Kosher restaurants hit by double arson attack
POLICE ARE treating arson attacks on two kosher restaurants as antisemitic hate crimes.
The JS and Taam restaurants in Prestwich, north Manchester, were targeted within days of each other.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said that “initial enquiries” suggested the attacks were linked.
Shortly before midnight last Friday, two people threw a Molotov cocktail at Taam’s premises. CCTV footage showed that the device failed to ignite, with one of the attackers then throwing a stone at, and then smashing, the restaurant’s front window.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, arsonists forced open a window at JS restaurant, just 100 yards away, pouring in flammable liquid which they then set alight.
Firefighters from a station half a mile away attended the scene and fought the blaze for over an hour, managing to extinguish the flames before serious damage was caused.
No one was hurt in either of the attacks. Both restaurants were closed at the time.
The two restaurants are at the heart of Manchester’s Jewish community and serve diners from across the religious spectrum.
“A lot of people go there, and both are very welcoming,” said Jonny Wineberg, Manchester Jewish Representative Council vice-president.
The fires come two weeks after the terrorist attack at the Manchester arena. Following that incident, members of the community told the JC they were fearful for their safety.
But Mr Wineberg said: “We’re not overreacting, we’re not making any assumptions, we don’t know at present what the motivation was of the people who carried this out.
“The police are treating this as a hate crime because of the perspective of those who reported it, but our message is to keep calm. We’ll then see at an appropriate juncture what the police find out.”
But one Jewish resident said the attacks were “unsurprising”.
“We live in an environment where social media allows antisemitism to thrive,” he said.
“A friend of mine was recently egged whilst walking in the area. Society seems unable to grasp what is antisemitic and how to combat it.”
JS owner Michael Issler said he was furious about the attack, but heartened by the support he had received from the community.
“No words can describe the anger of the management and staff of what some complete and utter idiot did to our restaurant,” he said.
“I want to thank the amazing fast response of the fire service that arrived in about four minutes and were able to extinguish the fire before it got completely out of hand.
“I would also like to thank the local police and CST for all the hours of going through CCTV footage to try and put a picture together of the attack.”
He said he had been bombarded by phone calls, messages of support and offers of help from the community.
Taam was open for business this week, and on Sunday — the day it welcomed customers back after the attack — the restaurant was said by one diner to be “completely packed”.
Owner Martine Vaizman told the
JC she was “shocked and devastated”.
“We feel so bad for JS that they’ve been hit too. We’re just waiting to see what the police can come up with.”
She confirmed that the attackers had not managed to break into her restaurant.
“They gave it a good go, but thank God, they weren’t able to get in.”
Lawrence Purcell, a photographer, observed the damage at JS hours after the attack. He said: “As you walked round the side of the restaurant, there was a smashed window.
“You could see the area that looked worst, where the arsonists attacked, was the takeaway. There was quite severe smoke damage.”
Detective Chief Inspector Charlotte Cadden said patrols had been increased in Prestwich.
“This is clearly very worrying for businesses and people living in the area.
“We are working alongside the Community Security Trust and if anyone has concerns, I would urge you to come and talk to us. If you have any information about the attacks, no matter how small, I would urge you to get in touch, as you may have information that could help us.”
Amanda Bomsztyk, CST’s Northern Regional Director, thanked the police and fire service.
“We ask our community to be calm, vigilant and to report suspicious, criminal or antisemitic behaviour to GMP and CST,” she said.
Marie Van der Zyl, Board of Deputies vice-president, expressed “deep concern” about the attacks.
“I am sure the whole community expresses solidarity with those in Manchester as police continue their investigation. We are united in opposing antisemitism everywhere, and in every form,” she said.
This is clearly very worrying for people in the area’