A man who was assaulted and subjected to antisemitic and homophobic abuse at Monument Metro Station in Newcastle has publicly appealed for help to identify his attacker. The victim, who was wearing a Kippah headcover and a Star of David necklace, was targeted by four teenagers as he returned home from Tynemouth Market in May.
Assault and Abuse Details
The victim, who has cerebral palsy and walks with a limp, said the group tried to pull his Kippah off and shouted slurs referencing Israel and Netanyahu. He was then physically assaulted, sustaining cuts and bruises to his face, head, chest, ribs, back, arms, elbows, hips, and ankles. He was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) by ambulance for treatment.
The attack only ended when three members of the public intervened. The incident occurred two days after the UK government raised the terror threat level to severe, citing antisemitic attacks and rising Islamist and far-right extremism.
Victim's Plea and Impact
The victim, who is openly gay and in the process of converting to Judaism, urged anyone recognizing the suspect in the CCTV image to come forward. He said, "If this was your friend or your relative how would you feel. There's obviously going to be a bunch of people who know who he is. If anyone recognises him just do the right thing."
He described the lasting impact: "It's had a huge impact on me. I'm always on edge. I don't feel safe and I don't feel comfortable. I have forced myself to keep using the Metro, but I don't listen to my music when I'm on the Metro anymore and I don't stand at the platform edge anymore."
He added, "I don't know exactly what motivated it, but in Britain in 2026 you should be able to walk around wearing what you want."
Police and Nexus Response
Northumbria Police said, "Our enquiries remain underway to locate those involved and understand the full circumstances." They have released a CCTV image of a man they wish to speak to and are urging anyone with information to contact them quoting reference NP-20260502-0729.
Erika Allen, Quality, Health, Safety, Security and Environment Director at Nexus, stated: “Any kind of violence, hate and intimidation will not be tolerated on the Tyne and Wear Metro. We are working closely with the police and sharing all available CCTV to support them with their investigation. When the incident occurred our customer service team at Monument Metro Station were alerted and provided support to the victim. We want the Metro system to be safe and welcoming for everyone, nobody should feel threatened or intimidated when they travel.”
