Elderly Jewish bakers suffer ‘vicious’ anti-Semitic attack on the night before Holocaust Memorial Day

A man launched into a “vicious” anti-Semitic assault on two Jewish men as they closed their bakers in Stamford Hill on the night before Holocaust Memorial Day.

Two men, one on a mobile phone, were locking the premises on Cadoxton Ave when they were confronted by a man dressed in black covering his face with a snood.

CCTV appears to show the suspect say something as he walks past before suddenly throwing a bottle at them and raining blows on one elderly man’s head.

The man vainly holds up his keys to protect himself but is knocked to the ground with a single blow, his skullcap sent flying off his head.

The attacker then goes after the other man who backs away but is thrown into a fence where the attack continues.

The suspect then kicks the skullcap lying on the floor before calmly walking away at just after 10pm on Wednesday.

The two men were taken to hospital.

Shomrim, a local volunteer police force, said one victim sustained a broken nose and fractured wrist in the attack. The other man suffered bruising and injuries to his eye and wrist.

Police said they had arrested an 18-year-old man on suspicion of actual bodily harm. He remains in custody.

Shomrim said they tracked the suspect using CCTV and helped Metropolitan Police make an arrest.

The force released the footage on Twitter, adding: “The brutal, unprovoked attack saw the victims knocked to the floor by vicious punches to the head”.

Local paramedics Hatzola added: “Earlier tonight Hatzola provided medical care and transported to hospital 2 victims following a vicious attack outside a bakery in Tottenham.”

Scotland Yard confirmed they had one man in custody and were treating the attack as a hate crime.

On Thursday morning Nazi and SS stickers were found by The Standard next to the bakery.

A worker at So Real bakery said: “I have spoken to them. I think they’ve had some injuries to their face and some scans at hospital but are home now.

“I didn’t even realise it was Holocaust Memorial Day it’s a shame - the world doesn’t change.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel, tweeted: “An absolutely despicable attack. This, on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day, is a sickening reminder of why we must never allow antisemitism to take root.

“We won’t tolerate abuse towards our Jewish community. Thank you to the officers who responded swiftly to make an arrest.”

Chief Supt Simon Crick said he wouldn’t stand for anyone in the community to be “targeted or hurt”.

He said: “On this most important day, this is an awful reminder that hate crime still exists.

“I would like to thank the members of the public who called us and asked us to come to the aid of these two gentleman, and grateful for their help which meant we could locate a suspect.”

Watch: On Holocaust Memorial Day, survivor describes horrific concentration camp experiences to European Parliament