Jewish officials say attack on London synagogue wasn't anti-Semitic
Sources in London's Jewish community believe that despite anti-Semitic comments, Sunday's incident in Stamford Hill was an isolated 'anti-social' attack by a group of drunken men and women.
Chaim Hochhauser of Shomrim, a Jewish neighborhood patrol group, told Ynet that the attack on the Ahavas Torah synagogue in Stamford Hill was preceded by an argument between a group of drunken men and women and a group of young Jews, and that it was an isolated incident.
"The incident is not believed to be a targeted or planned attack, although some anti-Semitic remarks may have been made by some of the group," the patrol group said in a statement.
According to Hochhauser, "The attack wasn't because they are Jews or because this is a synagogue. They were arguing outside and then tried to continue the argument after entering the synagogue and misbehaving." The police were alerted at around 1:15 am.
Hochhauser refuses to cast the blame for the incident on either side or turn it into another anti-Semitic incident. "I don't know what they were fighting about with the young Jews before they entered the synagogue, but we know that there was an argument outside. They tried to storm the synagogue because that's the place they entered, so I don’t think it was an incident with any anti-Semitic intentions."
He says this isn't the first time young Jews get into a fight with youth from the neighborhood. "No one was shocked by the incident. The only anti-Semitic thing that happened there was their comments. They were local youth, not a minority group."
Four British men and two women were arrested on Sunday after a group allegedly forced its way into a northern London synagogue in what the police as described as an "anti-Semitic" incident.
A video posted online after the incident depicts a group of 20 some-odd young men and women boorishly and drunkenly attacking the synagogue. The group is seen attempting to enter the synagogue in Stamford Hill, throwing objects through the door and smashing the windows while hurling anti-Semitic slurs at the worshipers inside.
One worshiper was punched in the face, sustaining minor facial injuries, while trying to prevent the men from entering the house of worship, while they were shouting anti-Semitic slurs.
The group was arrested for public order offenses and assault. Police said the men involved were drunk, and they were believed to have walked to the area from a house party nearby.
"The incident is being treated as an anti-Semitic incident, due to remarks made by one of the group," a Metropolitan Police spokesman said, explaining that after entering they were removed by the temple's security staff.
The spokesperson said however that "at this early stage, there is no suggestion that this was a far-right or extremist attack but rather the completely unacceptable actions of a drunken group."
Rabbi Maurice Davis of Ahavas Torah, however, told the BBC: "I think this incident was more anti-social than anti-Semitic."
He added that the Jewish neighborhood of Stamford Hill remained a safe haven for Jews of all denominations, and that residents should not fear their safety following the attack.
Rabbi Menachem Gelley, a senior judge in the London Beth Din and vice president of the Conference of European Rabbis, added that the incident "may be an internal affair."
Throughout the video, the group of intoxicated young adults can be seen banging on the synagogue doors, and occasionally, some women entered the synagogue to apologize for the damage being caused.
Reuters and Shalom Life contributed to this report.
