Car ‘mounts pavement and speeds towards fleeing pupils’ near Jewish school

Pupils from a Jewish school were reportedly seen running for their lives after a car allegedly mounted a pavement and sped towards them.

Met Police are probing a suspected antisemitic attack after a ‘black saloon-type vehicle’ reportedly ‘drove towards the students whilst they were waiting to cross the road’ near Hasmonean High School for Boys in northwest London.

Officials say the car was then seen ‘mounting the curb and causing the students to move quickly out of the way’ at around 3.40pm on April 20.

A letter to parents from the school’s headteacher, James Fisher, said a group of pupils were involved in a ‘concerning incident’ near a pedestrian crossing close to the A1 carriageway.

Mr Fisher told Metro that staff and security were being ‘cautious and vigilant’ after the alleged attempted ramming – particularly in light of recent high-profile anti-Semitic incidents, including the stabbing of two men in nearby Golders Green.

He said: ‘We don’t comment on ongoing investigations, but like most in the Jewish community at this time, we are being cautious and vigilant and we put our students’ safety at the forefront of what we do at this time.’

The school has round-the-clock security at the gates, but the alleged incident happened about 100 metres away.

A parent who lives near the school told Metro: ‘It’s despicable to be targeted for being a Jewish person, it’s so low. These are just children walking from school. It seems nowhere is safe.’

The school has extensive CCTV which covers the main road where the alleged incident is understood to have taken place.

Security staff at the school told Metro they had been on high alert in recent months after a spate of confirmed and alleged attacks on the Jewish community.

Mr Fisher’s letter added that the vehicle drove off towards Henlys Corner/the A406 following the attack, and that police are now appealing for any witnesses who may have seen the alleged incident to come forward.

They also want to hear from anyone who may have dash cam footage from the area at the relevant time.

A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘We are investigating reports a car drove towards three 14-year-old boys on Holders Hill Road, Barnet on Monday, 20 April.

‘While enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances, this is currently being treated as a religiously aggravated assault.

‘It was reported a car had mounted the kerb near where the boys were standing, they moved out of the way and there were no reported injuries.

‘We remain in close contact with the nearby school. At this stage, no arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.

‘Anyone with information is asked to contact police, providing the reference 2017/24APR.’

Hasmonean High School for Boys on Holder’s Hill is a secondary school and sixth form academy ‘serving the Orthodox Jewish Community of northwest London’. It has more than 750 students.

We previously reported that the Met had established a new 100-strong specialist unit to tackle a rise in antisemitic attacks in the capital.

It comes following a double stabbing in Golders Green, which is being treated as an act of terrorism, and arson attacks on volunteer Jewish ambulances and an October 7 memorial wall.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley described the spate of attacks as a ‘pandemic’ of antisemitism, saying an extra 300 police officers were needed.

The Home Office is committing an extra £18 million, and a further £4 million is available through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant.

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