Rob Rinder, the barrister and television presenter, has revealed he was subjected to anti-Semitic abuse by a young person on a bicycle in central London. The incident occurred just two days after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, north London, in a terror attack.
Confrontation in Soho
Mr Rinder, 47, took to social media to describe the encounter on Carnaby Street in Soho. A youth on a bicycle recognised him and shouted 'Heil Hitler' before cycling away. 'The most striking thing: I wasn't shocked,' Mr Rinder wrote. 'No threat. No anger. Not a victim. Just: what has he been taught? Hatred is learned. We are not defined by it. We answer it by what we teach.'
Background of the Golders Green Attack
On Wednesday morning, two Jewish men, Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, were stabbed in Golders Green. Their injuries were not life-threatening. Essa Suleiman, 45, a Somali-born British national, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday charged with three counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article. He is also accused of attacking his friend of 20 years, Ishmail Hussein, earlier that day in Southwark.
Mr Rinder's Response to the Attack
In the aftermath of the stabbings, Mr Rinder condemned what he called 'months of poison' that he said contributed to anti-Semitism and made hostility feel 'normal'. He wrote: 'This does not come out of nowhere. It follows months of poison that downplays antisemitism, treats Jewish fear as suspect and turns public space into a place where that hostility feels normal.'
Reactions from Public Figures
Countdown's Rachel Riley also spoke out, accusing politicians of having 'stoked the crisis' and describing the attack as 'horrific'. She criticised those who would issue statements saying 'no place for antisemitism in our society' while failing to address the root causes.
Controversy over Green Party Leader's Tweet
Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, faced backlash for sharing a tweet that criticised police officers who disarmed and arrested the suspect. The tweet suggested officers were 'repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head when he was already incapacitated by Taser'. Met Police Chief Sir Mark Rowley defended his officers, calling the claims 'inaccurate and misinformed'. Polanski later apologised, saying he shared the tweet 'in haste' and acknowledged that social media was not the appropriate forum for such discussions.
Terror Threat Level Raised
On Friday, the UK's terror threat level was raised from 'substantial' to 'severe', meaning an attack is now highly likely. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the change, describing anti-Semitism in Britain as a 'national emergency'. The government also unveiled an additional £25 million in funding to protect the Jewish community, to be spent on policing and security.
