A Jewish teenager was shot in the head with an airsoft rifle from a passing car in Bournemouth, a coastal resort town in southern England. The Daily Mail reported that the boy, whose condition is stable, was targeted in an incident now under investigation by Dorset Police.
The attack took place on Saturday, August 23, around 2:50 p.m., when two people walking in Bournemouth were verbally harassed by a driver who then fired the weapon. Dorset Police confirmed they are treating the incident as a hate crime. “The police are taking it very seriously and are undertaking a full investigation at the highest level,” it said in a statement.
In response, police have increased patrols in areas with Jewish residents, estimated at around 2,000 in Bournemouth. The incident follows a surge in antisemitic acts across the UK, with the Community Security Trust (CST), an organization protecting British Jews, reporting 1,521 cases in the first half of 2025—the second-highest figure ever recorded.
The CST condemned the attack on X, saying, “CST is appalled by a series of anti-Jewish hate crimes in Bournemouth over the weekend. These are abhorrent acts of racism that are deeply distressing for the Jewish community and should alarm everybody.
“We are supporting the local Jewish community and working with Dorset police to assist their investigation. We urge anyone with information about these incidents to contact the police and CST.”
In a related development, swastikas were spray-painted on buildings across the popular resort town, according to The Times. Rabbi Bentzion Alperowitz, a local Chabad leader, discovered one on his home’s wall while heading to synagogue on Saturday morning with two of his five children, aged 7 and 10.
He described the experience as “very upsetting and alarming,” particularly as he was with his young daughters. Community members helped Rabbi Alperowitz and his family remove the offensive symbol.
Having been born and raised in Bournemouth, Rabbi Alperowitz told the Daily Mail, “this is not the Bournemouth I know. Bournemouth is a kind, beautiful place and I feel this is still the truth for the vast majority of people here.”
He urged the Jewish community to remain resilient. “Be proud to be Jewish and never allow these forces of darkness and forces of evil to instil fear into our hearts,” he said.
The recent incidents highlight growing concerns about antisemitism in the UK, prompting heightened police vigilance and community support to address the rising tide of hate.