Two men arrested after viral video of Jewish people being sprayed with water

Two men have been arrested today (Thursday 7 August 2025) in Farnworth, Bolton, after a video which was widely shared online, appeared to show occupants of a vehicle spraying water specifically at members of the Jewish community.

The men, aged 26 and 36, remain in custody for questioning, on suspicion of racially aggravated common assault.

As part of the investigation, officers have seized a vehicle believed to be the one seen in the footage, along with a water pistol suspected to have been used during the incident.

Chief Inspector Simon Ashcroft, of GMP’s Salford district, said: "We are treating this incident with the utmost seriousness and have acted swiftly to make arrests. GMP has a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime in any form, and we are committed to ensuring our communities feel safe and supported.

“We continue to work closely with our partners to provide reassurance and encourage anyone affected to come forward. We are also aware from other footage that there may be further victims, and we urge anyone who believes they have been targeted to contact GMP or the Community Security Trust (CST)."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or report online via www.gmp.police.uk. In an emergency, dial 999.