Vandals desecrate Jewish cemetery

The graves of children were among those desecrated in an anti-Semitic attack on a Jewish cemetery in east London.

Nearly 100 graves were smashed or daubed with swastikas and anti-Semitic slogans at the West Ham cemetery.

It is the latest in a rising number of racist attacks against Jewish groups including violence against children and orthodox Jews. There were 532 anti-Semitic incidents last year in Britain, the highest since records began 20 years ago.

On one tomb the words "Jew Boy Dead. Ha Ha" were scrawled in marker pen and headstones of a fouryearold boy and 13-year-old girl that have stood for 150 years were smashed to pieces. At the cemetery yesterday Melvyn Hartog, head of burials for the United synagogues, said: "Tell me what these kids have done to people? These are dead kids. they can't fight back. This is the greatest form of cowardice you'll find."

The main target was thought to be a grand circular mausoleum, built in the 19th century by the Rothschilds, one of Britain's most prominent Jewish families. Its doors were forced open and spray-painted with swastikas. The Rothschilds' tomb had its door battered in with iron bars, ripped from the sides of the tombs. The 4th baron Rothschild was said to be aware of the attack on a total of 87 graves but did not want to comment.

Detective Steve Lane of Newham police described the vandalism as "a despicable racist attack" and appealed for anyone with any information to come forward. Alongside the words "A Hitler" and numerous swastikas, the graffiti tags "snow-man" and "greedy" were scribbled suggesting the involvement of teenagers,

The scrawled swastikas were also the wrong way round. Members of the Jewish community said they had no doubt the move was racist.

The attack is the third to be discovered in just a week. Since 1990 there have now been 117 attacks on Jewish cemeteries across the country.