Disturbing videos titled ‘asking Jews if they dropped their money’ and ‘rizzing up Jewish women’ appeared on social media platforms – police have launched an investigation
Police have launched an investigation after videos shared online appeared to show influencers carrying out vile antisemitic taunts at strangers on the street.
It follows reports that users are filming offensive encounters – often covertly using smart glasses – before posting the footage on social media platforms, such as TikTok and YouTube.
One video, now deleted, begins with the text ‘Asking Jews if they dropped their money’, along with a crying face emoji and a Star of David.
The person holding the camera approaches a young man wearing a kippah and says: “Shalom – excuse me mate, you dropped your pound.”
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When he takes the pound coin, a stock voiceover says: “Well, well, well.”
Later in the same clip, the cameraman stops a different man in traditional Jewish clothing, again saying “Shalom” and telling him a pound coin has “come out [sic] his pocket”. The same stock sound is used when the coin is placed in his hand.
In another video, believed to have been filmed in the Stamford Hill area of north London, the person holding the camera uses offensive fake names like “Stingy Jew” and “Gas boy 221” when asking people about a supposed blind date.
A different creator with millions of views allegedly filmed himself throwing coins on the ground as a “Jew trap” and harassing Jewish women for their numbers – “Rizzing up Jewish women”.
Both users have since been banned from TikTok. The Mirror has approached Google, which owns YouTube, for comment.
Labour MP Sarah Sackman identified some of the videos as having been filmed in Golders Green within her constituency – an area home to one of Europe’s largest Jewish communities.
She told Jewish News: “The videos of antisemitic abuse on Golders Green High Street sicken me, and the perpetrators must be held accountable. It is beyond belief that these individuals could not only carry out this abuse, but proudly post about it online.”
The Met Police have now launched an investigation into reports of “antisemitic social media videos” filmed in Stamford Hill, and have urged anyone with information to come forward.
A spokesperson for the force said: “We have launched an investigation after receiving reports of antisemitic social media videos filmed in Stamford Hill. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference 01/7425291/26.
“Hate crime of any kind has no place in our communities and we take all reports incredibly seriously.”
