Yahoo Finance Wedding party attended by 400 at Jewish school branded 'shameful descetration' by Chief Rabbi
A wedding party attended by 400 people at an Orthodox Jewish school in London has been described as a "shameful descetration" by the UK's Chief Rabbi.
Ephraim Mirvis condemned last night's gathering at Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls' School in Stamford Hill, North London, after police were called shortly after 9pm.
Police said the wedding organiser faces a possible £10,000 fine while five other attendees were issued with £200 fixed penalty notices.
Chief Rabbi Mirvis said: "This is a most shameful desecration of all that we hold dear.
"At a time when we are all making such great sacrifices, it amounts to a brazen abrogation of the responsibility to protect life and such illegal behaviour is abhorred by the overwhelming majority of the Jewish community."
The windows of the state-funded school had been covered to stop people seeing in when officers were called.
A statement from the school, whose principal, Rabbi Avrahom Pinter, died in April after contracting coronavirus, said the hall had been leased to an outside organisation and "we had no knowledge that the wedding was taking place".
A spokesman said: "We are absolutely horrified about last night's event and condemn it in the strongest possible terms."
Detective Chief Superintendent Marcus Barnett said: "This was a completely unacceptable breach of the law, which is very clearly in place to save lives and protect the NHS.
"An NHS that is under considerable pressure at a time when Covid 19 has killed nearly 100,000 people. This is a deadly and very dangerous disease.
"We can all see that and we must act responsibly.
“People across the country are making sacrifices by cancelling or postponing weddings and other celebrations and there is no excuse for this type of behaviour.
"My officers are working tirelessly with the community and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action if that is required to keep people safe.”
