Ultra-Orthodox Jews. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Residents of a London Orthodox Jewish community were systematically harassed last Shabbat by what were described as antisemitic “preachers.”

The Jewish Chronicle reported that up to 30 men verbally assaulted passing Orthodox Jews in the neighborhood of Stamford Hill, which is heavily Orthodox, taunting them with phrases such as, “Jews have long noses,” and, “Jews are taking over the world.”

Metropolitan Police officers arrived at the scene, but no one was arrested.

Chaim Hochhauser of the local community security force Shomrim said of the incident, “It was extremely racist.”

“We have taken a number of phone calls about it,” he stated. “People are scared — scared that a pogrom could happen to them.”

“There were a lot of Jewish people there,” Hochhauser added. “It was Shabbos afternoon so they were coming out of shul.”

“Even the non-Jewish people were shocked,” he said. “This was the first time something like this has happened. The community is shocked. It is extremely shocking — especially for it to happen on Shabbos.”

Philip Glanville, mayor of the Hackney borough, said, “I am disgusted by these allegations. … There is no place in Hackney for hate of any kind.”

“As a borough we stand against hate crime and I want to send a very strong message that we will do everything to ensure those who spread hate are brought to justice,” the mayor added.