Wembley: Police search for man over antisemitic attack

The incident happened in Kingsbury Road, Wembley, on 13 October

Police have released an image of a man they would like to speak to in connection with what is believed to have been an antisemitic attack.

The victim told officers that a group of men approached him in north-west London and asked whether he was Jewish.

He then attempted to take a photo of the group which prompted one of them to punch him in the face, the Met said.

Figures from the force show a rise in antisemitic and islamaphobic offences following Hamas's attack on Israel.

The assault took place on 13 October on Kingsbury Road, Wembley.

PC Catherine Brady said the incident left the victim "incredibly shaken" and had caused concern within the wider community.

"Hate crime of any kind is not something we tolerate and we have been carrying out inquiries to establish who is responsible for this offence," she said.

Police have asked anyone who recognises the man in the photo or has any other information about the incident to contact them.

Antisemitic hate crimes recorded in London by the Met Police in the four weeks after Hamas's attack on Israel increased by more than 13 times the number recorded at the same time a year before, figures showed.

There were 679 antisemitic offences from 7 October to 7 November, compared with 50 in the same period of the previous year.

There was also a rise in Islamophobic offences, with 258 recorded, compared with 73 the year before.

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