Abdisamad Siad, 33, has been charged in connection with the Hackney Jewish women assault, in which three women were attacked in the borough earlier this week. He is due to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court today, Wednesday 21 October.
Key facts: the Hackney Jewish women assault charge
- Who: Abdisamad Siad, 33, charged after the assault of three Jewish women in Hackney.
- When: The alleged attacks took place on the afternoon of Monday 19 October; the charge was announced on Wednesday 21 October.
- Where: Clapton Common, Hackney, with the defendant due at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court today.
- What next: A first appearance before magistrates, where the court confirms the charges and decides how the case proceeds.
What happened at Clapton Common
The three assaults took place on Monday afternoon in the Clapton Common area, close to Stamford Hill, home to one of London’s largest Jewish communities. The victims, three Jewish women, were attacked in what was being treated at the time as a suspected antisemitic hate crime.
The 33-year-old suspect was detained by volunteers from Shomrim, the Jewish neighbourhood watch that patrols areas of north London, before being handed to police officers and arrested. Detectives from the Metropolitan Police then took over the investigation, which led to the charge announced on Wednesday morning.
Shomrim has operated in Stamford Hill and surrounding parts of Hackney for years, running volunteer foot patrols that respond to incidents reported by the community. The group works closely with the Metropolitan Police: volunteers detain suspects or preserve scenes and hand cases over to officers, as happened here. It is a familiar sight on the streets of north London’s Jewish areas, and its quick response on Monday meant the suspect was in custody within minutes of the attacks.
Hackney has a long-standing Jewish presence, and Stamford Hill’s community has repeatedly been the target of hate-motivated attacks in recent years. Last month, three Jewish schoolboys were assaulted on a bus in nearby Mill Hill in what was also investigated as a suspected antisemitic hate crime.
What happens next in court
A first appearance at a magistrates’ court is the opening stage of the criminal process. The court formally reads the charges to the defendant, confirms their identity, and takes a plea where appropriate. Magistrates then decide whether the case can stay in the lower court or needs to be sent to the Crown Court, and they consider bail.
The case is now before the courts, which means further reporting on the allegations is restricted by law. What can be said is that Siad is charged and will be dealt with through the normal court process in the coming days and weeks.
First appearances at Highbury Corner are typically brief. If the defendant indicates a not-guilty plea to offences that can be tried either way, the magistrates decide whether the matter is serious enough to send to the Crown Court. The defence can apply for bail, and the prosecution can oppose it; where bail is refused, the defendant is remanded in custody until the next hearing.
What this means for you
Residents in and around Stamford Hill and Clapton Common can expect a continued police and Shomrim presence in the area. The Met has urged anyone who witnessed Monday’s attacks, or who has been the victim of hate crime themselves, to come forward.
Hate crime can be reported to the police by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency, and incidents can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers. Community groups in north London, including Shomrim, continue to run volunteer patrols. When police in Golders Green investigated a stabbing of a Jewish resident last month, they moved quickly to establish whether it was hate-motivated — a reminder of how seriously forces across the capital take these incidents.
If you see antisemitic graffiti, threats or attacks in Hackney, reporting them — even if you were not the target — helps police build a picture of what is happening in the area.
Anyone with information about Monday’s attacks is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police.
