The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) is offering a £10,000 reward for any information leading to the conviction of any of the perpetrators of an antisemitic attack on a bus of Jewish teenagers in Central London during Chanukah last year - despite the Metropolitan Police dropping the investigation.
The police probe into the widely-condemned attack was dropped in July after officers were unable to identify the people in the video, according to a Met Police statement on Friday.
Police say that they issued three appeals in total to identify the alleged perpetrators, but of the names provided to officers, all were eliminated from the investigation.
The CAA says that it is offering the reward for any information leading to a conviction, saying a statement: “If even high-profile hate crimes such as these are not solved and the perpetrators brought to justice, what hope do the many other antisemitic crimes against Jews have of being satisfactorily investigated?
In a statement on Friday, the Met Police said: “On 29 November 2021, officers responded to calls about antisemitic abuse being directed at passengers on a private bus in Oxford Street by a group on the pavement outside.
“The bus left the scene of the incident to avoid further confrontation and officers met it nearby. The suspects had also left the area and could not be located.
The Met Police are believed to have dropped the investigation into last year's Oxford Street Chanukah attack on Jewish teenagers.
— The Jewish Chronicle (@JewishChron) October 7, 2022
Police have said that after they were unable to identify the perpetrators, a decision was made in July to close the case. pic.twitter.com/0fjSaK0Mxz
“Video footage of the incident was shared on social media and we issued an appeal for anyone who recognised those involved to come forward. Two further appeals were issued which included photographs to help with identification.
“The only names provided in response to those appeals have been eliminated from our enquiries. The identity of those involved is still unknown.
“A decision was taken in July to close the case.
“Hate crime of any kind is unacceptable. Should new information come to light that provides a realistic line of enquiry, we will of course be willing to carry out further investigation.”
The CAA has strongly criticised the decision to close the case, with a spokesperson saying in a statement: "Despite the video going viral and all the resources at its disposal, the Metropolitan Police Service failed to make any arrests and quietly closed the investigation in July.
“If even high-profile hate crimes such as these are not solved and the perpetrators brought to justice, what hope do the many other antisemitic crimes against Jews have of being satisfactorily investigated? Indeed, the revelation that the investigation was closed comes at the same time as the Home Office has announced that last year police forces recorded the highest number of antisemitic crimes yet.
“We are offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of any of the perpetrators of this heinous attack. Only then will antisemites understand that abusing Jewish people is not without cost.”
Video has emerged of a group of men spitting at a bus full of Jewish teenagers in Oxford Street where the group were celebrating the first night of Chanukah. pic.twitter.com/orOrA9kJEu
— The Jewish Chronicle (@JewishChron) December 1, 2021
Video footage of the attack on London's Oxford Street went viral and was widely condemned. It showed Jewish teenagers on a Chanukah outing in being harassed by a group of young men who spat at their bus and chanted anti-Israel slogans.
The bus was carrying a Chabad group of young British Jews and Israelis from north-west London who stopped on Oxford Street outside the Primark store. Some of the teenagers got off the bus to dance and sing in the street. Soon a group of men had started playing music from speakers and dancing alongside them.
One young woman with the Chabad group who has asked to remain anonymous told the JC last year that the men appeared to be mocking them.
When the Jewish group tried to ignore them, they became more intimidating.
Rabbi Shneor Glitsenstein of the Chabad Israeli Centre Golders Green was on the bus with his group. He told the JC the men starting shouting “Free Palestine” at them.
To avoid escalation, Rabbi Shneor told the group get back onto the bus. At this point the men became increasingly aggressive, attacking the vehicle while it waited for a gap in the traffic to drive away.
Shocking video of the incident shows the men hitting the bus while passengers tell the driver to leave. “Go, go,” one passenger shouts, while another calls out: “Drive, drive.”
Two of the men take off their shoes and begin slapping the windows of the bus with the soles. The men then begin spitting at the windows and hurling inaudible shouts at the bus.
Two of the men raised their middle fingers at those on board.
As the bus finally drives away one man runs alongside it, punching the window with the side of his fist.
The woman on the bus told the JC she believed the assault was “definitely” because the group were Jewish.
