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'Beware of Jews' sign appears in Stamford Hill 'Beware of Jews' sign appears in Stamford Hill
(about 1 hour later)
A road sign which appears to warn "beware of Jews" has appeared just yards from a synagogue in north London. A road sign which appears to warn "beware of Jews" has appeared near a synagogue in north London.
The sign depicts the silhouette of an orthodox Jewish man wearing a traditional fedora hat and was spotted on a lamppost in Stamford Hill. The warning triangle, which was spotted by a neighbourhood watch group on a lamppost in Stamford Hill, depicts the silhouette of an orthodox Jewish man wearing a traditional fedora hat.
A Jewish neighbourhood watch group saw the sign on Forburg Road and reported it to police on Tuesday. Shomrim NE London said the sign had caused "alarm and distress" among the Jewish community.
It is understood the sign, found just 200m from a synagogue, was later removed by Hackney Council. There was also suggestion among locals the sign was part of a prank, however.
Jewish neighbourhood group Shomrim NE London first tweeted the image on Tuesday evening. BBC London understands that similar warnings featuring the silhouettes of an elderly lady and an obese man have also been spotted in the area.
Shomrim announced it had reported one of the signs, which was seen in Forburg Road, to police on Tuesday evening.
Barry Bard, from the group, said it was the first known sighting of such a sign, which had caused alarm in the local community due to its meticulous planning.Barry Bard, from the group, said it was the first known sighting of such a sign, which had caused alarm in the local community due to its meticulous planning.
He said: "The people of Stamford Hill are very sadly used to instances of anti-Semitic hate crime, but most of those times it will be verbal abuse or even assault.He said: "The people of Stamford Hill are very sadly used to instances of anti-Semitic hate crime, but most of those times it will be verbal abuse or even assault.
"The person who planned [this sign] has obviously gone to an effort to cause alarm and distress to local people.""The person who planned [this sign] has obviously gone to an effort to cause alarm and distress to local people."
BBC Radio London reporter Jonathan Savage, who went to the scene, said some members of the local Jewish community he had spoken to "weren't as concerned".
Two men described the outraged reaction as a "storm in a teacup", he said.
Shadow home secretary and MP for Hackney North Diane Abbott said it was "disgusting" and "unacceptable", while Labour's MP for Tottenham David Lammy said it amounted to "despicable, nasty behaviour that has absolutely no place in our community".Shadow home secretary and MP for Hackney North Diane Abbott said it was "disgusting" and "unacceptable", while Labour's MP for Tottenham David Lammy said it amounted to "despicable, nasty behaviour that has absolutely no place in our community".
BBC London understands that similar signs featuring the silhouettes of an elderly lady and an obese man have also been spotted in the area. Hackney Council estimates there are about 30,000 Charedi Jews in Stamford Hill, the largest community in Europe.
Hackney Council estimates there are about 30,000 Charedi Jews in Stamford Hill, the largest concentration in Europe.
In the Highway Code warning signs are mostly triangular with a red border.In the Highway Code warning signs are mostly triangular with a red border.