An artist has apologised for a road sign which caused offence in London's Jewish community because it was interpeted as meaning 'Beware of the Jew'.
The sign was reported to the police as a hate crime. Rabbi Herschel Gluck, of the community group Shomrim, told the BBC's Jonathan Savage that he found the sign 'disturbing'.
Artist Franck Allais, who lives in east London but is from Paris in France, explained that he placed the red triangle sign with its silhouette of an orthodox Jewish man near a synagogue in Stamford Hill, north London as an art project.
It was one of 27 different signs placed around London with a variety of images including shoppers and animals.
Allais told BBC News he 'completely regretted' any offence.
He said he had understood the red warning triangles, not as warnings, but as urging people to take care of those depicted.
I've just interviewed Rabbi Herschel Gluck of @Shomrim pic.twitter.com/vxftBvGuCO
— Jonathan Savage (@JSavageTweets) March 15, 2017 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">No arrests have been made.
The incident took place at a time of rising antisemitism across Europe.
Rev Bruce Thompson, chair Methodist Friends of Judaism, declined to comment specifically on the road sign or the art project.
He told Christian Today: 'We know from history how the breaking of windows and the incitement to hate can develop.
'We must do all we can to seek an understanding of why this persistent prejudice is becoming more prevalent across society. Racism is a denial of the Christian Gospel and yet the Church has often been an initiator and perpetrator of hostility toward our Jewish neighbours. It is incumbent upon us to challenge every act designed to intimidate and dehumanise those neighbours.'
