Kent police refused to attend an alleged hate crime on Sunday, in which a Jewish couple and their five young children were the victims of an anti-Semitic attack at the seaside.
The family had been enjoying a day out at Minster beach on the Isle of Sheppey when they were pelted with pebbles by five teenagers, two boys and three girls aged between 16 and 18. The youths allegedly shouted “Jews” at the family, who were forced to flee.
The family contacted Kent Police, staying in the area for 30 minutes in the hope of being able to return to the beach and resume their bank holiday break. But police assistance never came, despite the perpetrators of the attack remaining in the area, because officers deemed that the threat had passed, Jewish News has reported.
Instead, the operator who took their call informed the family that an officer would contact them within the following week to investigate.
A spokesman for Kent Police said on Monday: “Kent Police were called at 4.10pm on Sunday, 28 May, to a report of an assault at Minster Beach, Isle of Sheppey.
“During the call the informant left the scene and officers deemed there was no further risk.
“As the informant is from outside of the county, police are arranging a suitable time to speak to the informant in due course. No arrests have been made.”
The family instead returned to their home in London where they received support from Shomrim, a voluntary support network run by the Jewish community.
Commenting on the incident, a spokesman for the Campaign against Antisemitism said: “The failure of Kent Police to attend the scene of an active anti-Semitic attack is appalling and must be investigated thoroughly. Normally, police officers should be deployed to an ongoing incident or an incident where suspects remain on the scene.
“We will be contacting Kent Police to make representations. After years of police failing to charge anti-Semites, and the Crown Prosecution Service failing to charge them, this news of a police force refusing to come to the aid of a young Jewish family under attack is extremely alarming.”