Stones have been
thrown at a coach carrying Jewish boys before they were egged in a sickening
attack in Sheerness.
Witnesses saw
around seven teenage boys and girls hurling missiles at the vehicle and
shouting "go back to where you came from".
Moments later, the
group of 10 to 14-year-olds were set upon again with eggs.
Now a coach firm
is warning ethnic minority groups not to visit the Isle of Sheppey in the
wake of the attack.
The Hasidic Jews,
from London, were visiting the town to go to the beach after a trip to
Diggerland in Strood on Tuesday afternoon.
A window on the
coach was smashed as it turned into High Street from Millennium Way. Luckily,
no one was hurt.
One person - who
saw the incident, but did not want to be named for fear of repercussions -
said: "They were saying '**** you - go back to where you came from'.
"I couldn't
believe some of the things they were saying."
The vehicle then
moved to the car park in nearby Trinity Road, where witnesses said the group of
10 to 14-year-olds from London were set upon again with eggs.
West's Coaches
Limited, which is based in South Woodford, London, had to send a replacement
service to pick up the passengers and take them back home.
Director Nick
Brown said his business is £1,000 out of pocket to pay for a new window and
having to divert another driver from the capital.
He said: "The
people on the coach were pretty shaken up. In the future we will have to warn
ethnic minorities about bringing them to Sheppey."
He added abuse was
also aimed at the driver, who is of Indian descent.
Heather
Thomas-Pugh, chairman of Sheppey Tourism Alliance, said: "We are
extremely disappointed that this sort of behaviour has happened on our island.
"When people
take the time and trouble to come and visit us, they should expect Islanders to
provide a warm welcome.
"It is
incidents like this, from a minority, that prevent the Isle of Sheppey being
seen in the correct light."
A Kent Police
spokesman confirmed officers were called to reports of criminal damage at just
before 1.50pm. It is not currently known if it is being investigated as a hate
crime.
Egg throwing is normal to us in golders green.
ReplyDeleteEvery few months we have spates of egg throwing generally by young men in small cars between 11pm and 1am. They speed around golders green egging loads of people shouting nasty comments towards the Jewish community.
In fact Shomrim dealt with a racially motivated egg throwing last night, see their tweets.
Sadly it is part and parcel of being an orthodox Jew in golders green, the occassional egg thrown at you or someone you know. It does make you wonder about how badly these young men are being brought us, with hatred towards our peace loving community.
And there was me thinking Egged transport ran in Israel!
ReplyDelete