London Police Investigate Man Wearing Anti-Jewish Battle Cry T-Shirt in Supermarket

London police have launched an investigation into a suspected hate crime after a man was seen shopping in a North London supermarket wearing a threatening t-shirt targeting Jews. The incident occurred on Friday, August 14, around 3:35 p.m. at a Sainsbury's store on Williamson Street in the Haringey area, which has a significant Jewish population. A Jewish father who was at the supermarket with his children noticed the man and reported the incident to the police through the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) organization.

The t-shirt bore the phrase "Khaybar Khaybar Ya Yahud," a historical Arabic battle cry referencing the massacre and expulsion of Jews from Khaybar in 628 CE. The full chant, which continues "the army of Muhammad is returning," alludes to a battle where Muslim forces led by Muhammad attacked Jewish communities in the desert fortresses of Khaybar, located in present-day northern Saudi Arabia. Initially, responding officers were unaware of the phrase's historical context, but after consulting experts, the event was recorded as a suspected racially motivated public order offense.

No arrests have been made yet, and police efforts to identify and locate the suspect are ongoing. The Campaign Against Antisemitism has urged anyone who saw the man to confidentially provide any information that could assist the investigation.