Jewish schoolboys were left running for their lives ‘after car sped towards them and mounted pavement’: Met Police probing anti-Semitic attack

Three 14-year-old Jewish schoolboys had to run for their lives after a car sped towards them and mounted the pavement in a suspected anti-Semitic attack.

Terrified students were waiting to cross the road near their school in Hendon, north London, when a black saloon car swerved off the road and came within inches of hitting them.

Struggling to get out of the road, the driver maneuvered his vehicle back onto the road and towards the A406 during the incident, which occurred at around 15.40 on 20 April.

The Met Police are investigating and are appealing for any witnesses or dashcam footage from the area at this time.

The crash comes just three days after arsonists targeted the former building of a Jewish charity in Hendon, about five minutes’ drive away, and amid a series of anti-Semitic incidents targeting the capital’s Jewish community in recent weeks.

These include arson attacks on two synagogues in nearby Finchley and Kenton on April 28, as well as a memorial wall in Golders Green.

Golders Green was also the scene of a double stabbing last week on April 29, when two Jewish men were attacked in broad daylight, with police treating the incident as an act of terrorism.

On Wednesday, parents at Hasmonean Boys’ High School were informed by letter of the latest ‘concerning incident’.

News of the incident comes as the Met Police revealed that anti-Semitic hate crimes in London are at their highest level in two years. Picture: Protesters hold banners and flags during a Campaign Against Antisemitism protest outside Downing Street last week

The attack comes amid a series of anti-Semitic incidents targeting the capital’s Jewish community in recent weeks

Interim headteacher James Fisher said: ‘We are writing to inform the community of an incident which is currently being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.

‘At around 3.40pm on Monday 20 April 2026, a group of Hasmonean students were involved in a worrying incident near the A1 carriageway at Holders Hill Road NW4, close to the pedestrian crossing near October Place.

‘According to the police investigation, it was reported that a black sedan-type vehicle drove towards students waiting to cross the road, mounted the pavement and caused the students to quickly move out of the way before the vehicle drove off towards Henlys Corner / A406.’

The letter said anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting reference number 01/7491684/26.

The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism and ensures the security of the Jewish community, confirmed that it had also been notified of the incident.

A parent of a Hasmonean High School Year 11 student told the Daily Mail they were “horrified” at the “possibility of crashing”.

They said: ‘I’m shocked but what else do I feel with the current situation where anti-Semitism is so acceptable? [is coming our way]?

‘I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life. I’ve lived in England my whole life, 53 years, and now I have to find a car to run to my children on the streets. That’s incredible.”

A Met spokesman said: ‘We are investigating reports that a car was driving towards three 14-year-old boys on Holders Hill Road in Barnet on Monday 20 April. While investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances, this is currently being treated as a religiously aggravated assault.

‘It was reported that a car went onto the pavement near where the children were standing, the children moved out of the way and there were no injuries.

‘We are in close contact with the nearby school. No arrests have been made at this stage and the investigation is ongoing.

‘Anyone with information is asked to contact police quoting reference 2017/24APR.’

News of the incident comes after the Met Police announced on Wednesday that anti-Semitic hate crimes in London were at their highest level in two years.

The majority of incidents were recorded in Barnet borough, which covers Hendon, Finchley and Golders Green.

According to new data, around 140 crimes were recorded in the capital in April, up from 98 in March and 67 in February.

Barnet borough saw the highest figure, accounting for 51 of 140 boroughs (36 per cent).

In response, the Met Police announced the establishment of a community protection team of 100 extra officers to provide ‘a more visible, intelligence-led and coordinated presence focused on protecting Jewish communities in London’.

The new team will include neighborhood policing as well as specialist protection and counter-terrorism capabilities.

The Met added that the Jewish community ‘faces significant terrorist and hostile state threats, as well as the highest levels of hate crime’.

A spokesperson for the Community Security Trust (CST) told the Daily Mail: ‘CST welcomes the Metropolitan Police’s announcement that it has established a new Community Protection Team to tackle antisemitic hate crime and protect London’s Jewish community.

‘This new measure is an important step at a time when anti-Semitic hatred is on the rise and reflects the seriousness of the threats currently facing society.

‘The increase in the number of arrests for anti-Semitic hate crimes in recent weeks is a welcome sign of the effective action taken by the police and we hope it will send a strong message to both the Jewish community and would-be criminals.

‘CST will continue to work closely with the police, government and other partners to combat anti-Semitic hate crimes and protect Jewish life, and we welcome efforts to create a permanent protection model to combat this hatred.’

A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism told the Daily Mail: ‘Attacks on ambulances, suspected attacks on children; There is nothing these antisemitic cowards won’t bow to.

‘The tragic thing is that nothing surprises British Jews anymore, because all of this could have been prevented if the authorities had heeded our warnings and done their job two years ago.

‘They refused, and now we and our children are paying the price for their stubborn incompetence.’