Knife-wielding man storms into Jewish supermarket

A MAN who allegedly brandished a knife and demanded Jewish staff in a kosher supermarket answer questions on “events in Palestine” has been arrested.

The incident occurred just before 1.30pm yesterday at a store in the predominantly Jewish area of Golders Green.

Footage of the incident posted on social media showed a man wearing a grey hoodie and tracksuit bottoms arguing and grappling with shop staff and customers while holding a knife.

Onlookers claimed he then changed his clothing into traditional Muslim dress, before being wrestled to the ground and arrested by police and members of the Shomrim community security organisation.

Scotland Yard said a 34-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, criminal damage and racially aggravated affray, but said that the incident was not being treated as terrorism.

A spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said staff at the supermarket claimed the man had challenged them about the ongoing situation in Israel and Palestine before he allegedly became violent.

The spokesman said: “Brave staff kept the man at bay using shopping trolleys and called police and Shomrim, who arrived promptly.

“This incident clearly did not take place in a vacuum. We have repeatedly warned of the dangers of hatred going almost unchecked on the streets of London.”

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “We were called to reports of a man with a knife. Officers responded and carried out a search of the area.

“[The man] was taken into custody. There were no reports of any injuries. A knife was recovered at the scene.”