Police were called to the Clapton Common area on Monday afternoon

A 33-year-old man has been charged after three Jewish women were assaulted in Hackney, east London.

Police were called to Clapton Common at about 13:40 BST on Monday following reports that a man had been detained by Shomrim, a Jewish neighbourhood watch group, after assaulting the women.

The victims suffered minor injuries. The Metropolitan Police said it was treating the incident as a hate crime.

Abdisamad Siad, of Pilgrims Way, Islington, has been charged with three counts of assault by beating. He is due to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court later.

CCTV posted online by Shomrim appears to show a man running up to a woman before pausing briefly and then punching her twice.

The group said on X that it had already been called because another "visibly Jewish" woman had reported being punched in the face on Clapton Common on Monday.

The Met Police said it had increased its patrols in the local area since the incident.

The force said it was also working with Jewish community leaders to provide "further reassurance" to those living nearby.

Siad has also been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent over an unrelated attack on a woman, who is believed to be known to him, in the Islington area on 16 October.

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