At least two Jewish people were wounded in a stabbing attack in the Golders Green neighborhood in northern London, the Jewish security organization Shomrim (volunteer Jewish neighborhood watch and security patrol) reported.
According to reports, two people were wounded and the attacker – whose identity has not been disclosed – was apprehended by Shomrim personnel and handed over to police officers who arrived at the scene and placed him under arrest. Videos uploaded to social media showed a woman lying on the road following the attack. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the attack was "deeply concerning."
The stabbing took place near the Sadigur Hasidic synagogue on Golders Green Road, in the heart of the most heavily Jewish area of the British capital. According to some reports, the wounded are two ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, and there are fears for the life of one of them. The wounded received treatment from Hatzalah (volunteer Jewish emergency medical service), the local Jewish ambulance organization, several of whose vehicles were set ablaze last month in a previous antisemitic attack.
Video: The stabbing attack in London's Golders Green neighborhood
Gedaliah Weinberg, a local resident, said the attack took place almost directly outside his home. He received a notification after hearing the police and ambulances arrive. He said one stabbing occurred on Golders Green Road outside the shops, and a second stabbing took place on a side street outside the Sadigura synagogue.
Matan Bar Noy, the World Zionist Organization's emissary to Britain, posted a shaken video from London immediately after the attack. "I am taking off my kippa now on the street, and also my pin, because the instruction is to conceal all Jewish symbols right now," he said. "It's sad that we are in Britain, a free, democratic country that saved the Jews from the Nazis and the entire free world, and now you cannot walk around here as a Jew in safety. Very sad."
In response to the Golders Green attack, Deputy Foreign Minister MK Sharan Haskel said, "The Golders Green attack is the inevitable result of a policy that gives a tailwind to and encourages extremist Islamist elements through its actions. Tolerating unbridled incitement under the guise of 'political criticism' directly undermines the security of the Jewish community and the basic right of any visibly Jewish person to visit their neighborhood synagogue safely. The British government must recognize its responsibility toward Jews living in the kingdom and act forcefully against rising antisemitism, with the understanding that anti-Israel rhetoric turns into physical violence, terrorist attacks in the streets, and the murder of innocent people."
Yaakov Hagoel, chairman of the World Zionist Organization, who is currently in London, said, "I am here to make clear to the British authorities that they are responsible for the safety of Jews in Britain just as they are for every other citizen. Incitement against Jews can cost precious lives, and we are seeing its signs right now, here on the streets of London. We are working together with the authorities to eradicate this terrible phenomenon and allow Jews everywhere to walk freely and safely. I call on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and London Mayor Sadiq Khan to act decisively against antisemitism in this country."
A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said, "Witnesses told us it appeared to be a stabbing attack targeting Jews on the street. Details are still emerging, but in light of recent events, many in the Jewish community fear this is another targeted attack against British Jews. We are grateful to Shomrim, Hatzalah, and the police for their swift response, and our prayers are with the victims." Golders Green has seen several antisemitic attacks in recent months – most recently the day before yesterday, when unidentified individuals set fire to a memorial wall in the neighborhood commemorating victims of the Iranian regime. Last month, local terrorists set fire to several Hatzalah ambulances near a synagogue in the area.
