Police have released images of three men they want to speak to over an alleged antisemitic incident directed towards a group of Jewish men who were celebrating Hanukkah in Oxford Street.
They were three of some 40 passengers on an open-air party bus which had travelled from Golders Green to tour the city on November 29.
Big Ben, the London Eye and Oxford Street were among the planned stops.
They were out celebrating the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” which commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
But according to Rabbi Shneor Glitsenstein, from the Chabad Israeli Centre in Finchley Road which organised the event, the evening was soured by the alleged actions of a group of men.
Rabbi Glitsenstein said that while the evening got off to a good start, the mood changed a few minutes in when some men reportedly began playing Arabic music on their phones and started dancing next to them.
Rabbi Glitsenstein alleges that they "quickly became aggressive" and made "profane gestures".
He went on to say that the group returned to the bus to "avoid an inevitable confrontation", but the men continued targeting them.
Rabbi Glitsenstein alleged that "at least" one projectile was thrown, and that the men spat at the bus alongside banging its windows.
Police confirmed they had received a report that a group of people had shouted anti-Semitic abuse towards the passengers of a privately hired bus at about 8pm on November 29.
They have now released an image of three men they want to speak to as part of their investigation.
Det Insp Kevin Eade, from Westminster's local policing team, called the incident "appalling", adding: "We are yet to make any arrests, however I am confident that somebody will recognise the people in these images, and I would urge anyone who does to contact us immediately."
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or 07900 608 252 quoting 6184/29Nov, or to email AWMailbox-HateCrimeUnit@met.police.uk.
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