Authorities have arrested an 18-year-old male on suspicion of actual bodily harm after two elderly Orthodox Jewish men were brutally assaulted in an unprovoked attack in London on Wednesday evening, just hours before International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
CCTV captured the heinous attack outside a bakery on Cadoxton Avenue, north London shortly before 10 p.m, as the two victims are passed by an adult male on the street. The footage appears to indicate that the attacker said something to the two elderly males as they turned around to face him, only to be subjected to a devastating onslaught by their attacker who proceeded to throw several punches at the seniors’ heads.
With both victims being forced to the floor before attempting to flee the assault, the perpetrator continues to land blows to his victims further down the street.
A statement from the Metropolitan Police on Thursday morning confirmed an 18-year-old man had been arrested shortly after the attack and remains in police custody.
“The two men who were assaulted were taken to a north London hospital. Officers will continue to liaise with the victims and members of the community. This is being treated as a hate crime at this time,” it concluded.
Footage of the man’s arrest was shared on social media.
U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel condemned the “absolutely despicable attack” in a post on social media, calling it a “sickening reminder of why we must never allow antisemitism to take root.”
“We won’t tolerate abuse towards our Jewish community,” she added, before thanking the officers who acted swiftly to make an arrest.
Chief Superintendent Simon Crick, who leads policing in the area of the attack said: “On this most important day, this is an awful reminder that hate crimes still exists… I have been in touch with members of the local Jewish community and I’m providing additional patrols through the day to reassure the community.”
An update on the condition of the two victims revealed that one had suffered bad bruising, a broken nose and a fractured wrist, while the other also had bad bruising with wrist and eye injuries.
