Jewish teenager attacked outside London school in apparent anti-Semitic incident
A 17-year-old Jewish boy was attacked outside his school by two young men who tried to force him to read aloud “Free Palestine”, according to the testimony of the school principal, The Times reported. The student who attends JFS – a former Jewish school in North London – was attacked on Thursday evening.
Dr. David Moody, the school’s principal, said that the attackers approached a 13th grade student and after an exchange of words about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one of them punched him. The incident was observed by security guards but the suspects escaped. There are usually two security guards outside the school premises from the end of the school day until 5:00 p.m., but the incident occurred before the end of the school day because the student left early after mock exams.
The director also said that the school will advance the security guards’ presence to 3:00 p.m. He added: “Unfortunately, there is still a very small number of petty people who want to take advantage of what is happening in Israel and Gaza as an excuse to promote their desire to create trouble.”
The JFS school is one of the oldest Jewish schools in the world, founded in 1732 and has over 2000 students from all over London and Hertfordshire. It is the largest Jewish boarding school in Europe. Police are investigating the incident while JFS is working with local schools to identify the attackers, who are also said to be teenagers.
This incident comes at a time of heightened tension and conflict between Israel and Gaza, and raises concerns about the rise of anti-Semitic incidents in the UK. The attack has sparked outrage and condemnation from Jewish and community leaders, who are calling for action to combat anti-Semitism and support the Jewish community.
The Jewish community in London, along with allies and supporters, have come together to condemn the attack and stand in solidarity with the victim and his family. Vigils and rallies have been organized to show support and raise awareness about the issue of anti-Semitism. It is crucial for authorities and leaders to address and confront anti-Semitic attitudes and actions, and work towards creating a safe and inclusive environment for all members of the community.