Attempted Arson At London Shul As Hate Soars

by Justin Cohen - Thursday 8th January 2009


Brondesbury Park Synagogue was the target of an attempted arson attack this week as the Community Security Trust continued to warn Anglo-Jewry to be on its guard in the wake of Israel's anti-terror operation.

Monday's outrage, during which the building's side door sustained fire and smoke damage, came as the CST reported a massive rise in anti-Semitic incidents in Britain compared to the norm for this period of the year.

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Fears were also increased by a declaration from a senior Hamas leader that "they [Israel] have legitimised the killing of their people all over the world by killing our people".

Meanwhile, it was revealed yesterday that the names of prominent British Jews including Lord Levy and Sir Alan Sugar are mentioned in an online forum on which one figure requests help putting together a list of Israel supporters and another asks "Have we got a list of top Jews we can target? Can someone post names and addresses?"

While the CST said it would not normally expect more than an average of five anti-Semitic incidents over the festive season in a regular year, around 25 had been recorded since 29 December most of which show a clear link to the Middle East crisis.

In a letter to congregants following the attempted arson attack in the early hours of Monday morning, Rabbi Baruch Levin and the honorary officers said it appeared that an attempt was made to set light to the doors on the left hand side of the building using "a crude petrol soaked rag". An attempt to smash a window was apparently foiled by protective film introduced as part of a recent CST initiative to bolster security at Jewish institutions.

Rabbi Levin told TJ: "A neighbour caught sight of the events and alerted the fire brigade who were thank God able to extinguish the fire before it had a chance to spread. The incident appears to have been a random attack, perpetrated by opportunists rather than anything pre-planned or coordinated."

Police have launched an investigation while the number of patrols in the area have been increased, and the shul itself has vowed to take "all necessary steps to upgrade our existing security" systems. "Now is a time to be vigilant rather than fearful. It is also essential that as a Jewish community we increase our spiritual output through the performance of additional Mitzvot, to bolster the security and wellbeing of Jews throughout the world during this volatile political climate.," said Rabbi Levin.

Anti-Semitic emails, abuse and numerous incidents of graffiti, mostly in London and Manchester, were also among the incidents, which prompted condemnation from the government, community leaders and politicians across the political spectrum.

Among them were eight apparently unlinked hate emails sent to six Jewish communal organisations and activists in the London area, while a skull and crossbones flag was placed on a public chanukiah in Albert Square, Manchester, at the time of a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the same location.

Last week, TJ reported how anti-Semitic graffiti had been found on a bus stop in Temple Fortune, where the words 'Jihad 4 Israel' and 'Kill Jews' had been daubed. Incidents of graffiti using the words 'Jihad 4 Israel' were also discovered in Golders Green as well as Stamford Hill and at various locations throughout Clapton Common, while "Jews are scum bags" graffiti appeared at a golf course in Hertfordshire popular with Jewish community members.

In light of events in the Middle East, police presence has been stepped up in a number of areas with large Jewish communities, including an increase in reassurance patrols in Barnet, the London borough with the largest Jewish population.

Mark Gardner, the CST's Director of Communications, said: "The surge of anti-Semitic incidents is, sadly, not unusual in these circumstances. However, we must not treat this disgraceful state of affairs as some kind of normality. These are anti-Semitic hate attacks, pure and simple, and they are to be condemned outright. We ask that all victims of anti-Semitic incidents report their experience to CST or police, and we remind the community to be on its guard at this difficult time."

John Mann MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group against Antisemitism, said: "The targeting of the Jewish Community in the UK, that we have witnessed over the last few days is intolerable. It is a sad but necessary situation that schools are increasing their security measures and synagogues are seen as a target for those full of hate."

In a letter to the Home Secretary, the Liberal Democrats Shadow Home Secretary said: "I am particularly concerned by the evidence in the recent report from the Community Security Trust that the Israeli invasion of Gaza is being used as a pretext for such activity aimed at the Jewish community in Britain, which as you know has already had to invest substantially in extra security...This conflation of the activity of the Israeli state with the British Jewish population seems to me to be clear and alarming evidence of anti-Semitism."

Saying that the UK has one of the strongest legal frameworks in the world to protect people from discrimination on the grounds of faith, a Home Office spokesperson told TJ: "We condemn all forms of racially motivated crime and consider it of the utmost seriousness."

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We take any crimes or incidents motivated by hatred very seriously. We are working with community organisations such as the Community Security Trust to tackle these incidents and ensure the concerns of London's communities are addressed."

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