A Jewish man visiting London from Israel has described a harrowing antisemitic attack in which six masked men ambushed him, leaving him fearing for his life. The incident occurred outside an apartment in Golders Green, a neighbourhood with a large Jewish population, in the early hours of Monday.
Attack Details
The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he was speaking on his phone in Hebrew when the group approached him. He recounted: 'A group of six attacked me like animals. They kicked me down on the floor.' The assailants kicked and punched him, smashed his phone, stole one of his shoes, and even attempted to pull off his trousers. The attack lasted more than five minutes before a neighbour intervened, raising the alarm and likely saving his life.
The victim told the Campaign for Antisemitism that the attackers asked him in Arabic if he was Jewish before launching the assault. He said: 'They said to me, “you are Jewish,” in Arabic. They said a word that means “b*****d” in English.' He expressed shock, stating he had heard about antisemitism in London but never thought it would happen to him. 'I don't think I'll speak Hebrew in London,' he added.
Community Fear
Residents of The Grove, the quiet residential street where the attack took place, said they feel constantly under threat. One father of four said: 'We feel under siege. It seems to be that every day there is something. We fear for our families. If there are gangs roaming and attacking Jews, they need to be caught as soon as possible.' Another resident commented: 'It seems we are always just waiting for the next attack. This is a family street, it's just appalling.'
Recent Incidents
The attack follows a series of violent incidents targeting the Jewish community in the area. Last month, two Jewish men were stabbed just a few hundred metres away. Additionally, four ambulances operated by the Jewish charity Hatzola were firebombed nearby. Arson attacks on synagogues in Finchley, Harrow, and Tower Hamlets are also under police investigation.
Damon Hoff, President of the Machzike synagogue which was damaged in the ambulance attack, called for increased security: 'Tensions are obviously running high, and naturally it's a right of every citizen to be protected by the county. I think the police have been given further resources and our local crime prevention organisations, CST and Shomrim, will need further training and funding to prevent future escalation.' Rabbi Yehuda Black of the Kenton United Synagogue, also targeted in an arson attack, said: 'This is another example of a hate crime perpetrated against the Jewish community. People of all walks of life ought to be able to walk the streets perfectly peacefully without fear of physical or verbal attack.'
Police Response
Extra police patrols have been deployed in Golders Green, supported by Shomrim, a volunteer organisation that works with the Community Safety Trust (CST) to aid the Metropolitan Police. The CST issued a statement saying: 'This was a violent and appalling attack in the heart of Golders Green. The incident is being treated by the Metropolitan Police as an antisemitic hate crime, and we thank them for their swift response. CST is providing support to the victim and his family. We urge anyone who witnessed what happened to contact the police and CST immediately.'
The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers were called at around 2am on Monday following reports of an assault on a Jewish man. Inquiries are ongoing.
