Local residents have been left feeling “shocked and deeply upset” after a Hanukkah menorah was vandalised in what police are treating as a hate crime.
The incident occurred between 6pm on December 28 and 8.30am on December 29, when attackers vandalised the Jewish candelabrum displayed on West Riding in Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire.
The menorah, which is used to light candles during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, had several of its branches ripped down in the attack.
Rabbi Eliezer Tunk, director of Chabad Lubavitch Bricket Wood, said he was “shocked and deeply upset” that the menorah had been “terribly vandalised”.
Officers are working to obtain and review CCTV footage from nearby shops to identify those responsible
Chabad Lubavitch Bricket Wood
The organisation, which works to enhance and enrich the Jewish community in the area, refused to let the attack disrupt their celebrations.
A replacement menorah was quickly sourced, allowing the traditional lighting ceremony to proceed as planned on Sunday evening.
Hertfordshire Police confirmed they are treating the incident as a hate crime.
Officers are working to obtain and review CCTV footage from nearby shops to identify those responsible.
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What the menorah looked like before being vandalised
Chabad Lubavitch Bricket Wood
The force has increased patrols in the area following the attack.
Local residents have been encouraged to speak with police officers if they have any concerns about the incident.
The attack comes amid record levels of antisemitic hate crimes across the UK, with London seeing unprecedented numbers since October 7, 2023.
The Metropolitan Police recorded 2,170 antisemitic crimes in the 11 months following the Hamas attacks on Israel, compared to 1,568 Islamophobic hate crimes.
A replacement menorah was quickly sourced, allowing the traditional lighting ceremony to proceed as planned
Chabad Lubavitch Bricket Wood
This represents more than a fourfold increase in anti-Semitic crime, surpassing the previous high recorded in 2020-21 during the last Gaza conflict.
For the first time on record, antisemitic hate crimes in London have exceeded Islamophobic incidents.
Similar spikes in hate crimes have been recorded across other major urban areas in the UK.
Greater Manchester Police saw antisemitic offences jump from an average of 13 per month to 85 in October and 68 in November 2023.