Two men have been stabbed in a predominantly Jewish area of London in what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called a “deeply concerning” attack.
A suspect was seen running along Golders Green Road armed with a knife and “attempting to stab Jewish members of the public”, Jewish security group Shomrim reported on social media.
He was detained by Shomrim before being tasered and arrested by police, the group said.
Two people were reportedly stabbed and were being treated by Hatzola, a Jewish volunteer ambulance service.
The scene is about a kilometre from a memorial wall where an attempted arson attack took place on Monday, and near where four Hatzola ambulances were destroyed by fire last month.
These incidents came after a series of arson attacks on Jewish sites and institutions in north London and the Iran International TV station, which is opposed to the regime in Tehran.
A group calling itself Harakat Ashab Al Yamin Al Islamia, or Ashab Al Yamin, which translates as the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right Hand, has claimed responsibility for all of these attacks. It is suspected to be a front for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Mr Starmer said he had been told of the incident before attending Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday. “It is deeply concerning to everyone in this House,” he said.
“There is now a police investigation, and I think we all need to do everything we can to support that investigation and be absolutely clear in our determination to deal with any of these offences, the like of which we have seen too much recently.”
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp described the stabbings as “yet another appalling anti-Semitic attack”, amid calls for a clampdown on Iran.
“The Jewish community are not being properly protected from this hate,” he added. “We have seen Iran sponsoring anti-Semitic attacks and Islamist extremism run rampant. The government must urgently step up tangible actions against anti-Semitism, Iran and Islamist extremism."
In a post on X, Jewish charity the Community Security Trust said: “There has been a knife attack today in Golders Green. The suspect has been arrested. We are working closely with the police and urge anyone with information to contact the police, Shomrim and CST immediately.”
The Board of Deputies of British Jews added: “We are aware of a reported stabbing incident in Golders Green, with two injured. The police have apprehended a suspect. We are liaising with the CST, government and police to understand what has happened and ensure a forceful response.”
