Police are treating the stabbings of two Jewish men in Golders Green, North London, as a terrorist incident. The attack on Wednesday has prompted calls for action from Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis and the Israeli foreign ministry, who said words of condemnation are no longer sufficient and that the UK Government can no longer claim the situation is under control.
Timeline of Recent Incidents
Here is a look at the recent attacks targeting Jewish sites in the UK:
October 2, 2025: Heaton Park Synagogue Attack
Worshippers Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed when 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a Syrian-born British citizen, drove into the gates of the Heaton Park synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, and then began attacking with a knife while wearing a fake suicide belt. This was the first fatal antisemitic terror attack in the UK since the Community Security Trust began recording incidents in 1984.
March 23, 2026: Hatzola Ambulances Torched
Four Jewish community ambulances from the volunteer-led Hatzola service were torched in Golders Green in the early hours. The resulting blaze caused gas canisters inside the ambulances to explode, resulting in around £1 million of damage. Nearby flats and a synagogue were also damaged. Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, Judex Atshatshi, 18, and a 17-year-old boy appeared at the Old Bailey last week charged with criminal damage.
April 15: Attempted Arson at Finchley Synagogue and Media Office
Attempted arson attacks were carried out in the early hours at Finchley Reform Synagogue and later outside the offices of a Persian media company, both in north-west London. Bottles, one thought to contain petrol, were placed near the synagogue in Fallow Court Avenue, Finchley. Two people wearing dark clothing and balaclavas were seen approaching the building, but neither bottle was ignited. No damage or injuries were reported. Hours later, an ignited container was thrown towards the site of Volant Media, parent company of Iran International, but the fire went out immediately. Three people were charged with arson with intent to endanger life.
April 17: Items Near Israeli Embassy and Jewish Charity Building Attack
Items were found near the Israeli embassy in central London in the morning, and that night a former Jewish charity building was attacked in Hendon, Barnet. A man placed a plastic bag containing three bottles of fluid by the old Jewish Futures building and lit the items, but they failed to fully ignite. The shopfront sustained minor damage. A video shared by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia showed a target over an image of the Israeli embassy, and another clip claimed the Hendon attack.
April 18: Kenton United Synagogue Arson
A 17-year-old boy smashed the window of Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow before lighting a bottle and throwing it inside. He admitted arson not endangering life at Westminster Magistrates' Court. CCTV showed him climbing over the boundary wall, breaking a window, lighting an object, and throwing it inside before fleeing.
April 27: Memorial Wall Targeted in Golders Green
A memorial wall in Golders Green was targeted in a suspected arson attack. The Metropolitan Police received reports of a fire at the site in Limes Avenue, but the wall itself was not damaged. The memorial wall is a tribute to thousands of protesters killed in a crackdown in Iran in January and is near a Jewish centre. A section of the wall is dedicated to those killed in the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival in Israel in 2023, and a statement of solidarity for the Jewish community was attached to a nearby tree.
April 29: Golders Green Stabbings
Two Jewish men, one aged in his 70s, were stabbed in an apparent antisemitic attack on Golders Green Road. A man was arrested after he was seen running armed with a knife and attempting to stab Jewish members of the public, according to Jewish security group Shomrim. The 45-year-old suspect tried to stab police officers when stopped and was tasered before being arrested.
