Police declare attack in north London a terrorist incident after two Jewish men stabbed – as it happened

• Two Jewish men, aged 76 and 34, were stabbed on Wednesday morning in Golders Green, north-west London, and are being treated by Hatzola, a Jewish volunteer ambulance service.

• A 45-year-old man was arrested by the Metropolitan police, and the force is treating it as a terrorist incident, with officers investigating whether the attack deliberately targeted the Jewish community. Speaking outside Scotland Yard on Wednesday, head of counter-terrorism policing Laurence Taylor confirmed that the stabbing has been formally declared to be terrorism.

• The latest incident comes after a series of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in north London. This includes two incidents in Golders Green.

• Prime minister Keir Starmer called a Cobra meeting, and said he would meet with criminal justice agencies on Thursday. “I’m holding a meeting tomorrow with the criminal justice agencies to make sure that we have effective and swift justice in these cases,” he said.

• The chief rabbi and the Israeli foreign ministry have called for action. Ephraim Mirvis, the chief rabbi, said words of condemnation are now longer enough and branded antisemitism “a hatred that we must face down together” and said what happened in Golders Green, north London on Wednesday morning must be a moment for “meaningful action”.

• Other political party leaders in the UK condemned the attack. Green party leader Zack Polanski described it as “horrendous”, and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said the government must “do more” to keep Jewish communities safe.

Here is a map showing the location of the attack in Golders Green, north-west London.

According to the Metropolitan police, officers responded to reports of people being stabbed in Highfield Avenue at 11.16am. Police then said two men, aged 76 and 34, were stabbed on this road. However, as the BBC reports, CCTV footage shows him jogging along the pavement to Golders Green Road, and footage appeared to show the second stabbing there.

This image shows the alleged attacker, with his face blurred, walking down the street carrying a blade. He was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder after being shot with a stun gun to subdue him, police said.

Prime minister Keir Starmer said he would visit Golders Green “as soon as possible” after today’s “appalling attack”.

He chaired a Cobra meeting after two people were stabbed in Golders Green, north-west London, in an incident that police are treating as a terrorism offence.

Starmer also said he would meet with criminal justice agencies on Thursday. Speaking to broadcasters, he said: “The Government is taking action in relation to security, cohesion, extremism, but of course it’s our responsibility to coordinate the immediate response here to this appalling attack, to ensure security is in place, to take other measures.

“I’m holding a meeting tomorrow with the criminal justice agencies to make sure that we have effective and swift justice in these cases.”

Other politicians, including Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch and courts minister and local MP Sarah Sackman, have gone to Golders Green.

Sackman said: “I want to say this to everybody listening and specifically to the British Jewish community and attack on Britain’s Jews is an attack on Britain itself.

“We cannot tolerate this. The prime minister has called a Cobra meeting. It speaks to just how serious this incident is.”

In an interview, Badenoch said the “full force of the law” is what people need to feel safe.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council have released a joint statement after the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green on Wednesday morning.

The statement said: “We are sickened by yet another terrorist attack on our community, this time targeting two visibly Jewish men on the streets of London. This comes after weeks of arson attacks targeting Jewish premises, and just seven months after two Jews were murdered in Manchester on Yom Kippur. For many in our community, this feels relentless.

“Our thoughts are with the victims, and we pray for their swift recovery. We also thank the police, Shomrim, Hatzola and CST for their swift response.”

The groups then outlined that there were factors which led to this event taking place. “We cannot ignore the context: a wave of antisemitic hatred driven by extremists at home and abroad, including Islamist extremism that motivated the Heaton Park attack, and attempts by the Iranian regime to orchestrate violence against British Jews,” it said.

It continued: “This attack, and the others we have witnessed, are not only on the Jewish community, but on our country and its values. It is an attack on the right to live freely, to celebrate one’s identity without fear, and to walk our streets in safety.

“Security measures are essential, but they alone are not the answer. Government must deliver on its commitments to tackle sources of antisemitic extremism at home and abroad. We will not allow Jewish life to be forced behind barriers.

“British Jews will not be intimidated. But we should not face this threat alone. A silent majority offers little reassurance. This is a moment for the whole of society to speak up loudly and stand together against this hatred.”

