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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 near a synagogue in north London. | A road sign which appears to warn "beware of Jews" has appeared near a synagogue in north London. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Shomrim NE London said the sign had caused "alarm and distress" among the Jewish community. | Shomrim NE London said the sign had caused "alarm and distress" among the Jewish community. |
| There was also suggestion among locals the sign was part of a prank, however. | There was also suggestion among locals the sign was part of a prank, however. |
| BBC London understands that similar warnings featuring the silhouettes of an elderly lady and an obese man have also been spotted in the area. | 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. | 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". | 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. | 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". |
| 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 community in Europe. |
| Concerns over the sign came following a rise in anti-Semitic incidents in 2016. | |
| Figures compiled by the Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors anti-Semitism, showed there were 1,309 incidents in the UK in 2016, compared with a previous high of 1,182 two years earlier. | |
| The charity works with the police to gather data on hate crime. Of the total for 2016, 813 anti-Semitic incidents were in Greater London. |