Police are investigating brutal anti-Semitic attack in London

From European Jewish Press:

Police in London are appealing for information about a brutal anti-Semitic attack committed by three teenage thugs armed with baseball bats and rocks in one of the city’s most vibrant Jewish neighbourhoods.

The attackers - one of whom was described as white, one Asian and one of Mediterranean complexion -launched their assault in Golders Green Road last Tuesday shortly after their two Jewish victims, one of whom was a tourist, left a restaurant at 9.30pm.

Police say the men were given a torrent of anti-Semitic verbal abuse as they left the restaurant,and they were followed and physically attacked minutes later.The trio of thugs hit their victims with baseball bats, wooden sticks and rocks and left the men with bruises, cuts to their faces and arms as they tried to defend themselves, officers say.

The London Jewish News reported that the victims were brothers. One of the victims was a 25-year-old on holiday fromFrance, who was left with cuts to the face and arms, a swollen lip and severe bruising. His brother, 35, suffered a slashed arm in the attack,the newspaper reported.

Confirming the attack was anti-Semitic, Detective Superintendent Richard Walton, Barnet’s deputy boroughcommander, said: "This unprovoked attack was committedby three young men who targeted the victims purelybased on their religion."

The suspects were described as being around 17 years old. One was white, about five feet and seven inchestall, and wearing a black, beanie-style hat, jeans and a red sweater, one was of Mediterranean skin colour, five feet and ten inches tall, wearing a black jacket, a white t-shirt and jeans, and the other was Asian, around five feet nine inches, in a grey hoodie top with white stripes on the arms and black tracksuit bottoms.

Police have appealed for witnesses to call the Metropolitan Police’s Barnet division on 0208 2001212. Golders Green, a suburb of north west London, is known for its large Jewish population as well as itssignificant number of kosher restaurants, delicatessens and bakeries. It has a particularly large ultra-Orthodox community.