A man has been arrested after allegedly threatening Jewish people, including children, aboard a London bus while shouting antisemitic abuse and claiming to be carrying a knife.
The alleged incident took place at around 3.45pm on Thursday, on the number 254 bus near the Jessam Avenue bus stop on Upper Clapton Road. The 254 route passes through the heavily Jewish Stamford Hill area.
The suspect, who claimed to be in possession of a knife, targeted Jewish passengers with threats and racist abuse, shouting “shame Hitler didn’t kill you” and “you should all go in the gas chambers”, witnesses claimed.
The Shomrim Jewish security organisation in North East London responded to the incident and “swiftly detained the suspect, who was subsequently arrested by Hackney police and British transport police”.
According to the organisation, “the bus driver stopped the bus and activated the emergency alarm”, while “members of the public intervened and assisted”.
Police confirmed officers were called at 3.51pm following reports that a man on a bus on Upper Clapton Road was making threats.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “Officers attended and arrested a 50-year-old man on suspicion of making threats to kill and an offence under Section 4A of the Public Order Act. He remains in police custody. Officers searched the male and no weapon was found.
“The Met takes incidents of this nature incredibly seriously. The incident is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime and our enquiries continue.”
Anyone with information or witnesses to the incident are being asked to contact either Shomrim or the Metropolitan police on 101, quoting CAD 5358/7MAY or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Siwan Hayward, TfL’s Director of Security Policing & Enforcement, said: “We are absolutely appalled by this report. No one should ever have to fear or experience abuse when using our network. We take a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of hate crime, and work with the police to pursue anyone who is abusive to our customers or staff.
“We are supporting the police with their investigation, alongside the bus operator, who’ll supply footage from the CCTV cameras, which all buses are equipped with. We encourage anyone who experienced or witnessed this incident to contact the police.”
The arrest comes less than 24 hours after another alleged antisemitic incident in Greater Manchester, where police detained a man in his 60s following reported threats against Jews in the Heaton Park area of Salford.
The suspect in that case allegedly shouted threats including “take knives and cut your throat” and “Jew leave the country, and we’ll make it like the Nazis in the gas chambers”. Greater Manchester Police arrested him on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.
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