London police are searching for a British man accused of assaulting three Jewish teenagers on a bus in an incident being investigated as an antisemitic hate crime, the Metropolitan Police confirmed. The attack occurred on September 10, the day before the Jewish High Holy Days, near Sanders Lane in Mill Hill.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police's new Community Protection Team interviewed the three 14-year-old victims. Two of the boys reported being physically assaulted, while all three stated they were targets of hate speech, according to the police.
Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who oversees policing in the affected area, indicated that the suspect is believed to be a white British man. The investigation is ongoing, with police reviewing security footage. Details regarding the specific language used or the circumstances leading to the alleged assaults have not yet been released.
"The Met will not tolerate antisemitism in any form, and we will respond robustly to any and all offenses that occur," Williams stated. "Urgent enquiries are ongoing to trace and identify the suspect linked to this incident."
The incident prompted an increase in police patrols around Jewish communities and institutions ahead of the High Holy Days. "Our Jewish communities have the right to celebrate and observe the upcoming High Holidays without fear of antisemitic hate," Williams added. "During this important period of peace, we have increased our patrols in order to provide reassurance, deter those who seek to cause harm and help ensure people can come together with confidence."
The Community Security Trust (CST), an organization that supports the British Jewish community and monitors antisemitism, is collaborating with the affected school and the police. "We are aware of an appalling incident last week, in which Jewish pupils were allegedly assaulted by an adult male on a bus," a CST spokesperson told JNS. "We are working closely with the school and police to provide support and reassurance."
The Board of Deputies of British Jews, a representative body for the Jewish community, also condemned the attack. "It is deeply disturbing that three schoolboys were targeted and assaulted simply because they are Jewish," a spokesperson for the Board of Deputies stated. "No child should have to face antisemitic abuse or violence on their journey to school or anywhere else. We welcome the Metropolitan Police’s investigation and urge anyone with information to come forward. Jewish children must be able to go about their daily lives without fear of being targeted for who they are."