Police arrest man, 48, on suspicion of a hate crime

Police arrest man, 48, on suspicion of a hate crime after he ‘bombarded bus passenger with anti-Semitic abuse’ in Hackney

  • The victim, 36, was reading prayer book travelling on the 254 towards Aldgate 
  • After analysis of nearby CCTV footage, a 48-year-old man was identified
  • Was arrested Friday on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence

A man has been arrested by police investigating a hate crime attack in which a bus passenger was targeted with anti-Semitic abuse.

The victim, aged 36, was reading a prayer book while travelling on the 254 towards Aldgate on December 6 when another man boarded near Stamford Hill, Hackney.

The suspect made a number of anti-Semitic comments at the victim before also verbally abusing a group of teenage girls on the bus, according to police.

The victim, aged 36, was reading a prayer book while travelling on the 254 towards Aldgate on December 6 when another man boarded near Stamford Hill, Hackney (pictured) 

When the first victim tried to intervene, he was punched in the arm.

Police were called and the victim got off in the Stamford Lodge area but the suspect could not be located.

After analysis of CCTV footage, a 48-year-old man was identified and arrested on Friday on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.

Police were called and the victim got off in the Stamford Lodge area but the suspect could not be located (file image)

Police were called and the victim got off in the Stamford Lodge area but the suspect could not be located (file image)  

Detective Superintendent Adam Ghaboos, from the Metropolitan Police Central East Basic Command Unit, said: ‘We have a large Jewish community in Hackney who have the right to live peacefully without being victimised because of their faith.

‘My officers will thoroughly investigate all hate crimes that are reported to us and I would strongly urge anyone who has been the victim of hate crime, be it physical or verbal, to report it to police as soon as possible.’

It comes after another attack in Stamford Hill on November 29 in which a rabbi was thrown to the ground by two men shouting ‘kill the Jews’.