Members of the Jewish community in Golders Green are feeling scared, unsafe, and are calling for stronger action after two men were attacked on the street in the north London neighbourhood in a suspected antisemitic incident.

Guardian reporters Jamie Grierson, Aamna Mohdin and Adela Suliman were on the ground speaking to residents in the local area.

People feel scared, people feel unsafe,” said Baruch Stern, of Gross Butchers, behind the cordon raised after two men were stabbed in north London in an apparent antisemitic attack. “People think, is it really the place for me to be here? Is the UK safe for Jewish people, or is it something we need to think about, moving away?”

Israel Morgenstein, 48, who has lived in the area for 15 years, said:​ “We are thinking now that maybe it’s time to go home. We don’t feel safe. We’re not scared, but we don’t feel safe. I believe that the police are doing an amazing job, and the government supports as much as they can. But I don’t think they are trained to deal with such kind of situations, and this is our worry.”

Sam Adler, 37, ​a property developer​, said: “We’re going to pick up and carry on because Jews always have done. Historically, we are a resilient nation, and no one’s gonna beat us. We’re gonna be stronger than ever. But on the other side of it, there’s a lot of anger. We feel that the government is encouraging this.”

The Right Rev Dr Anderson Jeremiah, the bishop of Edmonton, who lives in Golders Green, said he had been walking in the same street only an hour before the stabbings.

He said: “I am deeply shocked and saddened that yet again two of our Jewish neighbours have been targeted and stabbed by an individual driven by hatred and violence. While I am immensely relieved to hear they are currently receiving medical attention, the fact that such an atrocity has occurred in our community is devastating.”

Read the full report below.

Katie Kempen, chief executive at Victim Support, said: “We are appalled by today’s antisemitic terror attack in Golders Green, North London, and our thoughts are with all those affected.

“This is not only an attack on the two injured men, it is an attack on the entire Jewish community.

“Victim Support stands firmly against racism, antisemitism and violence, and in solidarity with the Jewish community.

“Anyone who has been affected by today’s incident can contact us 24/7 through our live chat service or by calling our free Supportline on 08 08 16 89 111.”

The chief rabbi and the Israeli foreign ministry have called for action after a series of incidents targeting Jewish sites in the UK.

Here is a timeline of recent incidents, compiled by the Press Association:

2 October 2025

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, wearing a fake suicide belt.

It was the first fatal antisemitic terror attack in the UK since the Community Security Trust began recording incidents in 1984.

23 March 2026

Four Jewish community ambulances were torched in Golders Green, in the early hours.

The vehicles were from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the area. The resulting blaze caused gas canisters inside the ambulances to explode, resulting in around £1 million of damage.

15 April 2026

Attempted arson attacks were carried out in the early hours at Finchley Reform Synagogue, and at about 8.30pm 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.

17 April 2026

Items were found near the Israeli embassy, central London, in the morning, and that night a former Jewish charity building was attacked in Hendon, Barnet.

A man was spotted approaching a row of shops carrying a plastic bag later found to contain three bottles of fluid, police said.

18 April 2026

A teenage boy smashed the window of Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow before lighting a bottle and throwing it inside, a judge was told.

The 17-year-old, a British national from Brent, north-west London, admitted arson not endangering life at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last week.

27 April 2026

A memorial wall in Golders Green was targeted in a suspected arson attack.

The Metropolitan Police said it 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.

Attorney-general Richard Hermer has said he is “deeply concerned” the attack in Golders Green and ongoing threats against the Jewish community.

In a post on social media, Hermer said that while “we don’t know yet know the full picture”, he is urging people to let the police get on with their “urgent work”.

He said:

But I will say that these vile antisemitic acts are designed to strike fear into the heart of Britain’s Jewish community. We will not allow them to win.

There should be no doubt of the government’s determination to keep the Jewish community safe and tackle antisemitism in all its forms.

I personally know of the prime minister’s outrage at attacks on the Jewish community, which are real and concerning, and his unyielding resolve to root out antisemitism in our society.

Detectives are looking at what ideology drove the suspect and are also examining his mental health history.

