On Friday, July 3, a woman was criminally convicted after being found guilty of verbally abusing schoolchildren and their parents outside a Jewish school in north London in May.
Syeda Khatun, 39, approached a group of children waiting outside the school gates following a class trip. The court heard that the woman first shouted antisemitic slurs at a mother and her toddler, then turned toward the other children and aggressively waved her arms at them.
The father of one of those abused asked the attacker why she was insulting the children. At that point, the woman punched the man in the face and pulled his beard while continuing to shout antisemitic slurs.
After the trial, Chief Prosecutor Ragvesh Singh noted:
This was a shocking attack in which Syeda Khatun targeted people in a public place with antisemitic abuse, including children waiting outside their school.
He stated that violence motivated by antisemitic hate is repulsive, and no one should have to fear going about their daily lives because of their race, religion, or identity.
I hope this reassures people, especially the Jewish community, that hate crimes are strictly prosecuted, and attackers are brought to justice.
Khatun has been found guilty of three counts of racially aggravated assault, one count of racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and one count of racially aggravated words and behaviour causing harassment and distress.
