Police hunt for suspect after Jewish schoolboys assaulted on London bus

Authorities searching for man who slapped two Jewish schoolboys and verbally attacked three in what police described as an antisemitic hate crime.

By World Israel News Staff

London police are searching for a man suspected of carrying out an antisemitic attack against three 14-year-old Jewish boys aboard a bus in north London, an incident that came just one day before the start of Rosh Hashana.

The Metropolitan Police received a report at approximately 8:16 a.m. on September 10 that the teenagers had been attacked while traveling on a bus near Sanders Lane in Mill Hill.

All three boys told investigators they had been subjected to verbal abuse, while two reported being physically assaulted.

Police have not disclosed the words allegedly used against the teenagers or provided details of the reported physical attacks. Investigators are examining CCTV footage in an effort to establish exactly what happened and identify the assailant.

Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said investigators believe the suspect is a white British man and that efforts to locate him are continuing.

“The Met will not tolerate antisemitism in any form and we will respond robustly to any and all offences that occur,” Williams said.

The case is being investigated as an antisemitic hate crime by officers from the Metropolitan Police’s recently established Community Protection Team.

The specialist unit was announced in May following a series of attacks targeting Jewish people and institutions in London.

Initially consisting of 100 additional officers, it combines neighborhood policing, specialist protection and counterterrorism capabilities and is intended to provide a permanent, intelligence-led police presence for communities considered at heightened risk.

The assault occurred as police were already increasing security around Jewish areas, synagogues and other community sites ahead of the High Holy Days.

Barnet Council said on September 9 that the Community Protection Team would conduct high-visibility patrols in areas with large Jewish populations during the holiday period.

Williams said Jewish residents should be able to observe the holidays without being intimidated or targeted, adding that the additional patrols were intended both to reassure the community and deter potential attackers.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews condemned the attack and called for anyone with information to assist police.

The attack occurred in Barnet, the London borough with Britain’s largest Jewish population and an area that has accounted for a substantial share of antisemitic incidents recorded in the capital.

Community Security Trust figures show that 3,700 antisemitic incidents were recorded across the United Kingdom in 2025, the second-highest annual total in the organization’s records.

Of those, 1,844 occurred in Greater London, including 816 in Barnet alone. CST recorded 170 antisemitic assaults nationwide during the year, along with four incidents categorized as extreme violence.

Public transportation has also emerged as a recurring setting for antisemitic incidents. CST recorded 145 incidents on public transportation or at transport stations during 2025, including 37 on London buses and 68 on the Underground.

Twelve of the 145 incidents were classified as assaults.