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West Hampstead anti-Semitic assault: Police issue CCTV after man attacked during Hanukkah

Met Police CCTV imageMet Police
CCTV footage of a man wanted in connection with an anti-Semitic crime outside West Hampstead Overground Station

A man was injured in an anti-Semitic attack during Hanukkah, the Met Police has said.

The force has released CCTV of man wanted in connection with the assault, which happened outside West Hampstead Overground station in north London.

The 20-year-old victim was approached by the man on 2 December, who then hurled anti-Semitic comments at him.

He also damaged a display that had been put up to celebrate the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, police said.

The Met said the suspect then "assaulted the victim whilst intimating he was in possession of a knife before leaving the scene".

In a statement, it said officers were called at around 19:35 GMT and the victim was not seriously injured in the attack.

The incident was described by Home Secretary Priti Patel as "seriously disturbing".

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Stephen Silverman, Director of investigations and enforcement at the Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: "What this victim suffered is unspeakable."

He added: "This is the most heinous of a considerable number of anti-Semitic crimes that we have reported over the course of Hanukkah.

"The sad truth is that our nation's capital is not nearly as safe as it should be for Jewish people who wish to celebrate a festival or, in this case, simply go about their daily lives."

The Met added: "Officers have carried out a number of enquiries and have today released a CCTV image of a man they need to speak with."