Shock as Jewish Homes in London Vandalized With Red Crosses Painted in ‘Blood,’ Defense Group Says
British Jews and their allies rally against antisemitism in London’s Parliament Square, December 8, 2019. Photo: Courtesy of the Campaign Against Antisemitism.
Police in London are investigating a disturbing incident involving crosses that were painted on Jewish homes in a substance that appeared to have been blood.
A number of houses on a street in Stamford Hill — a district of North London with a large Orthodox Jewish population — were marked with a single cross daubed alongside the mezuzot on the doorframes.
Pictures of the vandalism were circulated online by the Shomrim, a Jewish community defense group.
The group called the vandalism a “hate crime” and “antisemitism” and claimed the perpetrator “appears to have used blood.”
“This attack bears similarities and invokes comparisons with actions by the KKK,” Rabbi Hershel Gluck, a spokesman for the Shomrim, declared.
However, local police took to social media to play down the possibility of a hate crime having been committed.
“Officers have spoken to the residents of these properties,” police in the London borough of Hackney stated on Twitter. “We understand it’s likely that a local man who is well known to residents and suffers with mental ill health may be responsible. Local officers are aware and will ensure the matter is addressed appropriately.”
#HateCrime #Antisemitism
Portland Avenue #N16 2am,
several #Jewish houses had crosses daubed onto their homes, offender appears to have used blood! @MPSHackney investigating
CAD 5149 10/01/21 pic.twitter.com/Mvc1DZHxKZ— Shomrim (Stamford Hill) (@Shomrim) January 10, 2021