Officers investigating a hate crime attack on a bus in Stamford Hill have made an arrest.

The 48-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence – he is now in police custody.

At approximately midday on Friday, 6 December, the victim, a 36-year-old man, was travelling on the 254 towards Aldgate and was reading a prayer book.

The suspect boarded the bus in the vicinity of Stamford Hill, N16.

Once on the bus, the suspect made a number of anti-Semitic comments directed at the victim before he verbally abused a group of teenage girls who were also on the bus.

At this point, the first victim intervened and tapped the suspect on the shoulder. The suspect then punched the victim in the arm.

Police were called and the victim got off the bus in the region of Stamford Lodge, N16.

Officers attended but the suspect could not be located.

As part of the investigation, mobile footage was collected and CCTV footage seized.

Following analysis of CCTV, the suspect was identified and he was arrested this morning (Friday, 13 December) at his home address. He remains in custody at an east London police station.

Detective Superintendent Adam Ghaboos, from the Met’s Central East Basic Command Unit, said: “We have a large Jewish community in Hackney who have the right to live peacefully without being victimised because of their faith.

“My officers will thoroughly investigate all hate crimes that are reported to us and I would strongly urge anyone who has been the victim of hate crime, be it physical or verbal, to report it to police as soon as possible.”

We would urge anyone with information about hate crime to contact police immediately via 101 or through twitter @MetCC – in an emergency, phone 999; this will enable to use to act as quickly as possible to catch those responsible.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously to report crime on 0800 555 111.