2 ultra-Orthodox Jewish men assaulted on London street, 18-year-old arrested
Attack on the eve of International Holocaust Memorial day condemned by prime minister as ‘a terrible reminder’ of the present-day threat of antisemitism and hatred
An 18-year-old was arrested in north London after video showed a passerby assaulting two men in ultra-Orthodox garb on a sidewalk in the city.
In the video, the attacker can be seen continuously punching the two men until they are knocked down.
The pair required medical treatment but were released from a hospital hours later.
The Shomrim organization, which released the video, helped police track down the alleged assailant, according to the Jewish Chronicle.
The attack, which took place in the Stamford Hill neighborhood of London on Wednesday night, is being probed as a hate crime.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that he was “appalled” by video of the incident, and thanked police “for making a swift arrest.”
#HateCrime #Antisemitism #Horrific | 2 Jewish men #Attacked
Cadoxton Avenue #N15
The brutal, unprovoked attack saw the victims knocked to the floor by vicious punches to the head@Shomrim located the suspect through #CCTV enquiries #Arrested by @MPSHaringey
CAD 7284 26/01 pic.twitter.com/rCXrFITVAI— Shomrim (Stamford Hill) (@Shomrim) January 27, 2022
“This attack is a terrible reminder, on Holocaust Memorial Day, that such prejudice is not consigned to history, but remains a very real problem in society,” he added. “We must stamp out antisemitism.”
Police called the crime, which occurred on the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, an “awful reminder that hate crime still exists.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel also spoke out about the incident.
“This, on the eve of #HolocaustMemorialDay, is a sickening reminder of why we must never allow antisemitism to take root,” she tweeted. “We won’t tolerate abuse towards our Jewish community.”
An absolutely despicable attack.
This, on the eve of #HolocaustMemorialDay, is a sickening reminder of why we must never allow antisemitism to take root. We won't tolerate abuse towards our Jewish community.
Thank you to the officers who responded swiftly to make an arrest. https://t.co/2SSfYS9XnC
— Priti Patel (@pritipatel) January 27, 2022
A Shomrim spokesperson said the attack was “without a doubt” racially motivated.
Shomrim said the two men were punched in the face “with great force.” One of the two suffered bruising and a fractured hand, while the other sustained an eye injury and severe bruising.
