10 December 2023 , 15:35
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Two teenagers have been arrested after a Jewish woman was assaulted and robbed in London.
The 20-year-old woman, who is from the orthodox Jewish community, was approached by two girls on Rostrevor Avenue in Haringey, north London, at around 4.30pm on Thursday. Two girls assaulted the woman and stole her handbag, the Metropolitan Police said.
The victim suffered bruising and was "shaken" by the incident, the force added. Since the incident, officers have carried out inquiries and discovered that the two girls were wearing school uniforms at the time of the incident.
The Met said it worked with school officers and staff to confirm the identity of the girls. The pair, aged 13 and 14, were arrested at around midday on Saturday and remain in custody. The force said it is "keeping an open mind" but is treating the incident as a possible hate crime.
Detective Sergeant Asli Benson, who has led the investigation, said: "This was a terrifying incident for the young woman who was attacked. We will continue to ensure she has the right support. Officers have been pursuing all available lines of enquiry since the incident and these arrests are a very positive development.
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"The victim is from the orthodox Jewish community. It would have been obvious from her appearance that she was Jewish and there has been significant concern that she was targeted for that reason.
"In the current climate, when fears and uncertainty in the wider Jewish community are heightened following the terror attacks in Israel and the subsequent rise in antisemitic hate crime here in London, these concerns are entirely understandable. While we are keeping an open mind as to the motive behind the incident and will continue to explore all avenues, we are treating this as a possible hate crime."
Officers continue to appeal for anyone with information about the incident to call 101 providing the reference CAD 5505/07Dec. Information can also be shared with the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, by calling 0800 555 111.