North London kosher restaurant vandalised close to Free Palestine graffiti
Tap above to watch video report by Simon Harris
A kosher restaurant in North London has been vandalised near 'Free Palestine' graffiti scrawled on a bridge nearby.
Glass was showered across the pavement outside Pita in Golders Green and images posted online revealed it was close to pro-Palestinian graffiti.
It is not known if the restaurant attack is connected to the graffiti, and police are not currently treating it as a hate crime.
London mayor Sadiq Khan said: "I remain in close contact with the Met Police. Whoever did this will face the full force of the law."
Police added in a statement: "We were called at approximately 06:10hrs on Monday, 9 October to reports of a burglary and damage caused to a restaurant in Golders Green Road, NW11. "It was reported that a cash register had been stolen. Officers have attended the scene and examined CCTV at the location. "There has been no arrest and enquiries into the circumstances are ongoing. "At this stage, the incident is not being treated as a hate crime. "Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to contact police on 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC quoting CAD 1077/9Oct."
Police patrols have been stepped up in London after videos emerged of people appearing to celebrate the attack on Israel, which a Government minister said was "glorifying the terrorist activities of Hamas".
Local MP Mike Freer said whenever trouble flared in the Middle East there was often a rise in anti-semitism.
He said: "What we are finding in the community is people are nervous and tense about what is going on in Israel.
"The attack on the shop [restaurant] whilst we need to allow the police to investigate and be sure to find out exactly what has gone on I think the timing is more than coincidental given what is happening in the Middle East."
Barrister Charlotte Proudman posted a video of a car with Palestinian flags sounding its horn. She wrote: “Celebrating the murders and kidnapping of Israelis is quite possibly the most heinous act of public hate I have seen on the streets of London.”
In a statement, Scotland Yard said: “We are aware of a number of incidents, including those that have been shared on social media, in relation to the ongoing conflict in Israel and the border with Gaza. “The Met has increased policing patrols across parts of London in order to provide a visible presence and reassurance to our communities. “We remain in contact with partners and community leaders to listen to any concerns. “Anyone who experiences threatening behaviour or is worried about their safety is urged to contact police. “We are aware that the ongoing conflict may lead to protests over the coming days. We will ensure that an appropriate policing plan is in place in order to balance the right to protest against any disruption to Londoners.” A group called the Palestine Solidarity Campaign has called for people to attend an “emergency” demonstration on Monday outside the Israeli Embassy.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...