The Metropolitan Police has ended an inquiry into damage sustained by a Hanukkah menorah after determining the incident resulted from severe weather rather than criminal intent.
Officers had originally classified the Thursday evening incident in Muswell Hill as racially motivated criminal damage following reports from a member of the public at approximately 7.35pm.
However, the investigation was shut down after a lone eyewitness came forward to report he had seen the structure topple in strong winds, causing the lights to shatter upon impact with the ground.
A Met spokesman confirmed: “Police initially treated the incident as racially aggravated criminal damage.
“However, after speaking to local people, we are confident the menorah was blown over and there is no evidence to suggest intentional damage.”
The witness, BBC photographer Jeff Overs described experiencing “lashing rain and wind” as he exited a shop situated across from the menorah’s location on Thursday afternoon, at which point he observed the structure collapse.
The photographer noted the typically bustling location had become deserted owing to the adverse weather conditions, leaving him as the sole observer of the menorah’s fall.
“There was an hour of really high wind,” Mr Overs explained.
The Jewish menorah was thought to have been vandalised
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JASON GROVES“A sudden gust took it over and it fell and crashed.”
Rabbi Boruch Altein of Crouch End Chabad has announced plans to restore and relight the menorah on Sunday following the weather-related damage.
The rabbi stated: “This incident is saddening, but we’re not going to be intimidated and we will increase the light.”
Crouch End Chabad collaborated with both police and the Community Security Trust on Friday to establish the circumstances surrounding the damaged menorah.
The CST, a charitable organisation dedicated to protecting British Jews from antisemitism and terrorism, was consulted as part of the effort to determine what had occurred.
Initial concerns among some Muswell Hill residents that the damage might have been racially motivated prompted the involvement of community security organisations before the meteorological explanation emerged.
The Met continues to pursue active investigations into two distinct acts of menorah vandalism that occurred elsewhere in London during December, both classified as religiously motivated hate crimes.
In Notting Hill, authorities received a report that white paint had been used to deface a painted menorah image, whilst a separate incident in Shepherd’s Bush involved damage that rendered a menorah unable to illuminate.
Both reports were filed with police in the days after 15 people died in a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney on 14 December.
A Met spokesman indicated: “Investigations remain ongoing into separate incidents of vandalism and we continue to maintain visible foot patrols in the area and liaise with local partners, including religious leaders.”