The stabbings in Golders Green follow a terrorist attack on Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester last year where two people died, with the attacker shot dead by police. In that case the attacker claimed he carried out the atrocity for Islamic State.

Islamic State and al-Qaeda propaganda have recently called for attacks on Jewish people and targets. A series of attacks since March, first in Europe and then in London against Jewish targets, are suspected of being carried out by criminal proxies at the behest of Iran.

The King is being kept fully informed and is “deeply concerned” after the terrorist attack on two Jewish men in Golders Green, and his “thoughts and prayers” are with the victims, Buckingham Palace has said.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are currently undertaking a four-day visit to the United States.

“His Majesty is being kept fully informed and is naturally deeply concerned, in particular about the impact for the Jewish community,” the palace said.

“His thoughts and prayers are with the two individuals who were injured and offers his heartfelt gratitude to those who so selflessly rushed to their aid.”

Mark Rowley said anti-semitism is being fuelled by “hostile states, the extreme right and the extreme left” who are given space to operate because of “weak” civil debate.

The Metropolitan Police commissioner said:

This is an attack on one community, an attack on one community is an attack on all London’s communities. This was an attack on Londoners. It is an attack on British Jews.

Too many Jewish people in this country feel they have to make choices that no other Briton ever has to make. They have to make choices about how they dress, where they go, or how visibly they live their lives. That’s completely unacceptable and has gone on for far too long.

We also need to be honest about the nature of the threat. Antisemitism is fuelled by hateful and extremist ideologies. It comes from hostile states, the extreme right, and the extreme left.

He added:

These are terrorists and hateful belief systems, but they’re all rooted in racism. They’re given space to operate when civic debate is weak, when hatred is excused, and when people are unwilling to challenge it directly, I also believe now is the time to ask some difficult questions.

Why don’t we see more condemnation of the attacks we’ve seen in recent weeks? Where are all the voices against hate? And where is the solidarity with fellow Londoners who are being targeted simply for who they are? Legitimate debate about international affairs should never be allowed to legitimise antisemitism or violence against British Jews here on the streets of London.

When that line is blurred, attacks become more likely. Let me be clear, we’ve seen a rise in racist and antisemitic hate crime. And whilst I can’t comment on live investigations, we know that some individuals are being encouraged, persuaded or paid to commit acts of violence on behalf of foreign organisations and hostile states.

The suspected Golders Green knifeman had “a history of serious violence and mental health issues”, the Metropolitan Police commissioner said.

Speaking at the scene amid heckles of “resign” and “shame on you”, Mark Rowley said:

The 45-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and remains in custody following a check up at the local hospital. He has a history of serious violence and mental health issues, and that investigation continues.

He went on to praise his officers for confronting the suspect, who they thought might be carrying an explosive, saying:

My first thoughts are with the two British Jews, who were attacked whilst going about their daily lives, which they should be able to do freely and safely in their own local community. I also want to pay tribute to my officers, who were on the scene within a few minutes, and whose actions undoubtedly prevented further injury and saved lives.

Before coming here today, I met with them. They’re nothing short of extraordinary. They confronted a man they believed to be a terrorist, who refused to show his hands, who was violent and continued to pose a clear threat. These were not armed officers, and they feared that he was carrying an explosive device.

Using only their training, their courage and their tasers, they managed to detain him, whilst he continues to try and attack and stab them. They will tell you they were simply doing their jobs but without their bravery, I dread to think what the outcome would have been.

I also want to recognise the extraordinary voluntary first responders from the community, including the Shomrim.

The prime minister has called a Cobra meeting following the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green, north London, local MP and justice minister Sarah Sackman said.

It comes as the home secretary Shabana Mahmood said she would “strain every sinew” to keep Jewish people safe following the “horrifying” suspected terror attack in Golders Green.

Terrorism policing assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor said one of the lines of inquiry is whether the Golders Green attack was “deliberately targeting the Jewish community”.

He told reporters:

I would like to praise the bravery of the police officers and members of the public who were at the scene and responded.

