Halloween horror of graffiti vandals

Spray-can vandals spent Halloween night defacing a largely Jewish area.

Walls, fences and street signs in several roads in Radlett, Hertfordshire, were daubed with antisemitic graffiti. On the worst-affected road, The Drive, swastikas and slogans including “Fuck the Jews”, “I hate Jews” and “Die Packies [sic]” were painted on the Tarmac and pavements. The letters NF, BNP and KKK were also daubed and eggs were thrown at one house.

A 71-year-old man, who lives nearby but asked not to be named, said the graffiti had reduced him to tears. “I’m not Jewish, but I lived through the war and couldn’t understand then how man could do that to another man. Now I feel things haven’t changed. I’m appalled. It’s a close community here and we are all united over this.”

A 41-year-old mother-of-four, who also requested anonymity, said she believed those responsible came from outside Radlett “and targeted the area specifically because there are many Jewish people”.

She added: “It’s frightening because I have children and it’s not a good feeling when someone hates you. These weren’t brave people. They did it in the middle of the night and then ran.”

Other residents echoed their sentiments.

PC Suzan Loughran, a hate-crimes officer from Hertfordshire police, wrote to people who complained acknowledging that “the damage was clearly antisemitic and offensive and caused distress to many people”. She said CCTV images would be examined and a can retrieved at the scene would be tested for fingerprints.

Chief Inspector Mark Hunter said: “We are taking every course of action to trace those responsible. I want to reassure residents that incidents of this nature are rare in Hertfordshire. But they will not be tolerated.”

Jewish Chronicle