British Jews and their allies rally against antisemitism in London’s Parliament Square, December 8, 2019. Photo: Courtesy of the Campaign Against Antisemitism.

Police in London are investigating a disturbing incident involving crosses that were painted on Jewish homes in a substance that appeared to have been blood.

A number of houses on a street in Stamford Hill — a district of North London with a large Orthodox Jewish population — were marked with a single cross daubed alongside the mezuzot on the doorframes.

Pictures of the vandalism were circulated online by the Shomrim, a Jewish community defense group.

The group called the vandalism a “hate crime” and “antisemitism” and claimed the perpetrator “appears to have used blood.”

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“This attack bears similarities and invokes comparisons with actions by the KKK,” Rabbi Hershel Gluck, a spokesman for the Shomrim, declared.

However, local police took to social media to play down the possibility of a hate crime having been committed.

“Officers have spoken to the residents of these properties,” police in the London borough of Hackney stated on Twitter. “We understand it’s likely that a local man who is well known to residents and suffers with mental ill health may be responsible. Local officers are aware and will ensure the matter is addressed appropriately.”

#HateCrime #Antisemitism
Portland Avenue #N16 2am,
several #Jewish houses had crosses daubed onto their homes, offender appears to have used blood! @MPSHackney investigating
CAD 5149 10/01/21 pic.twitter.com/Mvc1DZHxKZ

— Shomrim (Stamford Hill) (@Shomrim) January 10, 2021