At 11.16am this morning, two men, aged 76 and 34, were attacked on Highfield Avenue in Barnet. They suffered stab wounds in the attack, and are now being looked after in hospital.

Metropolitan Police officers responding to the incident were also attacked, leading to the tasering and arrest of a 45-year-old man. He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and he remains in police custody. And Counter Terrorism Policing are now leading the investigation.

He added:

I can also confirm that this has now formally been declared a terrorist incident. Our highly-specialised teams of officers are working with the Metropolitan Police to progress this investigation quickly and establish exactly what has happened.

We’re also working with our partners in the security services to ensure we have a full intelligence picture. And one of the lines of inquiry is whether this attack was deliberately targeting the Jewish community in London.

Now, that community are strong, but they will be incredibly concerned to see and hear what has happened today, particularly in the wake of other incidents in recent weeks. And that concern will be felt not just in the capital, but in communities and homes across the UK.

I want to make it clear, that counter terrorism policing and police forces up and down the country are mobilising to provide additional support and reassurance.

Responding to the stabbings in Golders Green, victims’ commissioner for England and Wales Claire Waxman said: “My thoughts are with the victims of today’s horrific antisemitic attack in Golders Green, and with the wider Jewish community who will be deeply shaken by this incident.

“This is yet another attack in a string of disturbing incidents targeting the Jewish community in this country. As a member of the community, I know how relentless and deeply frightening this feels.

“I urge everyone to stand in solidarity with the British Jewish community – not to be bystanders to this hate or to allow it to become normalised and accepted.

“We all have a responsibility to challenge antisemitism and hatred in all its forms, whether online, on our streets, in workplaces, in schools or on university campuses.

“It is now vital that the police and the wider criminal justice system give these attacks the priority and urgency they demand.

“Those responsible must be held to account swiftly and clear reassurance provided to the Jewish community, and more widely, that this hatred will not be tolerated and has no place in this country.”

Police have said the stabbing of two men in north London is being treated as a terrorist incident, with officers investigating whether the attack deliberately targeted the Jewish community.

Speaking outside Scotland Yard on Wednesday, head of counter terrorism olicing Laurence Taylor confirmed that the stabbing has been formally declared to be terrorism.

He said:

This has now formally been declared a terrorist incident. Our highly specialised teams of officers are working with the Metropolitan Police to progress this investigation quickly and establish exactly what has happened.

We’re also working with our partners in the security services to ensure we have a full intelligence picture, and one of the lines of inquiry is whether this attack was deliberately targeting the Jewish community in London.

Words of condemnation are no longer enough, the chief rabbi has said after the stabbing of two Jewish men in north London.

Ephraim Mirvis branded antisemitism “a hatred that we must face down together” and said what happened in Golders Green, north London on Wednesday morning must be a moment for “meaningful action”.

The apparent antisemitic attack follows a series of incidents of late targeting Jewish sites in the capital.

These have included four Jewish community ambulances being set alight in Golders Green in March, and this month an attempted arson attack at Finchley Reform Synagogue, an attack on a former Jewish charity building in Hendon, Barnet, and a “bottle with some sort of accelerant” being thrown at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow,

Mirvis said:

Following the antisemitic stabbing of two Jewish people on the streets of Golders Green this morning, words of condemnation are no longer sufficient.

This must be a moment that demands meaningful action from every institution, every community, every leader and every decent person in our country.

This is a hatred that we must face down together.

The Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, said he was “horrified” by the attack in Golders Green, saying it has become dangerous for a Jew to “openly walk the streets” in London.

In a statement posted on social media, he said:

I am horrified by yet another violent attack on Jews in broad daylight on the streets of London. We are praying for a speedy recovery for all those injured.

Let me be clear: No Jew anywhere in the world should be a target because of their faith. In one of the great capital cities of the West, it has become dangerous to openly walk the streets as a Jew. This is an unacceptable situation. The British government and authorities must take urgent and immediate action before the next antisemitic attack occurs.

We have raised the alarm over the rise in global antisemitism again and again. It’s time for the world to wake up and fight this vicious wave of Jew hatred with all possible means. We in Israel will not stay silent as our Jewish sisters and brothers are threatened and attacked around the world.”