Man Attacked While Stopping Graffiti, Police Investigate as Hate Crime

The Metropolitan Police is investigating an alleged antisemitic hate crime after a Jewish man reported being attacked for intervening when individuals were spray-painting graffiti in Holborn, London. The incident occurred on Tuesday, October 6.

Dan Levene, 52, a former football journalist and communications consultant, stated that he confronted two individuals attempting to spray a stencil that allegedly depicted the Camden Council leader, Sagal Abdi-Wali, as a "puppet of genocidal Israel." Levene reported that he objected to the graffiti and was subsequently assaulted, sustaining head wounds and a suspected broken rib. He described the attack as lasting about 20 seconds, involving punches and kicks, after he attempted to photograph the vandalism.

Levene shared his account on X, accompanied by a picture of his head wound, stating he was "physically attacked just now, by neo-Nazis on the streets of Holborn & St Pancras." He also mentioned that two bystanders intervened to assist him. He expressed anger over the incident, attributing it to what he described as Green Party supporters.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they received an online report and are working to establish the circumstances. A spokesperson stated that while the victim reported minor injuries, the incident is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime, and no arrests have been made.

Levene told The Times that the experience was "thoroughly unpleasant" and reflects what he perceives as a "massively rising tide of antisemitism in the country." He described attempting to push away the stencil, stating he did not want to see antisemitic graffiti in areas he felt connected to. He characterized the message on the stencil as echoing Nazi propaganda.

The incident comes shortly before a by-election for the Holborn and St Pancras parliamentary seat, vacated by former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The election is scheduled for Thursday.

The Green Party has recently faced criticism, including from figures like Sir Tony Blair, following a party conference vote that declared "Zionism is racism." This motion led to the party being branded by some as "an extremist party" and prompted reports to the police and the UK's equalities watchdog. Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, has stated that the party will not accept any exclusion based on religion and is committed to ensuring everyone feels safe and welcome within the party.