2 Jewish men stabbed in London, suspect arrested

Authorities arrested a man suspected of stabbing two Jewish men on the street in north London on Wednesday.

Police arrested the suspect, 45, on suspicion of attempted murder for allegedly stabbing the two men, 76 and 34. It happened in the north London neighborhood of Golders Green, Metropolitan Police said.

In a statement, police said the stabbings happened at 11:16 a.m. BST on Highfield Avenue. The suspect also tried to stab police officers, but he was tasered before being arrested. No officers were wounded.

The two victims have been taken to a hospital and are in stable condition.

Police haven’t released the name of the suspect, but Mark Rowley, Met police commissioner, said the man has a history of serious violence and mental health issues, the BBC reported.

“This has now formally been declared a terrorist incident,” said Terrorism Policing Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor. “Our highly specialized teams of officers are working with the Metropolitan Police to progress this investigation quickly and establish exactly what has happened.”

Taylor said police are working to determine if the attacks were specifically targeted to Jewish people.

“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 U.K.,” Taylor said.

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

“This is an attack on one community and an attack on one community is an attack on all London’s communities,” Rowley said in a press conference. “This was an attack on Londoners. It was 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 choose how they dress, where they go or how visibly they live their lives. That is completely unacceptable and has gone on for far too long.”

Rowley also mentioned the bravery of the officers who captured the suspect.

“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,” Rowley said. “These were not armed officers, and they feared he was carrying an explosive device.”

“Without their bravery I doubt to think what the outcome could have been,” he said.

Ben Grosnass, of Shomrim, a local Orthodox volunteer neighborhood watch organization, told The Guardian that volunteers got phone calls from people at about 11:20 a.m. BST.

“There’s a man running around with a knife on Golders Green Road and Highfield Avenue, stabbing people,” he said.

Grosnass said a team of volunteers went to the scene, where they were able to follow and grab the attacker along with police.

“We salute our volunteers for the work that they do,” he said. “They put themselves on the front line every day, 24/7.”

Shomrim volunteer Stephen Bak agreed.

“We are an organization which would always run towards danger to protect the community,” Bak told The Guardian. “We’re here always for the community, and nothing will ever stop us. No fear no hate.”

“[The attacks] has increased a lot in the past couple of years, but in the past few months our volunteers are really stretched. We’re receiving calls all day, everyday. We just really need further assistance from government.”

British politicians are offering support and condolences.

“The anti-Semitic attack in Golders Green is utterly appalling,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on X. “Attacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain. Thank you to Shomrim, Hatzola [a volunteer emergency medical organization for the Jewish community] and the police for acting swiftly. Those responsible will be brought to justice,” the post said.

“Words of condemnation are no longer sufficient,” United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said in a statement. “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.”

Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales Claire Waxman said the Jewish community will be shaken by the 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 normalized and accepted.”

Britain has seen several anti-Semitic attacks recently.

On April 20, two teens were arrested for an arson attack on a London synagogue.

On March 23, four Hatzola ambulances were set ablaze in Golders Green. Police arrested four people for the arson.

In October, two people were killed outside a synagogue in Manchester, England.

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