Suella Braverman visits Golders Green to reassure residents

The Home Secretary has sought to reassure the community in Golders Green, north-west London, after a Kosher restaurant was burgled and pro-Palestine graffiti appeared on a railway bridge nearby.

Police say the break-in of the popular Pita restaurant in Golders Green Road was not being treated as a hate crime.

The graffiti, which read “Free Palestine!”, has been condemned as “disgraceful” and “a deliberate attempt to intimidate the Jewish community”.

Suella Braverman walked along Golders Green Road on Monday evening, alongside Metropolitan Police, and was pictured standing next to the boarded up restaurant.

She also spoke with Jewish members of the community and people inside the restaurant.

She had earlier visited the Community Security Trust, a charity that supports British Jews, as police chiefs step up patrols to prevent anti-Jewish disorder following the conflict between Hamas and Israel.

Ms Braverman has written to forces in England and Wales telling them to “use all available powers to prevent disorder and distress to our communities”.

She said officers should “act immediately to crack down on criminality, both in our streets and online”.

The graffiti is being investigated as a potential hate crime by British Transport Police (BTP).

Dave Rich from Community Security Trust said: “This graffiti is a deliberate attempt to intimidate the Jewish community.

“It is disgraceful and should be roundly condemned by all sides. We expect the police to fully investigate because this cannot be allowed to continue.”

BTP said officers were called to the line near Golders Green underground station at around 8.45am on Monday to reports of graffiti.

The force said in a statement: “Preventing and tackling hate crime is a BTP priority - no one should be subjected to violence or harassment because of who they are.

“If you see or experience hate crime on the rail network, please report it as soon as possible via the Railway Guardian app, by texting 61016, or calling 0800 40 50 40. In an emergency always call 999.”

The Metropolitan Police has said more officers will be on the streets across London to provide reassurance and that it has an “appropriate” plan in place to deal with a pro-Palestine rally outside the Israeli embassy on Monday.