The suspects, aged 26 and 36, are under investigation for racially aggravated assault. As part of the investigation, officers seized the vehicle used in the incident, along with the water gun believed to have been involved.
Footage of the incident
(Video: X)
“We are treating this incident with the utmost seriousness and took swift action to arrest the individuals involved. GMP has a zero-tolerance approach to hate crimes of any kind, and we are committed to ensuring our communities feel safe and supported,” Chief Inspector Simon Ashcroft of Greater Manchester Police’s Salford division said.
Ashcroft added that police are working closely with community partners and encouraged anyone affected to come forward. “We are aware that additional videos may exist, suggesting there could be more victims,” he said. “We urge anyone who believes they were targeted to contact Greater Manchester Police or the Community Security Trust (CST).”
The arrests follow the circulation of a video on social media this week showing two men driving through Manchester while spraying water at Orthodox Jewish pedestrians, including both adults and children. The video captures the victims reacting with visible discomfort while the attackers laugh.
According to The Jewish Chronicle, the incident appears to be part of a broader pattern of harassment targeting Jewish individuals.
The same Instagram account that shared the water gun video had previously posted two clips showing the same men approaching Orthodox Jewish men at an airport and playing pranks on them. In those videos, the suspects held their phones close to their targets and activated the Apple Pay sound effect, falsely claiming the Jewish men had just transferred them money.
“You’re very rich—just got £60 from you,” one of them is heard saying to a Jewish tourist.
These prank videos have garnered nearly one million views on Instagram and triggered a wave of antisemitic comments in response.
