A 39-year-old woman has been convicted of multiple racially aggravated offenses after directing antisemitic abuse at children outside a Jewish secondary school and assaulting a man in north London, according to prosecutors.
Syeda Khatun, of Hackney, was found guilty on July 3 at Stratford Magistrates’ Court, less than two months after the May 10 incident, the Crown Prosecution Service said on Monday.
Prosecutors said Khatun shouted antisemitic abuse at a mother and children waiting outside the school following a trip, then acted aggressively toward the children. When a father challenged her, she struck him in the face and pulled his beard while continuing to shout slurs.
Khatun was convicted of three counts of racially aggravated assault, one count of racially aggravated assault causing actual bodily harm and one count of racially aggravated harassment.
She is scheduled to be sentenced July 24 at Thames Magistrates’ Court.
Ragvesh Singh, senior crown prosecutor in CPS London North, called it a “shocking attack.”
“Violence motivated by antisemitic hatred is abhorrent, and nobody should have to fear going about their daily life because of their race, religion or identity,” he said, adding that he hopes the outcome “reassures the public, particularly the Jewish community, that hate crime will be prosecuted robustly and offenders will be brought to justice.”
Det. Chief Supt. Brittany Clarke, who leads policing in the area, called the assault “despicable.”
“We take incidents of this nature extremely seriously. Officers were on the scene within minutes of the assault being reported to police. Detectives then worked with the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure Khatun was charged and before the courts two days after the incident,” she said.
“We understand that concerns remain high within London’s Jewish communities,” said Clarke. “The Met continues to have an enhanced policing plan in place that focuses our resources around vulnerable areas to protect communities, disrupt offenders and tackle crime.”
