British Synagogue Desecrated
Police Investigating 'Racially Aggravated Attack'

July 13, 2002

British police were investigating a "racially aggravated attack" on Friday after vandals broke into a synagogue in Wales, smashed windows, set fires and tore up Jewish holy scrolls.

The desecration came only six weeks after a similar attack on north London synagogue, which sparked alarm that the anti-Semitic violence rising in other parts of Europe was spreading to traditionally tolerant Britain.

"A substantial amount of damage was caused and the incident is being treated as a racially aggravated attack," South Wales police said in a statement.

Harry Sherman, chairman of the Swansea Hebrew Congregation synagogue said it was strewn with broken glass, Swastikas were scrawled on the walls and a 300-year-old handwritten scroll was unraveled, torn up and strewn about the garden.

"They smashed windows they smashed pictures, they smashed a table twelve feet long which had a heavy glass top on it," he said. "They started a few fires, but they never materialized."

He said a single room had been cleared out so that Friday night and Saturday morning Sabbath services could be held.

The city's Jewish community, which dates back to 1730 but now numbers only about 70 mainly elderly members, was "shell-shocked", he said.

"They are very sad. In their community, the synagogue is a focal point, and we've never had anything like this for a long time."

A rise in anti-Semitic violence in Europe has been linked to tensions in the Middle East, and Muslim groups have been blamed for attacks on Jewish houses of worship in France and elsewhere.

But Jews also say they fear violence as a result of a rise in right wing groups, reflected in the electoral success of extreme nationalists in several European countries.

Sherman said he hoped idle hooligans were to blame, rather than racists.

"We don't know whether it's racialism or just vandalism," he said. "I think it's more vandalism than racialism. We've never had racialism before. I hope I'm right."

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