Birmingham – A synagogue in Birmingham was attacked after a brick was hurled through two front windows last Friday evening.
The Central Synagogue on Pershore Road was attacked by a man thought to be in his 20s, after congregation members left the Friday night service at around 10pm.
No one was injured but police were called after around 80 community members arrived for the Shabbat morning service and saw the remnants of damage.
Geoffrey Clements, president of the synagogue, said: “The caretaker greeted us and said there had been an incident where two windows were smashed through.
“CCTV showed that a man had thrown two big house bricks at the ornate etched festival windows.
“The windows are irreplaceable. Each window depicts a different festival and were designed for the shul when it opening in the late 1960s.
“The police have attended the site and upgraded their investigation from an act of vandalism to an act of racial hatred.
“No one has yet been identified but we have to praise the CST as if it wasn’t for us following their guidelines and placing anti-shatter film on the windows, the damage would have been much worse.”
Mark Gardner, director of communications at the CST, confirmed that a meeting with local police would be held to see what more could be done to safeguard the building.
“We’ll advise on what can be done to replace the windows , look at the CCTV and see if anything more can be done to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
