A woman who attacked a man after directing antisemitic abuse at children outside a Jewish secondary school in north London has been convicted following a trial at Stratford Magistrates’ Court.
Syeda Khatun, 39, was found guilty of racially aggravated assault on July 3, less than two months after the incident. She is due to be sentenced on July 24 at Thames Magistrates’ Court.
The arrest of Syeda Khatun after the attack
(Photo: X)
The attack took place on May 10, when several children were waiting outside their school gate after a school trip. According to the Crown Prosecution Service, the children heard Khatun shout antisemitic abuse at a mother with her baby before turning toward them and swinging her arms aggressively.
When the father of one of the child victims asked why she was targeting children, Khatun assaulted him by striking him in the face and pulling his beard while shouting further antisemitic slurs.
The Crown Prosecution Service said it worked closely with the Metropolitan Police and authorized charges within 24 hours of receiving the evidence file. The prosecution’s case included eyewitness testimony and CCTV footage of the incident.
Ragvesh Singh, senior crown prosecutor in CPS London North, called it a “shocking attack.”
“Syeda Khatun targeted people with antisemitic abuse in a public place, including children who were waiting outside their school,” he said.
“When challenged about her behaviour, she went on to assault a member of the public while continuing to make antisemitic remarks,” Singh added.
“Violence motivated by antisemitic hatred is abhorrent and nobody should have to fear going about their daily life because of their race, religion or identity.”
Singh said he hoped the conviction would reassure the public, “particularly the Jewish community, that hate crime will be prosecuted robustly and offenders will be brought to justice.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Brittany Clarke, who leads policing in the area, described the incident as a “despicable assault on young members of our Jewish community in Stamford Hill.”
“We take incidents of this nature extremely seriously,” Clarke said. “Officers were on scene within minutes of the assault being reported to police. Detectives then worked with the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure Khatun was charged and before the courts two days after the incident.”
Clarke said police understand that concerns remain high among London’s Jewish communities.
“The Met continues to have an enhanced policing plan in place that focuses our resource around vulnerable areas to protect communities, disrupt offenders and tackle crime,” she said.