Signs twinning Bournemouth with Israeli city mysteriously vanish as police probe apparent hate crime
19 April 2024, 12:00
Signs twinning Bournemouth with an Israeli city have seemingly vanished, as police announce probe into the apparent hate crime.
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Bournemouth residents have been left baffled after four separate signs denoting the boundaries of the town seemingly disappeared overnight.
Bournemouth's Jewish mayor, Anne Filer, is said to have been left "very upset and disappointed" following the spate of thefts, which saw the signs twinning the Israeli resort of Netanya with 'England's coastal Garden'.
The signs' disappearance was initially thought to be a decision by the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) given the unified nature of the removal.
However, it has since been confirmed that police have launched an investigation into whether it was a targeted hate crime.
The four welcome signs located on separate boundaries of the Dorset seaside town twinned the area with Netanya in Israel and Lucerne in Switzerland.
Listing a variety of other accolades, the signs also included Bournemouth's Entente Florale title and its Britain in Bloom award.
BCP Council has confirmed replacement signs have now been ordered.
Netanya, a Mediterranean resort located on the west coast of Israel, has been twinned with the British seaside town for more than 20 years.
The signs were located on Magna Road, Mountbatten Roundabout, Ringwood Road and New Road bordering the outskirts of the town.
Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood said he was “deeply saddened" after hearing of the signs' disappearance
“It’s difficult not to assume this unauthorised removal is connected with current Middle East events.
“I hope the council replaces the ‘Netanya’ signs as soon as possible.
“The deep bond between our two seaside towns is strong and will not be affected by what seems an act of anti-Semitic vandalism.”
A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: “We have been made aware that a number of signs around Bournemouth have been removed and we are liaising with BCP Council to establish the circumstances and identify whether any offences have been committed.”
It follows footage that emerged on Thursday showing a Met police officer threatening to arrest a man for "breaching the peace" at a pro-Palestine march as he was "quite openly Jewish".
The man - who was wearing a kippah on his head - was trying to cross a road in the Aldwych area of London when he was stopped by police.
A video shared by Campaign Against Antisemitism from the march last weekend showed the man saying to the officer: "I don't want to stay here, I want to leave."
