A large public Hanukkah menorah in Muswell Hill, north London, has been vandalised, prompting a police investigation into what officers are treating as a religiously aggravated hate crime.
The silver display, installed by the Crouch End Chabad to mark the Jewish festival, was found with several of its decorative lightbulbs smashed. No arrests have been made.
Rabbi Boruch Altein, of the Crouch End Chabad, described the damage as upsetting but insisted the community would not be intimidated. “This incident is saddening, but we’re not going to be intimidated and we will increase the light,” he said, confirming the menorah would be repaired and relit on Sunday.
The vandalism comes days after 15 people were killed during a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on 14 December — an event that has deeply affected Jewish communities worldwide.
Rabbi Altein said his congregation had been left “heartbroken” by the Sydney attack, but said local support had offered comfort. “We’ve been heartened by the outpouring of support since, including a beautiful note and flowers placed by the Muswell Hill Menorah,” he added.
Local resident and City of London councillor Jason Groves, who grew up near Bondi and has strong ties to the area’s Jewish community, said the incident felt especially painful. “It was particularly distressing to see an act so hate-filled close to home so soon after the atrocity in Australia,” he said. Groves welcomed plans to relight the display, adding: “The light must always overcome the darkness.”
Police confirmed the Muswell Hill vandalism was reported on Thursday evening.
Supt Owen Renowden, the Metropolitan Police’s hate crime lead, acknowledged the impact on the Jewish community. “This has been a tremendously difficult week following the terror attack in Australia,” he said, promising increased patrols and support. “We are treating these reports extremely seriously and will update further when we can.”
Crouch End Chabad said it was working with police and the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and terrorism, to establish who was responsible.
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks on Hanukkah displays across London. On Tuesday, police received two reports of vandalism: white paint was thrown over a menorah painting in Notting Hill, and a menorah in Shepherd’s Bush was damaged to prevent it from lighting.
The CST condemned the spate of incidents as “appalling and disgraceful, particularly in the wake of the horrific terror attack in Sydney where Jewish people were killed while celebrating Hanukkah.”
“The story of Hanukkah is one of light and hope,” the organisation added. “Jewish people should be free to celebrate this holiday without fear or hatred.” Photo by Salimfadhley, Wikimedia commons.