Swastika daubed on London golf course hours before holiest day of Jewish year
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 signs on a course in Hendon.
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.
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.’
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.
The MP for Hendon David Pinto-Duschinsky said on X: ‘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.’
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The club said it had reported the incident to the Community Security Trust 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.
Metro has contacted Hendon Golf Club and the Met Police for comment.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
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