Two people stabbed in Jewish neighborhood in north London

Le Monde - Two people were stabbed on Wednesday, April 29, in a north London neighborhood with a large Jewish community. A man was arrested after he was seen running with a knife "attempting to stab Jewish members of the public," the Shomrim Jewish neighborhood watch said on social media. It said the two people were being treated by Hatzola, a Jewish volunteer ambulance service.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told lawmakers in parliament that a police investigation was underway. "The antisemitic attack in Golders Green is utterly appalling. Attacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain," he added on X. "Those responsible will be brought to justice," he said.

The stabbing comes in the wake of a spate of arson attacks on synagogues and community sites in north London in recent weeks, including a deadly attack on a synagogue in northern Manchester last October on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. That attack killed two people and seriously injured three, prompting increased anxiety among Jewish communities.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan described the attack "on two Jewish Londoners" as "appalling." "London's Jewish community have been the target of a series of shocking antisemitic attacks. There must be absolutely no place for antisemitism in society," he said on X.

"We stand with the Jewish community and we must root out this hatred," said Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

The first London attack in late March saw four ambulances belonging to Hatzola set ablaze. Other incidents have followed, including an attack on the Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow as well as the premises of a Jewish charity. Last week, the Finchley Reform Synagogue was targeted.

Police have arrested 26 people for the various attacks.

Monitoring groups have reported an upsurge in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in Britain, particularly since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The Community Security Trust recorded 3,700 instances of anti-Jewish hate across the UK last year, a four percent rise on 2024, but down on 2023.