Hunt for cyclist who knocked off Jewish people's hats and assaulted child in North London

29 December 2023, 12:09

Police are hunting for a cyclist who passed Jewish people in North London and knocked off their hats, hitting some on the head.

Footage released by Shomrim, the Jewish community safety group, shows a hooded male pass his victims and swipe at their hats

In one clip, he appears to attempt to hit one off a pedestrian as he cycles on the pavement but is given too wide a berth to reach out.

He then knocks the hat off a second man and cycles off.

Read more: Police appeal for information after man threatened Jewish people in Hackney

In a clip taken from a synagogue on Cazenove Road he passes two Jewish men as they chat, then knocks the hat off one.

Police said he went on to assault a child, while Shomrim said it is thought there are more victims and they have been urged to come forward.

Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway said: "Since the beginning of the conflict in Israel and Gaza, we have increased reassurance patrols across Stamford Hill and the wider area.

"I would encourage anyone who has information about a suspect or anyone who was a victim of one of these hate offences to contact the team of detectives who are working with the local community to solve this crime.

"We have been clear that hate has no place in London, and any allegation of anti-Semitism reported to police will be investigated robustly."

A police spokesperson said: "Police in Hackney are appealing for information about a suspect who assaulted members of the Jewish community.

Read more: Hate crimes spike in major British cities after October 7 Hamas attacks, police figures show

"Officers were called shortly after 14:00hrs on Thursday, 21 December to reports that a person on a bicycle had knocked the hats off a number of people before assaulting a child on Cazenove Road, N16.

"Officers attended and spoke with the informant; the victims and suspect had left prior to their arrival.

"Whilst there have been no arrests at this time, detectives have now identified a victim and are continuing enquiries to locate the suspect and additional victims.

Read more: Hunt for Gaza protester holding anti-Semitic 'Final Solution' sign at London march

"Anyone with information is asked to call police via 101 quoting reference CAD 3841/21Dec."

It comes as police figures show anti-Semitic and Islamophobic hate crimes rose sharply across the UK in the weeks following the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel conflict.

The Metropolitan Police said delays prevented it from supplying full figures until the new year, but it had previously recorded 218 antisemitic and 101 Islamophobic offences between October 1 and 18 this year, compared with 15 and 42 respectively in the same period in 2022.

The British Transport Police had one of the largest increases, recording 87 antisemitic offences in the month after October 7, when Hamas launched its massacre in Israel, up from eight in the same period in 2022 and 11 in 2021.

The Community Security Trust said the figures were "shocking", adding that they made clear "the extent of the unacceptable rise in anti-Jewish hatred across the country since the Hamas terror attack on October 7".

"This wave of anti-Semitism was triggered by the mass murder, rape and kidnapping of Jews in Israel, and is fuelled and sustained by extremist hatred online and on our streets," the Jewish charity said.

"It is essential that perpetrators are identified and prosecuted, and that wider society shows its disgust for this racist hate crime."