owner was absent, he ran out and then allegedly chased two Jewish girls on the street, ages 8 and 14, shouting, “You Jews run away from here before I kill you!”
Metropolitan Police converged on the scene, shutting down a number of streets leading into the area, and finally arresting a man in connection with the incident. He was being held at a north London police station on possession of an offensive weapon and other charges.
No physical injuries were reported.
Two days earlier, on Sunday (May 7), two young Jewish boys were attacked by an anti-Semitic teen gang in a park in Borehamwood.
Police are seeking witnesses in the attack on the boys, ages 12 and 14, who were reportedly assaulted in Aberford Park in Borehamwood. They are the sons of Rabbi Alex Chapper, who assumed his position as the Rabbi of Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue recently, after Pesach.
The rabbi told the British Jewish Chronicle said his sons “met a friend and went to the local park in Borehamwood,” near their house, but upon their arrival were surrounded by a group of teens about the same age.
The gang yelled epithets at them, such as “f$%$ing Jews,” etc. The boys tried to leave but were followed and surrounded, according to a report by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAAS) monitoring organization.
A Jewish community member who by chance was in the park saw what was happening, and called police, who later told media the older boy’s yarmulka had been knocked off his head, and that he had been kicked.
A Hertfordshire police spokesperson told media, “Officers are investigating a racially aggravated incident that occurred in Aberford Park, Borehamwood, on Sunday, 7th May. A 14-year-old boy’s skullcap was knocked off his head and he was kicked in his leg. During the incident racially aggravated comments were also made to a 12-year-old boy.”
The boys’ father noted that both of his sons were “very shaken” by the incident, adding it had not been the first such attack.
“Actually the first week we were here we were walking home on a Friday evening, and there were teenagers shouting abuse at us as well,” the rabbi said.
“We ignored that, but this sort of the thing, with children in the park, it’s just not acceptable.”