Stamford Hill ‘anxious’ after two strictly Orthodox Jewish schools vandalised

Police in Hackney are investigating incidents of vandalism at two Jewish schools and buildings in Stamford Hill after people threw red paint over doors and gates.

On Thursday, Vishnitz Girls’ School on Amhurst Park, which has 446 students, was targeted in the early hours. Local sources said several girls, upon arrival in the morning, were so upset by what they saw that they ran home.

The vandal, wearing a mask and a hooded coat while carrying an umbrella, was captured on closed circuit TV daubing the school just before 6am. Paint was thrown over four parts of the school building, including the front door.

Then on Monday, Beis Chinuch Lebonos Girls’ School – just a few hundred yards away – was also hit in the early hours. This time paint was thrown over a security gate, which stopped the vandal getting to the school buildings.

The area, which has a large strictly Orthodox community, is being targeted by protests against the defensive actions of the Israel Defence Forces in response to the terrorist attack by Hamas last weekend that claimed 1,400 lives.

Closed circuit cameras caught one perpetrator wearing a mask and carrying an umbrella approach the front of the school and throw red paint over the front door before leaving.

Representatives said Hackney Police was “taking it very seriously, working with headteachers and giving them the support they need”, adding that Vishnitz Girls’ School was in discussions with the Community Security Trust (CST) about enhancing security.

Joel Friedman, director of public affairs for the Pinter Trust, said: “We’re all very shocked by what’s happened in Israel. We feel closely associated with it as most of us have family members who live in Israel.

“We’re worried about hate crimes against the Jewish community, especially after these two schools were vandalised, and we’re worried about what lies ahead.

“We are thankful to the police for increasing their presence and feel we need all the support we can get at the moment, because people are feeling very anxious.

“The Orthodox community in Stamford Hill is obviously very visibly Jewish, so there is a greater risk of course.

“But we are proud of our good relations with the local Muslim community – something Rabbi Pinter championed. We hope and pray for peace. We don’t want anyone to get hurt, either here or abroad.”