London Man Arrested for Assaulting Two Jewish Men

A man was arrested in London on January 26 after assaulting two Orthodox Jewish men earlier that day.

The assault, which can be seen on security footage, shows the two Jewish men leaving a bakery in the London Borough of Haringey when the assailant says something to them, and then punches them repeatedly. Both Jewish men were struck in the head and fell to the ground, suffering bruising, a fractured hand and an eye injury. They were taken to the hospital for treatment and subsequently released.

#HateCrime #Antisemitism #Horrific | 2 Jewish men #Attacked

Cadoxton Avenue #N15

The brutal, unprovoked attack saw the victims knocked to the floor by vicious punches to the head@Shomrim located the suspect through #CCTV enquiries #Arrested by @MPSHaringey
CAD 7284 26/01 pic.twitter.com/rCXrFITVAI

— Shomrim (Stamford Hill) (@Shomrim) January 27, 2022

The assailant was later arrested; the only publicly released information about the individual is that he is 18 years old, according to The Jewish Chronicle.

Footage of the arrest pic.twitter.com/ebFO6dTszP

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) January 27, 2022

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the assault in a tweet. “I’m appalled by this despicable footage, and I thank police for making a swift arrest,” he wrote. “This attack is a terrible reminder, on Holocaust Memorial Day, that such prejudice is not consigned to history, but remains a very real problem in society. We must stamp out antisemitism.”

https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1486744531299184642?s=20&t=ZEISg9D7GtUZ61A1N_38sA

Jewish groups also weighed in. “This was a dreadful, violent and unprovoked attack against two Jewish men peacefully going about their business,” Board of Deputies of British Jews President Marie van der Zyl said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the victims and our thanks go to the Police and Shomrim for their swift intervention and Hatzola for their diligent care. The perpetrator must face the full force of the law.”

In response to the horrific attack that took place against two Jewish men in Stamford Hill last night, we send our thoughts to the victims, wish them a refuah shlemah, and thank @Shomrim, @MPSHaringey and @Hatzola for their swift action. pic.twitter.com/f8A16g2Kwo

— Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) January 27, 2022

The American Jewish Committee tweeted, “We are horrified by the vicious and unprovoked assault on two Jewish men in London. We pray for the victims’ full recovery and call on @MetPoliceUK to do everything in its power to bring the perpetrator of this shocking antisemitic attack to justice.”

We are horrified by the vicious and unprovoked assault on two Jewish men in London.

We pray for the victims' full recovery and call on @MetPoliceUK to do everything in its power to bring the perpetrator of this shocking antisemitic attack to justice.pic.twitter.com/EmsdedCShk

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) January 27, 2022

Writer and Tel Aviv Institute Fellow Hen Mazzig tweeted, “I live near where this hate crime against Orthodox Jews happened. It’s terrifying. It is not so different than the gangs who pummeled Jews on the streets of Germany in 1935. Every day Jews are reminded that we are not truly safe, any time or anywhere.”

I live near where this hate crime against Orthodox Jews happened. It’s terrifying.

It is not so different than the gangs who pummeled Jews on the streets of Germany in 1935.

Every day Jews are reminded that we are not truly safe, any time or anywhere.pic.twitter.com/uTnxlKM9Jn

— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) January 27, 2022