Arson attack on South Tottenham Synagogue condemned by Lydia Rivlin and William MacDougall 23/06/04

The current atmosphere of violence which is being whipped up by some radical Islamists has contributed to the recent attack on two North London synagogues, says Lydia Rivlin, Chairman of Tottenham Conservatives.  "We do not yet know who the attackers were," says Lydia.  "But it is without doubt that whoever it was must have had a lot of hate in their hearts and that sort of thing requires a general context.  In Tottenham especially, we have many races and religions living together and getting along well.  This sort of crime, which contaminates the perpetrators as much as it damages the victims, can have effects which are not limited to the community which is being abused.  It will do a great deal of general harm.  Apart from anything else, London is too crowded for the luxury of such divisiveness.  The police and Haringey Council should make more efforts to prevent attacks on all places of worship and be more aware of areas of vulnerability.

William MacDougall, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate extended the condolences of Tottenham Conservatives to both of the Jewish communities in Tottenham and Hendon for their loss. "The documents which were destroyed," he added, "were important and precious.  They were a loss not only to the Jewish community but also to all of British society."