Last year, antisemitism in the UK displayed a steep rise, especially when the war exploded between Israel and Gaza in May. The UK recorded 2,255 incidents, which is a 34% surge from the 1,684 occurrences documented in 2020.
Antisemitism in the UK Induces Hate Resulting in Crimes
Because of antisemitism, Souraka Djabouri must face imprisonment in a youth offenders’ institution for more than three and a half years. The 19-year-old attacked British Rabbi Rafi Goodwin last year in May because of hatred.
Initially, Djabouri and his accomplice harassed Goodwin verbally before vandalizing and hitting the car. When the rabbi gets out of his car to assess the damage, Djibouti struck him with a brick on the head and robbed his phone.
“Hate crime is a priority for Essex Police and it simply will not be tolerated. Our drive to secure justice, in this case, shows that. We work shoulder to shoulder with our Essex partners to take a tough stance against hatred, and we work closely with the CPS to make sure that, where we identify hate crime offenders, they are brought to justice,” said Police Constable Thomas Tod of Loughton Criminal Investigation Department.
What Really Happened?
In May 2021, Rabbi Goodwin was driving his car. in Chigwell. With him are his three children who sat at the back of the car, aged two, four, and five. Suddenly, two males appeared from behind a parked van and walked into his car’s path. This prompted the rabbi to hit on the brakes so as not to crash on them.
When Goodwin gets out of his car, that’s when the two perpetrators started showing misdemeanours toward the rabbi and fled with his phone.
Before striking the rabbi in the head with a brick, Djabouri punched him to the ground. Both men didn’t check to see if the bleeding rabbi is still alive and fled with the victim’s phone. The device was never recovered, which contained the pictures of the damaged car.
“The reason for this behaviour was the fact you and your associate recognised Mr Goodwin was a member of the Jewish faith. It’s nothing short of miraculous that Mr Goodwin didn’t sustain life-threatening or life-changing injuries,” said Recorder Richard Conley, Chelmsford Crown Court judge.
Judge Conley added that one of the attackers shouted that Goodwin is a Jew but Djabouri denied it was him. However, the rabbi remembered that it was the same person who spat at his car’s windscreen. DNA testing proved that it was Djabouri.
Moreover, the judge said that he kicked the car’s wing mirror, causing it to snap off. His accomplice, on the other hand, kicked the car door.
Djabouri admitted to severe physical harm without intent. It was an alternative to the worse charge of causing severe bodily harm with intent. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to stealing the rabbi’s phone and damaging his car, at the same time.
