Teenager pleads guilty to arson that caused smoke damage at London synagogue

A teenager pleaded guilty Tuesday to arson in northwest London but said he was unaware that the targeted building was a synagogue and said he bore no ill will toward Jewish people.

The attack was among several separate assaults against Britain’s Jewish community in recent weeks.

The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be identified because of his age, pleaded guilty to arson not endangering life when he appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Surveillance footage showed the boy climb over a wall at Kenton United Synagogue, in Harrow, on Saturday night, and set light to a bottle of liquid before throwing it through a broken window. The fire caused some smoke damage and no one was injured.

The boy said he did not know the building was a synagogue and he didn’t intend to harm anyone.

“I have no hate toward the Jewish people,” he said in a written statement. “I am very sorry for my actions.”

Read more: AP