‘I Want to Kill My First Jew’: Jewish Man Violently Assaulted in London

anti-semitic crime
JACK TAYLOR/AFP/Getty
Deborah Brand

A Jewish man was violently attacked by a knife-wielding assailant in a north London supermarket who said he wanted to “find a Jew to kill.”

According to a report by the Metropolitan Police, the attack happened earlier this month during the Jewish Hanukkah holiday as the victim left West Hampstead Underground Station after work.

He encountered the attacker, who was described as being in his mid to late twenties, vandalizing a public menorah before the latter turned to him and asked, “You look Jewish. Are you Jewish?” When the victim answered in the negative, the alleged attacker said, “Good. I want to find a Jew to kill.”

The victim then entered a nearby supermarket and called the police but was told the incident did not warrant an urgent response. The police dealt with the case only an hour later. The attacker, meanwhile, now donning a face mask, followed him in the supermarket and began shouting: “I knew you were Jewish, you lied to me. I am going to kill you.”

The attacker then repeatedly punched the victim in the head, and shouted phrases in Arabic interspersed with threats in English, including: “I am not leaving until you are dead.”

The victim turned to flee the scene just as the attacker allegedly pulled out a knife, saying: “I will kill you now, you Jew. I want to kill my first Jew.” He then made a slit-throat gesture as the victim escaped, leaving his hat and coat which were slowing him down.

“What this victim has suffered is unspeakable, and it is only thanks to his quick thinking that he survived the ordeal without even worse injury than he endured. The delayed response of the police, despite the close proximity of a police station just up the road, is deeply concerning, and the result is that a man who apparently wants to kill Jews is now at liberty,” said Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism.

He continued by condemning the police for delaying their response, saying that as a result, a man who “wants to kill Jews is now at liberty.”

Dave Rich, director of policy at the CST, said: “This was an incredibly serious, unprovoked assault, clearly motivated by anti-Jewish hatred, that was an extremely frightening experience for the victim. It could have been much worse, had he not managed to fight off his assailant and he showed immense courage in doing so.

He added that it was “alarming that such a blatant racist attack could take place in such a public place.”

Anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment are increasing in the UK and their were several incidents of anti-Jewish hatred over the Hanukkah holiday, although according to Silverman, this was the “most heinous.”

According to a report by the Community Security Trust (CST), 2021 showed a record 460 anti-Semitic incidents in a single month – the highest monthly total since the charity began record keeping in the 1980s.

Last month, Israeli Ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely was rushed from the London School of Economics (LSE)  pursued by a pro-Palestinian mob angry at her appearance at the prestigious university’s debate society.

That month also saw the West Ham soccer team banning two supporters from attending its matches after a group of the club’s fans were filmed singing obscene anti-Semitic songs as a Jewish man boarded a plane.

Last week, another West Ham fan shouted “Fuck the Jews” and other anti-Semitic abuse at a female journalist while making lewd hand gestures.

 

 

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