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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Matt Watts

Police hunt man in east London who made threat to behead Jews

Police are looking for the male in the video circulating online - (Shomrim (London North & East))

Police are looking for a man who stood in an east London street and threatened that “Jews gonna get beheaded”.

Officers were sent to Whitechapel Road in Tower Hamlets after an online video showed the suspect making threats and slurs on Friday, the Metropolitan Police said.

The Jewish community police force Shomrim, described the footage as a “horrific video circulating on social media showing a gentleman threatening to behead Jews and much more”.

In an online post, Shomrim (London North & East) said it was “aware of the fact that the Orthodox Jewish community is exceptionally concerned about these threats”.

It said it is “working closely” with the force and hoped this might provide some reassurance to the community.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “We are aware of this video, which was reported to police earlier on Friday afternoon.

“Officers have attended the scene and are carrying out urgent inquiries to identify the man involved.

“We understand that incidents like this cause significant concern and we take all reports incredibly seriously. Hate crime of any kind has no place in our communities.”

Earlier this month the force announced there would be a dedicated team of 100 additional officers who would be deployed to protect London’s Jewish communities.

Since late March, there has been a series of arson attacks at Jewish sites in London.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley previously said 300 extra police officers were needed across London as he warned of a growing “pandemic” of antisemitism in the UK.

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