What should have been a quiet weekend in Bournemouth has instead left the town’s Jewish community shaken.
A shocking incident involving a teenage boy and a troubling rise in antisemitic graffiti have highlighted growing tensions in the popular seaside resort.
Teenager Allegedly Shot at from Passing Car
On Saturday afternoon, a Jewish teenager was reportedly targeted in the East Cliff area.
Witnesses say shots were fired from a passing car, striking the boy on the forehead.
Thankfully, his injuries were not life-threatening, though he was left with swelling.
Dorset Police confirmed they are investigating the case and have stepped up patrols to safeguard the town’s Jewish community, which numbers around 2,000 members.
Detectives are treating the attack as a hate crime.
Swastikas Deface Homes and Buildings
The shooting comes at a time when antisemitic graffiti has begun appearing across Bournemouth.
Swastikas have been scrawled on walls and houses in recent days, with residents increasingly alarmed by the symbols of hate spreading through their neighbourhoods.
Rabbi Bentzion Alperowitz, a junior rabbi at Chabad Bournemouth, made a disturbing discovery on Saturday morning.
While walking to synagogue with two of his daughters, aged seven and ten, he noticed a swastika on the side of his own home.
“It was very upsetting and alarming to see that, especially while with my children,” he said.
Fellow members of the Jewish community quickly rallied around his family to help remove the graffiti.
Rabbi Urges Strength in Face of Hate
Despite the fear such incidents can cause, Rabbi Alperowitz has called on Bournemouth’s Jewish community to stay strong and proud of their identity.
“I was born and grew up here, and this is not the Bournemouth I know,” he said.
“Bournemouth is a kind, beautiful place, and I still believe the vast majority of people here reflect that.
We must never allow these forces of darkness to instil fear in our hearts.”
Alarming National Trend
The rise in local antisemitic incidents reflects a wider problem across the UK.
According to the Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism, 1,521 incidents were recorded in the first half of 2025 — the second-highest figure for any six-month period since records began.
In response to the Bournemouth incidents, CST posted on X:
“These are abhorrent acts of racism that are deeply distressing for the Jewish community and should alarm everybody.
We are supporting the local Jewish community and working with Dorset Police to assist their investigation.”
Police Take Action
Dorset Police released a statement confirming the timeline of Saturday’s attack.
Around 2:50 p.m., two people were walking along Manor Road when a car stopped, and its occupants shouted offensive remarks.
The teenage boy was then shot with what is believed to be an air weapon, leaving him with a minor head injury.
Police are now trying to trace the suspects and have urged anyone with information to come forward.
Officers continue to patrol the area and engage with residents, reassuring the public that the case is being investigated “at the highest level.”
Community Calls for Unity
Andrew Kaye, CST’s regional head for Hampshire and Dorset, stressed that both CST and police are taking the matter seriously.
“The police are undertaking a full investigation, and the Jewish community is being fully supported,” he said.
For many in Bournemouth, the message is clear — the town must stand together against hate.
