Police say they are treating an incident in which a car reportedly drove towards three Jewish schoolboys in north-west London as a religiously aggravated assault.
The Metropolitan Police said the vehicle was reported to have mounted the kerb where boys, aged 14, were standing.
No injuries were reported from the incident after the children moved out of the way.
The incident took place at around 3.40pm in Holders Hill Road, Barnet, on April 20.
The father of one of the boys told the BBC that there were dozens of children in kippot (skullcaps) nearby.
He added that his son was left “shaken, but with it”.
He said: “They were visibly Jewish kids. He was waiting at the lights and saw these kids and saw an opportunity.”
The headteacher of Hasmonean High School for Boys sent a letter to parents on the police appeal for witnesses, according to the BBC.
No arrests have been made.
A Met spokesperson said: “While inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances, this is currently being treated as a religiously aggravated assault.
“We remain in close contact with the nearby school.”
On Wednesday the force announced a community protection team of 100 extra officers to help safeguard the Jewish community.
It said in its initial phase, the new team will be “primarily focused on protecting the Jewish community, which faces some of the highest levels of hate crime alongside significant terrorist and hostile state threats”.
It added that it would bring together “neighbourhood policing, specialist protection and counter terrorism capabilities” to provide a “more visible, intelligence‑led and co-ordinated presence focused on protecting Jewish communities across London”.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley previously said 300 more officers were needed to tackle the rise in antisemitism across the capital.
Jewish charity the Community Security Trust (CST) said: “The incident was reported to CST and is being investigated by the police and we urge anyone who witnessed this to contact the police and CST.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police quoting reference 2017/24APR.
It comes as officers were called to another incident in north London on Thursday which is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime.
A 50-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill on a bus on Upper Clapton Road, and he remains in custody.
A police spokesperson said: “Police were called at 15:51hrs on Thursday, 7 May following reports that a man on a bus on Upper Clapton Road was making threats.
“Officers attended and arrested a 50-year-old man on suspicion of making threats to kill and an offence under Section 4A of the Public Order Act. He remains in police custody.
“Officers searched the male and no weapon was found. The Met takes incidents of this nature incredibly seriously.
“The incident is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime and our enquiries continue.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting CAD 5358/7MAY or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
