Police investigate reports swastikas etched into book in Golders Green

Police are investigating reports swastikas were etched into the back of a book left on a Jewish newspaper stand in Golders Green.

The Met Police confirmed enquiries are ongoing after they received an allegation of a hate crime on Golders Green Road on April 24.

A spokesperson for the Met Police said: “It was reported that a Jewish book was left on a newspaper stand and antisemitic graffiti etched into the back.”

Joseph Cassidy, who reported the incident to the police, is crowdfunding money to create a film to raise awareness of modern-day antisemitism.

He claims he conducted research in Golders Green on April 18 and left the book-printed version of his crowdfunding appeal in a newspaper stand for about five minutes, with a note saying “please put back after reading”.

“I decided to go back home, and it was while I was waiting for a train that I decided to flick through the book and discovered the swastikas etched in the back,” he said.

Cassidy told Jewish News: “I don’t think words can truly describe what I felt.

“I’ve experienced antisemitism throughout my childhood growing up and going to a school were I was targeted and bullied for being Jewish on the daily.

“So I wouldn’t say I was surprised to see this level of hatred, but it definitely shocked and deeply saddened me.”