A man who shouted “f*** you Jewish people” at strictly Orthodox worshippers walking to shul on Shabbat and told them he would “wipe them out” has been convicted of two counts of racially or religiously aggravated harassment and two counts using threatening or abusive behaviour to cause alarm or distress.
Glenn Okafor, of Thornlaw Road, West Norwood, south London, was found guilty at Stratford Magistrates Court yesterday. The court heard how on March 4, a Shabbat, Mr Okafor had shouted “f*** you Jewish people” at a group of strictly Orthodox Jews in Stamford Hill, and told them “you lot should go back to your own country”.
He then said: “We will sort you out. I have friends. I’ll be back tomorrow. We will wipe you out.”
In his evidence to the court, Okafor said he had “approached a Jewish man or a man of the Jewish community just to ask them a few questions about the origin of Judaism as it’s something I have been looking into.”
However, Alexander Gluck, one of the men approached by Okafor, told the court how the defendant had told him “we are the real Jews”, and said: “I’ll wipe you out”.
Chair of the bench Danni Tate found Okafor guilty of all four counts, saying that the comments were “racially aggravated and specifically targeted members of the Jewish community.”
Rabbi Herschel Gluck, president of Stamford Hill Shomrim, said that the organisation had “been there for the victims since this antisemitic hate crime was committed… [and] provided support for the victims during this very traumatic period.
“Those who commit antisemitic abuse should be aware that we live in a civilised society where this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.
“Those that commit hate crimes will be brought to justice and sentenced accordingly for their crimes. We hope that this case sends out a clear message that will help deter further acts of this kind.”
Sentencing is due to take place on Friday at Thames Magistrates’ Court.