Police have launched an investigation after a poster of two Israeli girls who were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists was defaced with Hitler moustaches.
The poster, which is headlined ‘Kidnapped’, shows pictures of three-year-old twins Emma and Yuli Cunio who were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7.
Two Hitler moustaches were drawn on the faces of the twin girls on the poster, which was placed on a bus stop on Finchley Road in South Hampstead. It is not clear when the vandalism to the poster took place.
The Israeli Embassy in London condemned the incident and posted on X/Twitter: "Defacing images of kidnapped Israeli children with Hitler moustaches is profoundly antisemitic, evoking chilling echoes of the Holocaust.
"The UK must uphold its values of tolerance and decency. We need to stand united against such hate. #NeverAgain #NeverAgainIsNow."
The Metropolitan Police said on X/Twitter: “Thanks for alerting us to this. It's appalling. “We've alerted @MPSCamden officers who will be making further enquiries urgently.”
When approached for comment, a force spokesperson added: "Police have been made aware of a number of photos that have been posted on social media today of posters which have been defaced in the Finchley Road area.
"We fully understand the distress this will cause to local communities. Police are investigating the incident and are treating it as a hate crime.
"Local officers have immediately responded and will be focused on the area to carry out reassurance patrols.
"If you have any information that could assist our investigation relating to this, please call 101 stating CAD2459/25OCT23."
Sharon Alony Cunio, 33 and her husband David Cunio, 34 and their twin daughters, Yuli and Emma (Photo: Family issue)
Emma and Yuli’s mum Sharon and her husband David Cunio were also abducted alongside Sharon’s sister, Danielle Alony, 44, and her five-year-old daughter Emilia.
When the Hamas terrorists entered the Kibbutz, the family fled to a safe room. Several hours later, terrorists broke down the front door of the family home.
Sharon later sent a voice message to her family saying the terrorists had set the house on fire and smoke was getting under the door of the safe room.
Six days later, the Alony family were informed that all six were officially recognised as kidnapped by Hamas.
For all the latest from Israel, click here to see all our coverage.
To sign up to our daily war briefing, click here.
