Swastika drawn on London golf course hours before holiest day of Jewish calendar
Golfers made a shocking discovery in northwest London after the club grounds had been targeted with antisemitic vandalism.
Several sand bunkers were daubed with antisemitic words and symbols on a course in Hendon. Signs at the golf course property were also damaged.
The symbols and words were discovered on Friday morning at the club which is located in an area with a significant Jewish population and just minutes from a synagogue.
The club said in a statement that it had been the victim of race-related vandalism and that antisemitic wording and symbols were drawn in a number of the bunkers.
Footage posted on social media shows the Nazi symbol on the sand.
Other bunkers had ‘f*** the Jews’ and ‘Heil Hitler’ written across them. The messages have since been removed by the club.
The club said it was ‘subject to a despicable act of racism’ overnight, describing it as an ‘act of anti-Semitism.’
It said its board felt ‘appalled and sickened had this awful act been directed at any other minority group.’
To make the distressing incident even worse, it came hours before Yom Kippur, the most solemn religious holiday in the Jewish calendar.
Local residents took to social media to express their shock after the incident.
One person wrote: ‘Disgusting! Hope there’s CCTV somewhere.’
Others called the vandals ‘scum’ and called the attack ‘disgraceful.’
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What is Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur is considered the most important day for Jewish people across the world.
It comes ten days after Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
The festival is about repenting for the sins of the past year and aiming to do better in the new one along with prayer and fasting.
Also known as the Day of Atonement, this year’s Yom Kippur began at sunset on October 11 and ended at nightfall the following day.
Fasting is an integral part of Yom Kippur. People are encouraged to abstain from food, drink and sex.
Many spent the whole day in a synagogue. A special service called Kol Nidre starts soon at sundown after the fast begins.
The blowing of a curved horn usually made from a ram’s horn marks the end of the fast, sounded at the end of the final service in the synagogue.
Most people tend to break their fast at home with friends and family, while some synagogues will offer light refreshments after the final service.
The MP for Hendon David Pinto-Duschinsky said on X today: ‘I am aware of the disgusting antisemitic message/graffiti that was left at Hendon Golf Club. It’s utterly appalling. I’ve reported it to the Police and the CST and will be talking to the Club. It’s completely unacceptable. I want the people who did this caught and punished.’
Claire Waxman OBE, the London mayor’s victims’ commissioner, wrote on X she has received a report of the ‘utterly appalling’ incident, adding that ‘the perpetrators should feel the full force of the law.’
The club said it had reported the incident to the Community Security Trust (CST) and the police.
One resident asked if the club became a target after it hosted an event for Rosh Hashanah service and dinner last week. It marks the New Year in the Jewish calendar observed ten days before Yom Kippur.
The suburb of Hendon has a significant Jewish population, estimated to be around 31% of the area’s demographic.
A spokesperson from CST told Metro: ‘For this to occur in the heart of the Jewish community shortly before the onset of Yom Kippur is utterly disgraceful.
‘We are in regular contact with the police and have urged them to thoroughly investigate this hate crime, and we ask anyone with any information about it to contact CST and the police.’
Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Branch said the force is ‘aware of the shock and distress this incident has caused, especially coming at a time when the Jewish community is celebrating Yom Kippur.’
He continued: ‘The incident is being investigated as a racially aggravated hate crime and work is ongoing, led by officers from the North West community safety unit, to identify and arrest whoever is responsible for this.
‘Following the incident we have attended the golf course to support the club and have spoken to community leaders to ensure they are updated on the progress of this investigation. Local residents will also continue to see a visible police presence in and around key areas across our boroughs.’
Met Police was alerted shortly before 9am on Friday after staff at the golf club ‘reported offensive and antisemitic messages had been raked into bunkers on the course.’
The force said: ‘There was also damage caused to signs and property at the club.
‘The incident is being investigated as a racially aggravated hate crime.
‘There has been no arrests and enquiries continue.’
Anyone with information should call 101 or report on X @MetCC and quote reference CAD1690/11Oct. Anonymous reports can be made to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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