Dan Levene, a 52-year-old Jewish man, was attacked and sustained head wounds and a suspected broken rib when he tried to stop activists from posting anti-Semitic graffiti near Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. The incident occurred on Tuesday night ahead of the Holborn and St Pancras by-election scheduled for Thursday. Levene claims he intervened after the individuals began spraying a stencil that called Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali a "puppet of genocidal Israel." Police are investigating the attack as an anti-Semitic hate crime, with Levene describing it as reflecting rising antisemitism in the country.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On October 6, Dan Levene, a 52-year-old Jewish man in London, was attacked and suffered head wounds and a suspected broken rib when he tried to stop activists from posting anti-Semitic graffiti near Holborn. The incident occurred the day before the third anniversary of Hamas's attacks on Israel, which killed nearly 1,200 people and sparked a military response resulting in an estimated 77,000 deaths in Gaza. Levene shared online that he was targeted after confronting two individuals who were allegedly attempting to spray paint a stencil calling Sagal Abdi-Wali, the leader of Camden Council, "a puppet of genocidal Israel." The Metropolitan Police is currently investigating this as an anti-Semitic hate crime.
Written for “Anti-Semitic Attack Under Investigation” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
A Jewish man has told of being attacked when trying to stop activists posting allegedly anti-Semitic graffiti.
uncertain
activists → tell → graffiti
The Metropolitan Police is now investigating after Dan Levene, 52, suffered head wounds and a suspected broken rib in north London.
asserted
Levene → investigate → London
The alleged attack came ahead of the by-election being held on Thursday for Holborn and St Pancras, the seat now vacated by former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
asserted
attack → allege → Starmer
Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali is favourite to win despite a challenge from the Green Party's leader Zack Polanski.
asserted
Wali → win → leader
Former football journalist and communications consultant Mr Levene shared online how he was targeted after confronting two people he said were 'trying to spray paint a stencil calling [Ms Abdi-Wali] a "puppet of genocidal Israel" and I objected'.
asserted
I → share → Israel
He shared a picture showing his head wound, accompanied by the words: 'Jewish man physically attacked just now, by neo-Nazis on the streets of Holborn & St Pancras.'
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He → share → Holborn
Later updates on X included that he had a suspected cracked rib and 'bruises as you'd expect after being kicked around the pavement'.
He also praised how 'two amazing members of the British public intervened to help' but told of being 'very angry this has happened' while blaming what he described as Green Party supporters.
asserted
he → include → supporters
The Metropolitan Police is now investigating after Dan Levene (pictured), 52, suffered head wounds and a suspected broken rib in Holborn in London
The incident happened the day before the third anniversary of Hamas's October 7 terror attacks on Israel killing almost 1,200 people and which has been followed by a military response involving an estimated 77,000 deaths in Gaza.
Mr Levene described how the attack lasted for about 20 seconds after he challenged the two people spraying the graffiti and was kicked and punched in response.
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he → investigate → response
One of the attackers kicked him to the ground after Mr Levene took out his mobile phone to try to photograph the vandalism in Queen Square, Holborn, near Great Ormond Street Hospital.
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Levene → kick → Hospital
He told the Times: 'It was a thoroughly unpleasant experience and, sadly, it really does reflect what I think a lot of Jewish people see as a massively rising tide of antisemitism in the country at the moment.'
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lot → tell → moment
He told of having 'side-footed' away an A4 cardboard stencil the masked men were using to post their message.
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men → tell → message
Mr Levene said: 'I frankly did not want to see antisemitic graffiti in London squares that I have quite an emotional connection with.'
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I → say → connection
He described saying, 'No, you're not doing that' and telling his antagonists that what they were writing was 'neo-Nazi'.
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writing → describe → what
Mr Levene added: 'All this stuff about genocide and Israelis exerting puppetry control over people.
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Israelis → add → people
This is the message of the Nazis that Jewish people escaped in the middle of the last century.'
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people → escape → century
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Police received an online report at around 11.50pm on Tuesday, October 6 that a man in his fifties had been assaulted after challenging two men who were reported to be spraying graffiti in Queen Square, Holborn.
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who → say → Square
The man reported minor injuries but did not require medical treatment.
'
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man → report → treatment
Officers have spoken to the victim and are working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, which at this time is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime.
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which → speak → crime
No arrests have been made at this time.
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arrests → make → time
The Green Party has faced criticism including from Sir Tony Blair in the wake of last Sunday's vote at their party conference in Brighton declaring that 'Zionism is racism'.
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Zionism → face → Brighton
They have been dubbed 'an extremist party' and the motion branded an 'attack' on British Jews, with the Greens reported to both the police and the UK's equalities watchdog over events at their South Coast conference.
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Greens → dub → conference
In a statement issued on Monday night, Mr Polanski, who is Jewish, said his party would 'not accept any exclusion' of people based on religion.
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party → issue → religion
He added: 'As leader I will not accept any exclusion, or refusal to engage with anyone, because of the religious or communal body they are part of.
'
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they → add → body
I take seriously my responsibility to make sure everyone feels safe and welcome in our party.
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everyone → take → party
'Under my leadership, no one will be made unwelcome because of their background, their faith or where they worship.'
asserted
they → make → background
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