Vandalism of Jewish schools ‘sent shockwaves through community’

Two Jewish schools in north London have been vandalised with red paint in what has been called “a disgraceful attempt to intimidate and harass” the community.

Shomrim Stamford Hill said one school was targeted on Thursday and a second on Monday morning, as it tweeted CCTV footage of a masked figure spraying the paint on the outside of the buildings.

Chief executive of the Jewish security group Chaim Hochhauser said: “The brazen acts of vandalism have sent shockwaves through our community.

“The fear and anxiety are palpable, especially among the students and their families, who are forced to confront the harsh reality of hatred that has literally stained the walls of their educational sanctuaries.”

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the vandalism is being investigated as a hate crime.

Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway, who leads policing in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said: “We have had extra police patrols in the area since the attacks in Israel to provide reassurance.

“We are working closely with our partners in the Community Security Trust, the Shomrim, Hackney Council and other key local partners.

“These incidents will be robustly investigated and we have been clear that we have a zero tolerance for hate crime.”

The vandalism comes amid heightened concerns over possible antisemitic crimes in the UK following the attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent military retaliation.

Dave Rich, director of policy at the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and related threats, told the PA news agency: “Two Jewish schools in Stamford Hill have been attacked with red paint in what appears to be a disgraceful attempt to intimidate and harass our community.

“This was reported to CST and to the police and we are assisting the police with their investigation. We urge anyone with any information about this appalling example of anti-Jewish hatred to contact police.”

A school in Lordship Road was vandalised shortly before 7am on Thursday, while paint was thrown on a second in Woodberry Down, the Metropolitan Police said.

Anyone with information can call police on 101 giving the reference CAD5621/15OCT23 for Lordship Road or CAD 4143/16OCT23 for Woodbury Down.