A Jewish-owned business in Stamford Hill, North London, has been vandalised in an incident police are treating as racially aggravated criminal damage, sparking alarm within the local Jewish community.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning, with CCTV capturing three individuals smashing the shopfront windows of a business linked to an investment group.
The perpetrators also daubed the premises in red paint, scrawling the words “Drop Elbit”, in reference to Elbit Systems UK, a controversial Israeli arms manufacturer.
The activist group Palestine Action has claimed responsibility, stating the target was the registered address of a landlord that leases property to Elbit’s Instro Precision factory in Kent.
Despite the claim, a spokesperson for the business, who asked to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, said the company has no ties to Elbit Systems.
The representative described the attack as deeply unsettling: “I turned up this morning and saw the place vandalised. For Jewish people, it is very, very scary now.”
The Metropolitan Police confirmed they were called to the scene at 7:23 am and are reviewing CCTV footage. No arrests have yet been made.
Officers are working with local leaders to reassure the community, with increased patrols across Stamford Hill.
In an official statement, the police said: “This incident is being treated as racially aggravated criminal damage. We understand the concern this may cause members of the Jewish community.”
Palestine Action defended the action, claiming it was part of a campaign to disrupt firms connected to Elbit Systems, which it accuses of arming the war in Gaza. The group stated:
“During the early hours of Thursday, activists from Palestine Action targeted the London-based landlords of Elbit’s Instro Precision weapons factory.”
Spokesperson Max Geller denied the incident was antisemitic, asserting: “We treat all businesses which work with Israel’s biggest weapons firm equally, irrespective of the identities of those businesses’ owners.”
Palestine Action has previously staged direct action campaigns against sites affiliated with Elbit Systems, demanding an end to UK-based arms exports to Israel.
The group claims that Instro Precision was granted multiple export licences in 2024, enabling shipments of weapons to Israel.
