Two men who filmed themselves abusing a Jewish man for TikTok learn prison fate

Two men who filmed themselves subjecting a Jewish man to antisemitic abuse in east London for social media content have been spared immediate imprisonment.

Adam Bedoui and Abdelkader Amir Bousloub, both 21, received a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

The pair were convicted of an antisemitic hate crime, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed.

The incident occurred on 7 May when the duo travelled to a predominantly Jewish area of the capital, Clapton Common in Hackney, specifically to record antisemitic material for TikTok.

They pleaded guilty to religiously aggravated intentional harassment just days later.

Police were alerted around 9pm that evening after the men targeted a Jewish individual.

Bousloub approached the man, shouting abuse and filming the encounter on his mobile phone, while Bedoui stood by, laughing, and also harassed the victim, according to the Metropolitan Police.

The pair attempted to flee upon the arrival of officers but were apprehended.

During interview, Bousloub told police he had gone to the Stamford Hill area to film with a fishing rod, aiming to provoke a reaction, emulating a video he had seen on Instagram.

He claimed he anticipated hundreds or thousands of views and believed the Jewish community would find it humorous, the CPS added.

Varinder Hayre, district crown prosecutor and hate crime lead for London North Magistrates’ Court unit in CPS London North, stated: “These men deliberately targeted a member of the Jewish community, and subjected him to antisemitic abuse in a public place. They filmed the incident with the intention to upload it to social media and amplify the harm caused to the victim. The CPS worked closely with the Metropolitan Police to build a strong case, securing a conviction less than 48 hours after the incident. Hate crime has a serious impact on victims and communities. We will continue to prosecute these offences robustly.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Brittany Clarke, who oversees policing in the area, commented: “These men thought nothing of travelling to Stamford Hill so they could generate social media likes from hateful so-called content. There is no place for antisemitic hate in this city and this case carries a clear warning for anyone tempted to commit hate crimes in pursuit of online notoriety. These men were arrested within minutes of the incidents being reported to us. They were then charged, remanded to court and convicted 48 hours after the original report.”

Bedoui and Bousloub, both from West Drayton in Hillingdon, west London, were also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation activity, alongside paying £85 in prosecution costs.