|
 Hackney
Gazette - 27th October 2005
Bodyguards
to protect
Hasidic Jews from attacks
A team
of FBI-style bodyguards are being employed to ferry Hasidic Jews
through Hackney.
The
Congregation of Jacob synagogue has taken the unpresidented step
to protect its members from attack. The move comes amid rising numbers
of reported hate crimes in the borough.
Four
bodyguards from the synagogue went into action for the first time
on Tuesday night.
They
escorted Rabbi Yaakov Potash and nine young men from Stamford Hill
to the synagogue in Commercial Road, Stepney.
They
were linked via short-range radio headsets to the security team
at the synagogue so they could call for back-up if necessary.
Mike
Gold, restoration manager at the Congregation of Jacob, said: "There
were no problems in the murder mile. Last year there was an incident
in Stepney Way where some children threw bottles at visitors to
our synagogue.
"We
have decided to provide security to reasure our visitors against
any abuse. If people are thinking of shouting any abuse, they will
think twice.
"We
would normally pick them up with a minibus but because it is a holy
festival we are not allowed to drive."
Reported
hate crimes in Hackney, including those of a religious or racist
nature, have risen fron 4,967 in 2003/04 to 5,120 in 2004/05.
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