‘Beware of Jews’ sign hung in London neighborhood
Published March 15, 2017
(JTA) — A “Beware of Jews” sign was found affixed to a light post in a London neighborhood.
The triangular-shaped sign with a red border that mimics an official road sign indicating a hazard, shows a silhouette of haredi Orthodox Jew with fedora hat and sidecurls. It was hung near a synagogue in the largely haredi Orthodox Stamford Hill neighborhood of London.
The sign was discovered by the Stamford Hill Shomrim, a Jewish neighborhood watch group. The Shomrim reported the sign to the Metropolitan Police and the local council.
#Shomrim reported to @MPSHackney and @HackneyCouncil this offensive ‘Beware of Jews’ sign which was fixed onto a lamppost in #StamfordHillpic.twitter.com/mj8AfQTSSu
— Shomrim N.E. London (@Shomrim) March 14, 2017
“The sign has caused a lot of concern amongst local Jewish residents, especially as it is in such close proximity to a synagogue,” Barry Bard, supervisor at Stamford Hill Shomrim, told local media.
“This latest hateful incident shows the lengths to which anti-Semites are prepared to go to tell Jews that they are unwelcome in their own city. For many in the haredi Jewish community, this type of abuse and harassment is becoming a part of life. It has no place in a city that prides itself on its inclusivity,” Stephen Silverman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism.
Local lawmakers called the sign disgusting,” “unacceptable,” and ” despicable.”
