A 33-year-old man was arrested in London on Monday after three Jewish women reported being assaulted in an incident that police were treating as a suspected antisemitic hate crime.
The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the Clapton Common area of Hackney, northeast London, at around 1:40 p.m. after volunteers from Shomrim London detained the suspect.
The women were believed to have suffered minor injuries, according to BBC reports. One of the women was pushing a baby in a stroller when she was allegedly attacked.
'An alarming and distressing incident': police increase patrols in area
The man was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated common assault and remained in police custody. He was also arrested in connection with a separate alleged assault in Islington on Friday, October 16, on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, according to the BBC.
Chief Inspector Erica Crawshaw of the Metropolitan Police described the incident as “an alarming and distressing incident” and thanked Shomrim volunteers for their efforts before officers arrived.
"We have increased patrols in the area, and we are speaking to community leaders to provide further reassurance,” Crawshaw said.
“We recognize the concern that this incident will have caused the Jewish community here in Hackney,” Crawshaw said.
Police appealed to anyone with information about the incident, or anyone else who believed they had been assaulted, to come forward.