Bottle attack on girls could be antisemitic - Met

The attack happened on the Woodberry Down Estate on Monday evening

An attack on a group of Jewish schoolgirls in north London is being investigated by police as a potential antisemitic hate crime.

The Met Police said the girls were walking through the Woodberry Down Estate, near Manor Park Tube station, at 19:45 GMT on Monday when a bottle was thrown from the upper floor of a building.

A 16-year-old girl was struck on the head and taken to hospital, the force said. Her injuries have been assessed as non-life changing.

A police spokesperson said officers attended but were unable to find the suspect.

'Premeditated attack'

Shomrim, a proactive community safety patrol, was called to the scene as well as Hatzola, the Jewish volunteer ambulance service, which took the injured girl to the Royal London Hospital.

Shomrim said it helped police officers identify the alleged suspect's flat through CCTV footage and witness accounts.

It said the police went to the flat at about 23:00, but the suspect was not there.

In a statement, Shomrim said: "The premeditated attack has left the local community deeply shaken.

"Evidence suggests the perpetrator had prepared the bottles and plates in advance, deliberately targeting the girls due to their visibly Jewish appearance."

The Met has urged anyone with information to contact them or the independent charity Crimestoppers.