A kosher restaurant in London was vandalised in an apparent antisemitic attack overnight following the invasion of Israel by Hamas terrorists and amid growing concern over potential violence against Jewish people across Europe.
The ‘Pita’ restaurant in the famously Jewish neighbourhood of Golders Green in north London saw its glass door smashed with a fire extinguisher sometime between Sunday evening and Monday morning, the Times of London reported.
The act of vandalism was carried out just yards away from a London Underground overpass which was tagged with graffiti reading “Free Palestine”. Another nearby bridge was branded with the phrase “Palestine will be free”.
Responding to the apparent antisemitic attack, a spokesman for the Community Security Trust, a charity devoted to protecting Jewish people in Britain, told Jewish News: “This is a deliberate attempt to intimidate the Jewish community. It is disgraceful and should be roundly condemned by all sides. We expect the police to fully investigate because this cannot be allowed to continue.”
Golders Green MP Mike Freer said: “Clearly people know that this is the centre of Jewish life in the UK, particularly here in London, and so it is being targetted by those seeking to sow fear and division. It cannot be tolerated.”
Following the terror attacks on Israel, London’s Metropolitan Police reportedly stepped up patrols of areas of potential attacks from Palestinian partisans, such as outside Jewish schools in the British capital.
The Met said in a statement: “We are aware of a number of incidents, including those that have been shared on social media, in relation to the ongoing conflict in Israel and the border with Gaza. The Met has increased policing patrols across parts of London in order to provide a visible presence and reassurance to our communities.”
Pro Palestinian graffiti sprayed on a railway bridge in Golders Green, north London, an area with a prominent Jewish population, as the death toll rises amid ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza following the attack by Hamas. Picture date: Monday October 9, 2023. (Photo by Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)
Police protection of Jewish institutions also tightened in Germany and France on Saturday. The Palestinian terror attack happened on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret, the final day of the annual High Holy Day cycle.
Labour Party Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “There is no tolerance for hate in our city. I remain in close contact with the Met Police. Whoever did this will face the full force of the law. I stand with Jewish Londoners, today and always.”
However, there have already been outbursts of celebrations for Hamas and its murderous terror attacks waged against Israel, which began on Saturday on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret, the final day of the annual High Holy Day cycle.
Television presenter Rachel Riley shared footage from London over the weekend, in which men were seen dancing and waving the Palestinian flag. Riley said that they were “seemingly celebrating like they were having a party”.
“Make no mistake, this is a dangerous and terrifying time for all Jews around the world,” she added.
On Monday, junior government minister Lee Rowley MP warned residents from celebrating the actions of Hamas, which has been banned as a “proscribed terrorist group” by the British government. Under UK law, it is illegal to “express an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation”, with a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.
Rowley said that while “there is a right to protest, but there is not a right… to glorify terrorism,” adding: “You cannot support proscribed organisations like Hamas within the United Kingdom, and if that’s the case then I would expect police to take action accordingly.”
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