Drunken mob smash into Stamford Hill synagogue
Synagogue broken into at 01:15hrs on Sunday 22 March 2015 in Stamford Hill. - Credit: Archant
A man’s face was injured as he tried to prevent a drunken mob of teenage thugs from a nearby house party breaking into a synagogue in Stamford Hill.
The group smashed a door of the synagogue in Craven Park Road to gain entry and once inside they smashed windows and threw chairs around before seven volunteers from Jewish volunteer security group Shomrin managed to get them out.
Police were called to at around 1.15am in the early hours of Sunday morning, and arrested four men and two women for public order offences and assault.
Chomrim supervisor Chaim Hochhauser said: “Our volunteers pushed out the suspects from the synagogue and tried to calm down the situation, chairs were chucked at the people in the synagogue, they were a group of around 20 people but not all of them went in, they came from a party and were quite high.
“Maybe they said anti-Semitic words but I don’t think it was anti-Semitism, it can happen anywhere, it’s antisocial behaviour and damage that went out of control. They seemed to all be around 17 and 18 years of age.”
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The incident is being treated as an anti-Semitic because of remarks made by one of the group, however police believe there is nothing to suggest that it was a planned or targeted attack.
The injured man was treated at the scene and his injuries are not believed to be serious.
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Shomrim helped police officers with statements and recovering CCTV footage.
Insp Jonathan Waterfield said: “We are investigating to establish the full circumstances of the incident and to identify anyone else involved in the disturbance who has not yet been arrested.”
Anyone with information should call 101.
