The rising tide of hate in Bournemouth

A quiet Saturday afternoon in the seaside town of Bournemouth was shattered by a series of disturbing incidents, which police are investigating as hate crimes. The wave of attacks included a teenage boy being shot with an air rifle and antisemitic graffiti defacing local buildings.

Dorset Police received an initial call at 2:50 p.m. reporting that two people had been verbally abused by a driver on Manor Road. The situation escalated when a shot was fired from an air weapon, hitting one of the individuals, a teenage boy, in the head. He fortunately sustained only a minor injury. Authorities are now seeking information from the public to help identify the person responsible for the assault.

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That same afternoon, police were called to four separate reports of criminal damage in the town center, where buildings were vandalized with antisemitic graffiti.

Dorset Police stated they are taking these events “extremely seriously” and have launched a full investigation. Local officers are conducting patrols in the area and are available to speak with anyone who has information or concerns.