More anti-Seimitic attacks in London

The number of anti-Semitic attacks on Jews in the UK increases but the BBC and the rest of the national media seem determined to ignore this; instead they worry about Islamaphobia.

Totally Jewish report that:

"Wearing a kippah and his long Shabbat coat, Michael Bookarz was walking home from La Fiesta restaurant on Golders Green Road on Saturday night when he was set upon by two hooded attackers. "I was walking towards the A406 at about 10.20pm when I noticed a guy was walking towards me," the 31-year-old told TJ.
"He suddenly started running and punched me in the face. When I was on the ground, another person ran over and they both started kicking me and stamping on my body and head.

"One of them said this is because of what's happened to the Palestinians in Gaza. Someone must have looked out the window because they suddenly just ran off leaving me on the floor.

"I was scared but the main thought running through my head as it was happening was self-preservation and defending myself. The second the attack finished my next thought was to get help. I took my phone out to dial 999 and I could see blood covering the screen of the phone - there was blood pouring down from my nose."

The software developer - who suffered extensive bruising and swelling - was taken to hospital where he spent several hours undergoing X-Rays of his skull and left hand. On doctors orders, he spent the past few days recuperating before returning to work yesterday, despite still suffering pain.

"One of the things I feel very sad about is that I can't walk around in England safely," he said. "This morning when I was walking to shul I saw a guy across the road with a cap on and a scarf over his face. It was a cold morning but I looked twice just to make sure he wasn't dangerous. I wouldn't have done that a few days ago."

But Michael is nevertheless determined to try to ensure that the attack does not affect the way he lives his life and he urged others not to shy away from wearing kippot in public. He said: "I want to continue leading my life as a Jew in this country, I want to lead it as a free person. I'm not going to let them win."

The attack on Michael was one of three assaults in recent days, contributing to the more than 220 anti-Semitic incidents in Britain since the start of Israel's anti-terror operation in Gaza in late December. That includes at least 12 incidents of daubings at London synagogues and in Jewish neighbourhoods on Thursday and Friday last week."

220 anti-Semitic attacks in a month but on the BBC not a word. However one attack on a Muslim and the BBC make it headline news. Why the disparity in coverage?


Meanwhile Vosizneias report that:

"The Jewish community in Golders Green has been the target of further anti-Semitic attacks, in the form of more offensive graffiti.

Graffiti reading "Kill the filthy Jews" was daubed on walls and pavements near Golders Green tube station and vandals wrote "Jihad 4 Israel" on top of Holocaust Memorial Day adverts.

Golders Green residents have unanimously condemned the ongoing hate crimes, which have risen up in the wake of the Gaza conflict.

"The graffiti is revolting," said one woman from Hampstead Way. "The conflict in Gaza is awful but people here have nothing to do with it. I want to call the police - this has to be reported. But what can you do when you are dealing with fanatics?"

Gabriella Lauffer, 22, from Golders Green, said: "The graffiti just comes down to anti-Semitism. Gaza is an excuse for anti-Semites to attack Jews.""

I feel less safe as a Jew living in London than I have at any time since the 1970s, what should I do? As I said earlier this week,

"I really do fear for my future as a Jew in a Country that has elements that increasingly show their hatred for Jews. I do not want what happened to the middle-class Jews in Germany in the 1930s to happen to me in the 2010s. The German Jews thought they could keep their heads down and that the troubles would pass, they were wrong and millions dies in the gas-chambers as a result. I do not want myself and my wife to face a similar fate in the coming years."